Huxman, Martha Hansman (1881-1931)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 8 Sep 1931 p. 14

Birth date: 1881

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 19 Aug 1931 p. 1

text of obituary:

Three Lives Lost at Railroad Crossing

Hutchinson, Kansas, August 17. — Three lives were snuffed out almost in the twinkling of an eye at Hutchinson's worst death-dealing railroad crossing at 7 o'clock yesterday morning when the Rock island's passenger train No. 13 crashed into a motor car on the Fourth Ave., crossing at the east edge of the city.

Mrs. John P. Huxman, 49 of Moundridge was instantly killed and Daniel E. Huxman, 16, a son, and daughter Louise, 19 years old died as they were being rushed to a local hospital.

Enroute to Pretty Prairie to spend the day at the home of Mrs. Huxman's sister, Mrs. Helen Buhler, the Moundridge family was coming into Hutchinson on U. S. highway No. 50S when the accident occurred. A brother of the dead woman also lives at Pretty Prairie.

The motor car in which the victims were traveling, a model A Ford Sedan, was hit by the engine of the train as it was about halfway over the crossing and hurled across the street, striking the iron post which supported the railroad crossing warning sign. The car was completely demolished and landed on its side on the south side of the street beyond the sidewalk.

E. Kuhn of 1630 Fourth Ave., east and a sister were the only witnesses of the crash. Mr. Kuhn who lives in the first house of the crossing, said that he was in his front yard as the train approached the crossing and saw the accident.

The Ford did not turn over but spun twice like a top as the engine plowed into it, he said. Young Huxman, who was driving was thrown clear of the wreckage but as Mr. Kuhn arrived on the scene the mother and daughter were still in the back seat of the car, Kuhn said. The mother was dead but the girl was still breathing, according to the witness' account. So terrific was the impact that the head of the mother was wedged through the rear window and it was necessary to exercise care in taking out the body aso as not to cut her throat on the broken glass, he reported.

No Warning Whistle.

The engineer in compliance with the recently enactd city ordinance prohibiting whistling of all trains coming into the city, did not sound the whistle to warn the driver, according to his statement made to T. J. May of Pratt, claim adjuster for the Rock Island who is here to investigate the accident.

Charles E. Unangst, the engineer, and H. C. Dixon, conductor were on the run and both filed statements to that effect that they were complying with the ordinance in not giving warning blasts, it was said. So upset was Unangst that he immediately asked to be relieved and did not take the run into Dalhart.

Immediately upon learning of the fatal crash Mayor A. Lewis Oswald issued an executive order to the Rock Island, Santa Fe and Missouri Pacific railroads instructing engineers to sound strictly in accordance with rules and ignore the city ordinance.

This was done and early this morning there was a sort of ironic ring in the sound of the shrill blasts from No. 13 as it came into the city. Mayor Oswald had given assurance to the railroad agents here that he would institute an order repealing the anti-whistling edict at a special meeting of the comission <sic> this morning.

The bodies of the victims were taken to Moundridge late yesterday from the Johnson and Sons funeral home by a Moundridge undertaker.