Jim and Carol's
Hall of Genealogy

About five-forty-five last evening at the crossing just west of the Gibbon stock yards east bound train No. 2 struck the Studebaker car belonging to Paul Thatcher and driven by Miss Helen Sloss, who was visiting at the Thatcher home from North Bend. The other occupants of the car were Mrs. Lora Thatcher, two daughters, Sara and Ruth, and Miss Norma Gordon of Kearney, primary teacher in the Gibbon schools. Mrs. Thatcher, Miss Sloss and Miss Gordon were instantly killed, the Misses Thatcher being alive, but unconscious. They were picked up and carried to their home where Ruth died last evening at 7:00 o'clock and Sara at 6:00 this morning, without either of them having regained consciousness.

There were no eye witnesses to the accident and the real facts of the case will never be known. Miss Sloss was an experienced driver* and whether they did not see the train approaching or the brakes of the car refused to work is not known, although Paul Thatcher stated that the brakes had not been working very well of late.

The sudden stopping of the train attracted the attention of persons nearby and they immediately realized that something was wrong and rushed to the stock yards crossing. They found the car resting on the north track about 100 yards east of the crossing. From its appearance the engine of the train had struck it just back of the front seat.

There is hardly a part of the machine that is uninjured, with the exception of the headlights and three of the wheels. The frame were the train struck it is mashed until it touches the opposite side of the body. Only one terminal is broken from the storage battery.

When they first reached the scene of the accident no one knew who it was or whose car it was. Some one standing by picked up a paper that had fallen out on the ground and saw the name "Thatcher", but even then until they thoroughly examined the car, they thought it was a party of strangers. Miss Gordon was the first one recognized, and was the one nearest the crossing. All were thrown clear of the car and Mrs. Thatcher's body was thrown some thirty yards east of the auto on the rails of the north track.

Stretchers and cots were quickly provided and the dead and injured removed as quickly as possible from the scene. Miss Gordon's body was taken to the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Randall, parents of Rex Randall, Miss Gordon's fiancé. Word was sent to her home in Kearney and her mother and brother, Paul, accompanied by a friend and Dr. Cameron, rushed to Gibbon by auto. The father was in Lincoln on business and it was late in the evening before he could be communicated with. He arrived in Grand Island this morning however and L. T. Osborn brought him to Gibbon in his car.

An examination by two doctors confirmed the fact that Miss Gordon was killed instantly by a blow on the head. On arm and one leg were broken and indications are that she was badly crushed internally.

Miss Sloss was terribly cut about the head. No further particulars as to her condition have been learned. Her brother, James Sloss, accompanied by Miss Marie and Roy Cusack and Mrs. G. E. DeWolf, all of North Bend, arrived this morning on No. 19 and arrangements are being made to [section of original text not available]

The Gibbon schools are closed for the remainder of the week and a deep gloom is cast over the entire town. Both Miss Gordon and Miss Thatcher were idolized by their pupils and the grief of the school children is almost beyond their power to endure.

No funeral arrangements have yet been made, but it is supposed that the services for Mrs. Thatcher and her daughters will be held at the same time.

Later--The coroner's jury has been empaneled and they have viewed the remains. The inquest will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at the town hall.

The remains of Miss Gordon, accompanied by members of her family and Mrs. Randall and son, Rex, were taken to her home in Kearney early this afternoon and the funeral will probably be held sometime Saturday as they are awaiting some relatives from Canada.

The body of Miss Sloss was taken to North Bend on No. 20 this afternoon, accompanied by her brother and Roy and Marie Cusack. Mrs. DeWolf will remain here.

Gibbon, Neb., April 12 -- 8 a.m., -- Special to the Hub -- Miss Sadie Thatcher, the only passenger of the wrecked auto who was not killed instantly in the accident Wednesday evening died at the Thatcher home this morning at 6:00 o'clock. This brings the total number of dead to five, every occupant of the car struck by the Los Angeles Limited being dead.

Norma Gordon, daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. John Gordon of Kearney, Mrs. Lora Thatcher, of Gibbon, daughter Ruth, and Mrs. James Lawson of North Bend were killed in an auto accident which took place at Gibbon Wednesday evening shortly before six o'clock. Sadie Thatcher was fatally injured.

The party of five was auto riding, being on their return to Gibbon and coming across the U. P. tracks near the stock yards at Gibbon when the machine was struck by the Los Angeles Limited. The train, which does not make a stop at Gibbon was coasting, traveling at no less than fifty miles an hour. The machine was struck in the center and thrown the full length of the train. It was battered to pieces.

Those rushing to the scene of the accident, including the train crew, found the bodies of Miss Gordon and Sadie Thatcher lying near the wreckage while the bodies of the other three victims were pinned in the wrecked auto. The body of Mrs. Thatcher only was mutilated, the others bearing numerous concussions and bruises, but no mutilation. None of the occupants of the car were caught under the wheels of the train.

There were no eye witnesses to the accident. The crossing, at the point where the accident took place, is not considered a particularly dangerous one but a number of accidents have been narrowly avoided there. Mrs. Lawson was at the wheel of the machine when the accident happened. The car was struck in the center by the fast train. It could not be learned if the engineer and train crew were witnesses to the accident but such facts will be brought to light at a coroner's inquest which is to be held today.

Norma Gordon, of this city, one of the party killed, filled the position of primary teacher in the Gibbon schools. She is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Gordon, who reside on west Twenty-second street. Only a short time ago her early marriage to Rex Randall, of Gibbon, was announced. Miss Gordon was a graduate of Kearney High and Normal school and was considered one of the most popular young ladies of the city. Her remains were taken to the Randall home after the accident and will be brought to Kearney some time today.

Ruth Thatcher, who was also killed, acted as principle [sic] of the Gibbon schools. The Thatcher family is well known throughout the entire county, being among the pioneers of this city. Sadie Thatcher has been living in Omaha of late, coming to Gibbon only recently because of illness of her mother. Mrs. Lawson, a professional nurse, was learning to drive the machine in which the party met death.

**Note: All other accounts list Miss Helen Sloss as the driver of the car instead of Mrs. James Lawson.