Some Butler County newspapers, September 3, 1936
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Some Butler County newspapers, September 3, 1936 |
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JACK WELSH IS KILLED AS CARS COLLIDERobert Gerlach is Badly Injured In Crash South of Butler Early Today; Four Others Are HurtHead-On Collision Occurs at 1:30 A.M. Today On Supper-Highway &endash; Young Welsh Dies Instantly &endash; Gerlach Has Serious Head Wounds &endash; Four Pittsburgh Victims Also In Butler Hospital In a head-on collision of two cars on the super-highway four miles south of Butler at 1:30 this morning, Jack Welsh, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Welsh of Slippery Rock and Butler, was instantly killed and Robert Gerlach, 19, son of Charles A. Gerlach of Slippery Rock was badly injured. Four Pittsburgh people, occupants of the other machine, are in the Butler County Memorial hospital, one of them in a very serious condition. The accident occurred on the homeward trip of Jack and Bob from a visit with friends in Pittsburgh last evening. The force of the collision was such that the wrecking company had great difficulty in getting the two machines apart. Jack is said to have suffered a broken neck, a broken jaw, fractured arm and severe back injuries. It is believed that his death was instantaneous. Bob suffered severe head injuries, a fracture of the nose, and other abrasions and bruises. The report from the Butler County Memorial hospital this morning gives his condition as "fair". The Pittsburgh machine, southbound, contained the following persons, all of whom are in the Butler hospital: Miss Catherine Wagner, 42 -- Fracture of right femur and left arm; lacerations of the head and legs. Condition serious. Lewis Graf, 28 -- Lacerated scalp and abrasion of both arms. Mrs. Catherine Guysels, 46 -- Laceration of scalp, abrasions of the knees and left ankle. Michael Ruppel, 52 -- Suffering from shock and abrasions of the scalp and right hand. "Jackie" Welsh has been a well known figure around Slippery Rock all his life. Following his graduation from McKeesport high school in June, he came here with his mother, Mrs. Maude Topley Welsh, who attended the summer session of the State Teachers college here. She is a teacher in the schools of the McKeesport district and a sister of James Topley of this place. Jackie worked at Stoughton's Beach this summer and yesterday was his last day on the summer job. He was preparing to enter the University of Cincinnati this fall and was enthusiastic about his coming college career. His mother, Mrs. Maude Topley Welsh, returned from a short vacation trip only yesterday, bringing her son many new clothes for his school wardrobe. They had a happy reunion and then she gave him her car to make the trip to see Pittsburgh friends. He has been driving for years and was an experienced operator. He was at the wheel when the crash occurred. Held in high esteem by all who knew him and with scores of friends in this community, the death of the young man has brought grief to many. His mother is prostrated at the home of her brother here. Years ago, the only other child of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Welsh, little Betty Welsh, died from terrible burns when her dress caught fire while lighting a firecracker on the Fourth of July. Jackie's only survivors are his parents, Walter Welsh of Butler, employed by the Welsh Bus Transportation and for years a resident of Slippery Rock, and Mrs. Maude Topley Welsh, a teacher in the schools of the McKeesport district. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 10 o'clock in the morning at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. James Topley here. Interment will be made in the Slippery Rock cemetery. |
SLIPPERY ROCK BOY IS KILLED, FIVE INJURED Pittsburghers Hurt In Fatal Crash On Highway. CARS MEET HEAD-ON Super-Highway Is Scene Of Worst Tragedy In Many Years. BUTLER, Pa., Sept. 3.&endash;&endash;A head-on collision of two cars on the Pittsburgh-butler super-highway early today claimed the life of a Slippery Rock youth and injured five other persons, one seriously, in one of the worst crashes of the year in Butler county. John H. Welsh, 17, Slippery Rock, died after suffering a fractured skull, broken neck and fractured left arm. Seriously injured were Robert Gerlach, 19, Slippery Rock, possible fracture of the skull. Catherine Wagner, 42, of 1209 West North avenue, Pittsburgh, suffered a fractured right leg and left arm and lacerations, condition serious. Mrs. Catherine Gyshels, 46, same address, has laceration of scalp, abrasions of knees and left ankle; Walter Ruppel, 52, of 1028 Liverpool street, Pittsburgh, sustained lacerations of scalp and right hand, injuries to head and chest. Louis Graf, 38, of the West North avenue address, has laceration of scalp and abrasions of both knees. Driving a new car, Welsh was coming north on the super-highway. He was accompanied by Gerlach. They had taken a friend, who had been working at Stoughton's Beach near Slippery Rock, during the summer, to his home in Pittsburgh, and were returning home. According to reports of the accident, Welsh was driving and apparently came upon a truck suddenly also traveling north on the highway. State Highway Patrolmen D. B. and M. L. Miller, with Coroner M. E. Headland, who are investigating the case, said measurements show that about 700 feet north of the crest of a long hill, four miles south of Butler, Welsh turned from behind the truck and tried to pass the truck. A sedan driven by Ruppel was proceeding up the grade at the time and the two cars crashed. William Holom, of 414 Sixth avenue, Butler, passenger on the truck, had been picked up at Bakerstown, he told investigating officers, and was returning home. Holom said that he saw the Welsh car in back of the truck and that before the driver of the truck could signal a warning Welsh turned out to pass. Passing motorists were commandeered to remove the injured persons to the hospital and wreckers were called to pull the two cars apart. Welsh was pinned in the wreckage and finally was extricated and hurried to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two wreckers were unable to pull the cars apart and the use of crowbars was employed to separate them. Young Welsh was the son of Maud Topley Welsh of Slippery Rock, a teacher in the McKeesport schools, and Walter Welsh of the Welsh Bus Transportation Company of Butler. He was born in Butler county and would have attained his 18th birthday on October 25. His was the fourth violent death in the immediate family. Ten years ago his grandfather and grandmother, Mr. and Mrs. Topley, were killed in a crash at McKeesport and nine years ago his sister was fatally burned by firecrackers. He leaves his father and mother and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John H. Welsh. |
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FIVE OTHERS HURT IN HEADON WRECK ON SUPER HIGHWAY John H. Welsh, Aged 17, of Slippery Rock, Dies from Broken Neck INJURED ARE TAKEN TO BUTLER HOSPITAL Victim Returning from Taking Friend to Pittsburgh at Time of Tragedy A headon collision between two cars on the Pittsburgh-Butler super highway, shortly after 1 o'clock this morning, claimed the life of a Butler county youth and injured five other persons, one seriously, in one of the worst crashes of the year in Butler county. The dead: JOHN H. WELSH, 17, Slippery Rock, fractured skull, broken neck and fractured left arm at the elbow. The injured: ROBERT GERLACH, 19, Slippery Rock,
laceration of nose and possible fracture of skull. All of the injured persons were removed to the Butler County Memorial hospital by passing motorists. Welsh was dead when examined at the hospital. The accident occurred shortly after 1 o'clock. Driving a new car, Welsh was coming north on the super highway. He was accompanied by Robert Gerlach of slippery rock. The two had taken a friend who had been working at Stoughton's Beach during the summer, to his home in Pittsburgh and were returning home. According to reports of the accident, Welsh was driving the car and apparently had come suddenly upon a steel truck which was also traveling north on the highway. State Highway Patrolmen D. B. and M. L. Miller, together with Coroner M. E. Headland, who are investigating the accident, believed that Welsh came upon the truck suddenly. Measurements show that about 700 feet north of the crest of the long hill four miles south of Butler, Welsh turned from behind the truck and went to pass the steel truck. A sedan driven by Walter Ruppel, 52, of 1028 Liverpool street, North Side, Pittsburgh, was proceeding up the grade at the time and the two cars crashed headon. So terrific was the force of the impact that the two cars were driven and wedged tightly together. According to investigating officers, the force of the impact drove the Ruppel car down the hill 30 feet before the two cars finally came to a stop, a tangled mass of wreckage. Passing motorists were immediately commandeered to remove the injured persons to the hospital and wreckers were called to pull the two cars apart. Welsh was pinned in the wreckage and was finally extricated and hurried to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two wreckers were unable to pull the cars apart and use of crowbars was employed to separate them. Both were completely demolished with an estimated loss of $1,500. State highway patrolmen and Coroner Headland were continuing their investigation today and indicated an inquest would be held at a later date. Those who aided in bringing the injured to the hospital included B. F. Christophuson of 1815 Fulton Place, Pittsburgh, James Smith, 124 New Castle street, William Holom, 414 Sixth avenue, Butler, William Hartzell of Renfrew and Walter Wagner of Butler R. D. 6. William Holom, of 414 Sixth avenue, Butler, was a passenger on the steel truck. He had been picked up at Bakerstown by the truck, he told investigating officers, and was returning home. Holom said that he saw the Welsh car in back of the truck and that before the driver of the truck could signal a warning Welsh turned out to pass. Identity of the truck driver was not immediately learned by investigating officers. He will be questioned at a later date. The cars were a complete mass of wreckage with parts of both machines strewn over the highway. Frames of both cars were driven back several feet. Engines and radiators were driven back, steering wheels were shattered and bodies of the cars twisted. A woman's shoe was found on the hood of the Ruppel machine after the collision. Young Welsh was the son of Maud Topley Welsh of Slippery Rock, a teacher in the McKeesport schools, and Walter Welsh of the Welsh Bus Transportation company of Butler. He had been spending the summer in Slippery Rock with his mother, who was studying at Slippery Rock State Teachers college and had been working at Stoughton's beach. He had attended Kiski Preparatory school last year and planned to return there to finish his course this fall. He was born in Butler county and would have attained his 18th birthday on October 25. His was the fourth violent death in the immediate family. Ten years ago his grandfather and grandmother, Mr. and Mrs. Topley, were killed in a crash at McKeesport and nine years ago his sister was fatally burned by fire-crackers. Young Welsh's body was removed to the Uber and Sons Funeral Home in Slippery Rock. He is survived by his father and mother, Walter and Maud Topley Welsh. |
[unrelated article, no headline, about London School Reunion] The London School reunion held last Saturday was a success. Over 200 enjoyed a picnic dinner in the Grange Hall and on the surrounding lawn and were afterward entertained in the auditorium by a program headed by Dr. P. W. Allen and to which Dr. Morgan Barnes and Mrs. Gladys Wilcox volunteered. The entire afternoon was spent in visiting and in games for young and old on the adjoining field. J. H. Miller, a pupil of the London School in 1855 to 1858 drove from his home in Mercer in his car. The former teachers of the London present and registered were: Miss Sadie Courtney, taught in 1878. Miss Mabel F. Davis, 1919, 1920-1922; Mrs. Grace Nelson Weber, 1927, 1929, 1931-2; Mrs. Alvaretta Dennison McKee, 1895 and 1897; Miss Katherine Nelson, 1934-35; Mrs. Margaret Thompson Braham, 1886-87; Sherman Rodgers, 1908-07[sic], 1933-34; Mrs. Seymore Struthers Young, 1881; Mrs. Bertha Thompson Gilson, 1900-01; Mrs. Jamima Redmon Hazlett, 1868. Among the one time pupils of the London School at the reunion, not living in the vicinity were: Mrs. Minnie Coyer Osborne, Slippery Rock; Mr. and Mrs. George Pizor, Jackson Center; Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Hay, New Castle; Dr. and Mrs. M. L. Winger, Wooster, O.; Mrs. Gladys Black Wilcox, Boston, Mass.; Mrs. Blanche Allen Lewis, New Castle; Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Winger, New Castle; Mr. and Mrs. Frances Pizor, Jackson Center; Mrs. Ralph Yake, Sharon; Winfield Rodgers, Sharpsville; Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Davis, Sheakleyville; Mrs. John Ray, Sharon; Mrs. Lolo McCracken, Sharon; Mr. and Mrs. George Lewis, New Castle; E. N. Boyd, Philadelphia; Mrs. John Barron, Slippery Rock; I. E. McCoy, New Castle, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Reeher, Ashland, O. The next meeting, enthusiastically asked for, is to be on the third Saturday in August of 1937. Re-elected officers are I. C. Black, chairman; W. R. Nelson, vice chairman; D. F. Black, secretary, and John Nelson, treasurer. |
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Updated on Saturday, 01-Jul-2000 18:08:53 MDT |
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