One escapes in Accident- kills 6
Family Had Been To Cemetery-
(Star special service) Date: June 8th, 1928... Ransom date of death (June 8, 1928)
Mackinaw, Ill. June- Six persons were instantly killed three miles east of here when a northbound Big Four ploughed through a touring car containing seven mourners at Hasty crossing shortly after 5:30 o'clock last evening. Five of those whose bodies were mangled belonged to one family and the sixth was a close friend. The other occupant of the car, a child of ten, miraculously escaped with mnor injuries.
The dead:
Ransom Hasty, 46
His mother, Mrs. Francis Hasty, 86
Kilby Hasty, 8
Teddy Hasty, 7
Lawrence Hasty, 5
Rodger Watson, 50
Nellie Hasty, the only surviving member of the crash, is in Oak Knoll sanitarium with a fractured leg.
Coming From The Cemetery
The Hasty Family was returning from the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery where they had decorated the graves of relatives. A rough stretch of road on approach to the crossing, which through a coincidence has received its name from the Hasty's in Mackinaw, occupied the attention of the driver, Ranson Hasty.
The Big Four running parallel to the I.T.S. tracks here presents an obstructed view to the West because of a deep cut, but the view to the East was clear.
Train No.11, in charge of George Clark, conductor, had left Bloomington at 5:30 o'clock and was making up time on the straight stretch.
Didn't See Car
Neither Engineer Tom Malia or Fireman L.W. Christy saw the automobile heading for the crossin. They first knew of the accident when the impact of the automobile was felt and the air brakes were set for a quick stop.
The mangled remains of Ransom Hasty, his mother and one of the children were still on the pilot of the flyer, but the bodies of the other dead were strewn along the right of way. The only survivor, Nellie Hasty, was placed in a car and rushed to hospital and Coroner A.E. Allen was notified. Wayne Williams and George Fay, of Mackinaw were the first to arrive on the scene and helped to place the bodies on the train.
Horribly Mutilated
A basket was needed to collect the portions of the bodies, which had been ground to pieces beneath the wheels. They were taken to the Haensel undertaking establishment in Mackinaw.
The road was little used except by funeral processions and mourners. Little did the occupants of the Hasty car realize that before their tears had dried they, too were to join their beloved dead.
Engineer Malia said he whistled for the crossing and declared the train bell was sounding its message of warning as well. The shock of the light car being crumpled against the front of the engine was the first notice he had of the tragedy.
Hold an Inquest Today
The inquest is being held today. Inasmuch as there was no eyewitnesses to the accident, so far as had been ascertained early this morning, the probe was expected to be of perfunctory nature. It was said that the verdict of accidental death in the case of all six would be returned.
The fatal crossing is considered particularly dangerous and numerous near-accidents have occurred there. But the danger has always been considered to come from the East instead of the West, as the view in the latter (West) direction is unobscured.
P.C. Barrick, operator at Lilly, who was one of the firsts on the scene when appraised of the crash, reported the accident. He said that the train had passed through Lilly on time but did not stop there.
Was a Widower
Ransom Hasty was born in Mackinaw on November 7, 1882, the son of Mr and Mrs Robert J. Hasty. He married Helena J. Daley September 9, 1906 who proceeded him in death on November 7, 1924. He(Ransom) is survived by the following children: Ervin, 21, Elmer, 19, Robert, 17, Harry, 13, Nellie 10 and Frank 3.
His mother, who met her death with him, was Miss Frances Alexander before her marrieage to Robert Hasty in 1863. She was born in Columbus, Ohio, December 10, 1845 and came to Illinois with her parents when she was a young girl. Her husband passed away February 11, 1910.
Rodger Watson was a life long resident of Mackinaw and the son of Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Watson. He made his home with the Hasty family for a number of years.
Funeral arrangements are not complete.
Toll is Terrific
The tragedy, which claimed six lives at Mackinaw yesterday, brought the central Illinois death toll from train accidents up to 22 in the pass fortnight. Seven children were killed near Springfield Tuesday, seven lost their lives in an interurban crash near Danville, May 31 and two Pekinites were killed one day when they tried to beat a Chicago & Illinois Midland train near Insull Plant at Powerton.
The Mackinaw tragedy is believed to have been the greatest, which has occurred in the city's history.