Obit of Witt, Herman - Pittsburg County, Oklahoma Submitted by: William A. Hunt 22 Oct 2006 Return to Pittsburg County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/pittsburg/pittsburg.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== :: Hartshorne Sun, Thursday, September 5, 1907. "Two Killed By The Cars "Lives of Herman Witt and Jesse Parker Snuffed Out in the Twinkling of an Eye. "The saddest and most horrible accident in Hartshorne's history occurred Sunday morning last at about 9:30, when Herman Witt and Jesse Parker were ground to death by the cars at the Rock Island crossing on 10th street near the M. E. Church South. The unfortunate little fellows were the sons of S. E. Witt and J. H. Parker, aged 5 and 9 years respectively. "Hearing an approaching train these boys in company with others, left the church, just before the hour for assembling Sunday school, and ran over to the crossing to watch the passing train. While standing on the side track watching the double-header go by, a switch engine, unknown to them had taken the siding and was moving toward them on the same track, which they were unable to hear owing to the noise of the other train. "Without a moment's warning there was a rumbling noise, a lunge of cars, and two little bodies lay crushed and mangled beneath the wheels. These few words recite the story of the ghastly sight that met the gaze. "Mr. Witt's other little boy, Carl, was also knocked down, but fell along side the track and was uninjured. "There were three eye witnesses to the horrible sight, who on account of their positions being on the opposite of the coal train could not warn the boys of the impending danger. They could see that escape from death was impossible, yet were powerless to avoid it. "The bodies were taken to Craig's, the undertakers, to be dressed and embalmed, when the sad story was broken to the parents. Mr. Witt, however, had left that morning to Higgins to fill an appointment, to which place a messenger was immediately dispatched. He reached here at about 1 o'clock p.m. "The double funeral was conducted in the M. E. Church Monday morning at 11 o'clock by the pastor, Rev. C. W. Clay, assisted by Rev. C. H. Carleton, where the many sorrowing relatives, friends, and little classmates gathered to mingle their tears in sympathy with the heart- broken fathers, mothers and children." -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Pittsburg County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/pittsburg/pittsburg.htm