VANDE CASTLE / WICZEK ACCIDENT

The Dead
Louis Vande Castle, 42, of 1853 Fairmont street, employed as a compositor
of the Herald-Times, and a former official of the Manitowoc Typographical
Union.
Martin Wiczek, 32, of 1010 South 19th street, employed in the rolling mills
of the Aluminum Goods Manufacturing company, son-in-law of Mr. Vande Castle.
Mrs. Helen Wiczek, 20, bride of five weeks, daughter of Mr. Vande Castle.
Lorraine Vande Castle, 8 years old.
Joan Vande Castle, 7 years old.
Donald Vande Castle, 5 years old
********
CAR FALLS IN RIVER, 6 DIE
Newlyweds, Father-in-Law And Three Children Drown
Car Fails To Negotiate Curve on Southwest Approach To 21st Street Bridge,
Plunging Through Guard Rail and Dropping 15 Feet
Six persons, members of a family group, were drowned Friday night when an
automobile missed a curve at the southwest approach of the 21st street
bridge, crashed through a wooden guard rail and plunged 15 feet into the
Manitowoc river.
The victims, all residents of Manitowoc, were taken from the water within
15 minutes after the crash, and firemen, policmen and physicians, in relays,
worked frantically to revive them, but to no avail.
Wiczek Was Driving
The driver of the car was Martin Wiczek, 32, employe of the Aluminum Goods
Manufacturing company rolling mills. With him were his bride of five weeks,
Mrs. Helen Wiczek, 20; her father, Louis Vande Castle, 42, a Herald-Times
compositor, and three other Vande Castle children - Lorraine, 8, Joan, 7,
and Donald, 5.
They were riding in Wiczek's 1935 Pontiac coach, driving from the Wiczek
home, at 1010 S. 19th street, to the Vande Castle residence at 1853 Fairmont
street.
Awaiting their arrival at home
(new page)
were Mrs. Vande Castle and six children. The time was about 8:30, or a few
minutes thereafter.
The car traveled north on 21st street. At the approach to the bridge, the
street turns sharply to the east. A wooden guard rail, painted white with
black diagonal stripes, runs along the north. There is a large sign with
the word "SLOW" on the rail. Wiczek apparently missed the curve. The car
plowed through 20 feet of guard rail and plunged 15 feet into the water.
It was completely submerged but landed on its wheels, facing east. The
headlights remained burning.
Heard Tires Squeal
Herny Hutchinson, a milk truck driver for Agon Haupt, was unloading his
truck in the front of the White House Milk company condensery on the south
bank of the river. He heard the tires of the Wiczek car squeal as the driver
attempted to negotiate the turn. He saw the car crash through the railing
and drop into the water. The machine turned completely over in the descent,
Hutchinsen said, striking piling as it landed.
Hutchinson saw no other cars approaching from either direction. He shouted
to Alfred Schmidt, 709 S. 24th street, a condensery employe; "Look out,
it's going over." Then, as he saw the car hit the water he cried, "Call the
fire department."
Condensery employes, called the fire department, the call being received
at 8:15 p.m. From another source, a telephone call notified the police
department. Truck Co. No. 1 of the fire department, in charge of Capt.
Hiram Larson, and the police ambulance responded.
Firemen Lower Ladder
The car headlights still burning, was plainly visible. About 18 inches of
water covered the top. The firemen lowered a ladder onto the top of the
bridge. Efforts to chop a hole through the top were quickly abandoned.
Firemen Maurice Gallegher and Harry Blumenstein, ropes tied around their
waists, groped under the water and opened a door. The body of the youngest
Vande Castle girl, Joan, was forced out by the pressure. She was carried
up the ladder and artificial respiration attempted at once.
Two rowboats were pressed into use to remove the other bodies. The second
person to be taken out was Mrs. Wiczek. As quickly as the bodies were
brought to the shore, resucitation was begun along the river bank. It was
not until a tow rope had been hooked to the submerged car from a wrecker
and it was pulled to shallow water, that police firemen felt sure there
were no more bodies in the car. Harry Blumenstein of the fire department
was painfully cut on the wrecked car and was treated at the hospital.
Assisant Fire Chief John Gaedke said that not more than 10 minutes
(Continued on Page 11, Col. 4)
CAR PLUNGES INTO RIVER; SIX DROWN
(Continued from page 1)
were requied to remove the six persons.
Work for Hours
Prone pressure resuscitation was carried on continuously with oxygen
administered from time to time by the fire department's inhalalor. At
times it was thought that pulse could be detected in Mrs. Wiczek and
the youngest girl, Joan, but although the oxygen equipment was put into
operation, revival was not accomplished.
The efforts to revive the six persons were continued for 90 minutes on
the bank of the river. The victims were then moved to the Holy Family
hospital where work was continued for another 60 minutes before all were
officially pronounced dead.
Identification of the victims was not completed until 10:45. Wiczek was
tentatively identified by friends some time earlier. Vande Castle was
positively identified at 10:45 by E.H. Kruck, foreman of the Herald-Times
composing room.
Thousands of persons milled around the crash scene. Traffic was badly
snarled and police were required to direct the movement of automobiles.
As policemen and firemen worked over the bodies, the Rev. Martin Jaekels,
pastor of St. Paul's Catholic church, administered last sacraments.
Seek Cause of Accident
Authorities sought today to determine the cause of the accident but had
little to work on. The steel top of the car was caved in apparently when
it struck the piling as it turned over in the plunge. All of the glass was
broken. There was a large hole burned in the back of the rear seat and it
was theorized that a fire might have started in the back seat, distracting
the driver's attention and causing him to lose control of the machine.
However, Emil Jagodinsky, a friend of Wiczek's, exploded this theory when
he stated that the cushion had been burned about a month ago.
There was some speculation as to whether or not any of the occupants had
been killed in the crash. Physicians said that there was evidence of skull
injury on one of the small children and Mrs. Wiczek. County coroner,
Gerald Rau, M.D., gave drowning as the official cause of death, however,
injuries, he said, would be merely a contributory cause.
Dr. Rau and Dist. Atty. John R. Cashman conferred today on the matter of
an inquest, but had not reached a decision early this afternoon.
Only One Witness
Hutchinson apparently was the only eye witness to the accident. Schmidt,
the condensery worker, caught a glimpse of the car as it slid into the
water. Mrs. E.J. Kelly, 918 N. 14th street, was believed to be the first
driver following the Wiczek car. She drove north on 21st all the way from
Washington street and says she does not remember of any car having passed
her machine and does not recall seeing any car ahead of her. As she drove
onto the southwest approach to the bridge a stick of wood dropped on the
hood of the car, Mrs. Kelly said. She then observed the hole in the guard
rail and saw men running to the bridge railing and looking into the water.
She continued over the bridge and parked her car.
An unknown person telephoned the police from the Texaco oil station.
Assistant Fire Chief Gaedke gave orders calling in firemen who were off
duty. Those who reported and took part in the resuce work in addition to
Capt. Larson, Gallagher and Blumenstein of the truck company who answered
the call, were Capt. Ed. Woods, Captain Miles Panosh and Captain Archie
Fehring, Lieut. Nels Peterson, Charles Petrick, Edward Metiver, E. Gaedke,
Henry Koch and Palmer Rosinsky. Police officers who answered the call were
Officers Elmer Scherer, Donald Sears, Ben Muchowski and Milton Larson and
Alvin Mahlick. Among the physicians who rushed to the scene were Dr. R.G.
Strong, city physician; Coroner Rau, Drs. Arthur and Theodore Teitgen,
Dr. C.E. Wall, and Dr. William Rauch.
The car was towed to the Pritzl garage today.
Mass Funeral Service
The six victims will be buried at a single funeral service Monday morning
at the Holy Innocents church. The funeral procession will leave the Shimek
and Schwartz funeral home at 8:15 a.m. and the service at the church will
be at nine o'clock. The Rev. E.A. Radey will officiate. The Rev. Henry Vande
Castle, brother of Louis, one of the victims, will be in the sanctuary.
Burial will be in a single burial lot in Evergreen cemetery.
Mr. Vande Castle was born in De Pere in 1896 and after he finished school
learned the printing trade. He came to this city in 1904 and entered the
employ of the Brandt Printing and Binding company. He learned operation of
the linotype machine and was employed on daily newspapers in this city.
He was with the Herald-News for years and after the consolidation with the
Times continued as an operator for the Herald-Times. He was a member of the
Typographical Union. The family resided at 1853 Fairmont street.
Married In 1916
In 1916 he married Miss Anna Marshek of this city. Survivors are the widow,
three sons, Robert, 18, Ray, 17, James, 2, three daughters, Dorothy, 15,
Lucille, 11, Pauline, 12; a brother, the Rev. Henry Vande Castle, Askeaton
Wis.; three sisters, Mrs. Sheldon Gehrke, DePere, Mrs. Otto Holtz and Agnes,
both of Green Bay.
Mrs. Marlin Wiczek, nee Helen Vande Castle, was born in this city 20 years
ago. Before her marriage five weeks ago to Mr. Wiczek she was employed at
the Aluminum Goods company.
Martin Wiczek, 32, of 1010 South 19th street, was employed at the rolling
mills of the Aluminum Goods company. He is survived by two sisters, Mrs.
John Stockwell, Milwaukee and Mrs. Joseph Soupa, Custer, Wis.; and two
brothers, Leo, city, and Peter.
The bodies may be viewed at the Shimek and Schwartz funeral home Sunday
after 3 p.m.
The six deaths brought to 15 the number of highway fatalities in city and
county in a little less than nine months of 1938. During 1937 there were
25 highway fatalities.
Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. Saturday, September 17, 1938 P. 1 and 11