CHARLES WITT

EXTRA!
Dies Under Freight Car
Charles Witt, 19, Is Crushed To Death
Charles Witt, 20, was crushed to death beneath a freight car at the rear of the
warehouse of the North Shore Distributing company, 839 S. 19th street, shortly
before 3:30 o’clock this afternoon.
Witt, together with George Ziegelbauer and Art Hansen, was engaged in removing
ties from beneath the car. The boxcar, loaded with beer, had no wheels. It stood
on a platform constructed of railroad ties. These were being removed, using jacks.
Witt’s skull was crushed when he was caught beneath the car. He was apparently
killed instantly. Ziegelbauer, proprietor of the North Shore company, and Hansen,
were working together. The accident was witnessed also by Glenn Kaufman and Charles
Granzow, who were nearby.
Witt was extricated from beneath the car. He was dead when Officer Ben Muchowski
arrived with the police ambulance. Coroner Gerald Rau was summoned.
Witt was the son of Anton Witt, Four Corners. He was graduated from Lincoln high
school in 1936.
Manitowoc Herald Times, October 11, 1937 P. 1
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SERVICES FOR WITT BOY TO BE THURSDAY
No Inquest Planned In Death of Youth Crushed Under Railroad Boxcar
Funeral services for Charles John Witt, 18, who was killed outright when he was
crushed beneath a railroad boxcar at the North Shore Distributing company warehouse,
839 S. 19th street, Monday afternoon, will be held Thursday morning.
The body may be viewed at the Wattawa, Urbanek & Schlei funeral home after Wednesday
noon. Services will be conducted at the funeral home at 8:30 a.m., Thursday and at
nine 9’clock at the Holy Innocents church. The Rev. Edward Radey will officiate and
burial will be in Evergreen cemetery.
No Inquest
Dr. Gerald Rau, county coroner, who investigated the accident, said an inquest would
be unnecessary, Young Witt, employed as an office clerk and handy man by the North
Shore company since last June, was assisting in removing railroad ties from beneath
the box car, his skull was fractured when the car fell on him, and he died instantly.
George Zieglbauer and Art Janson, working with Witt, were unable to explain exactly
what happened. They were using railroad jacks to hold the car while they pulled out
the ties which made up a platform on which the refrigerator car, used to store beer,
was standing. It was thought that the jack might have slipped or one of the supporting
timbers might have broken. When Witt was extricated from beneath the car he was dead.
The police ambulance, in charge of Officer Ben Muchowski, had been summoned. Police
notified Coroner Rau who, with Dist. Atty, John R. Cashman, made an investigation.
Besides Ziegelbauer and Hansen, they also interviewed two other witnesses to the
accident, Glenn Kaufman and Charles Granzow.
Witt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anton Witt, Four Corners, was born in the Town of Manitowoc
Rapids May 15, 1919. He attended Lincoln high school where for four years he was a
member of the band, and appeared as a clarinet soloist. He was graduated in 1936 and
for a time was a student at the Manitowoc Business College. He was a member of the Holy
Name society of Holy Innocents church.
Survivors besides the parents are one sister, Mrs. Alvin Kliment, city, three brothers,
Anton, Jr., Lloyd and Earl, all at home, and his aged grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Witt, Gibson, and Mrs. John Hammernik, Four Corners.
Manitowoc Herald Times, October 12, 1937 P. 3
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[bur. 10-14-1937/age 18 yrs./cause: crushing of head comminuting fracture of skull
bones/bur. on Alvin J. Kliment lot]