Meriden Record, Monday, June 20, 1904.
HORRIBLE RAILROAD ACCIDENT - MAN KILLED ON TRACKS
Karl F. Schaffer (sic) Cut to Pieces by Switch Engine at West Main St. - Was Walking Railroad Track South of Bridge
One of the most horrible railroad accidents that has been known in Meriden for many years occurred just south of the West Main street station at 3:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon when Karl F. Schaefer, one of Meriden's oldest and best known German citizens met his death under the wheels of a freight train.
A switch engine and two cars, one a box car and the other a
platform car, in charge of Conductor H. N. Booth, had just started from the station for Hanover park, the cars being pushed in front of the engine. As the train started Conductor Booth saw a man step onto the track just south of the bridge. He shouted to the man who paid no heed
to his warning and as it was an utter impossibility to stop the train he was struck, thrown on the rails and his body cut completely in two as the cars and engine passed over it. The train was stopped as soon as possible and the crew ran back to where the body lay. The man was dead and Conductor Booth notified Station Agent Loomis of the accident. Dr. Bradstreet and Undertaker R. G. May were at once notified by the station agent.
A large crowd gathered at the scene of the accident many people leaving the trolley cars on which they were going to Hubbard park and others coming out from the city as soon as they heard of the accident. The body was covered with cloths and no one was allowed to touch it until the arrival of the medical examiner who was soon on the spot. The body was positively identified as that of Karl F. Schaefer by a man named Keane who lived in the house with him and so there was no doubt of the manner in which he met his death, Dr. Bradstreet said after taking the conductor's statement, gave permission for the removal of the body to R. G. May's morgue. The remains were also identified by Mr. Herman
Rheinhold, as step-son of Mr. Schaefer.
A Record reporter interviewed Conductor Booth in regard to the accident a few minutes after it occurred. Conductor Booth said: "We were coming down past the station and just as we got to the north side of the bridge. I saw the old man step onto the track ahead of us. I shouted to warn him but he paid no attention. I shouted again, louder than before, but he did not hear. It was utterly impossible to stop and in a second we struck him and it was all over." The conductor was greatly shocked by the accident but no blame is attached to him. Mr. Schaefer's son said that his father was quite deaf and could not hear the warnings.
Karl F. Schaefer was born in Meerane, Saxony, Nov. 7, 1823. He received the usual public school education and learned the weaver's trade. With his son, Richard M. Schaefer, he came to this country in August 1871 going to Pittsfield, Mass. The next year they came to Meriden and for four years Mr. Schaefer worked in his trade in the Woolen mill. He then went to work for his son who had a contract in the browning room at the Parker Gun shop and remained there eight years. For the past fourteen years he has done no work. He owned two houses on North avenue in one of which he had rooms. [72-76: Woolen mill, 77-84: gun shop; gap?? 1890-1904: no work]
Besides his son Richard of this city he leaves another son, Emil, who lives in Philadelphia and a daughter, Mrs. Moritz Jackson [sic – Yacker], of Atkins street, this city.
Mr. Schaefer was a free thinker who never a attended church. It is expected that some speaker holding the same belief will have charge of the funeral services. He was considered by all who knew him a remarkably upright and honest man. It is said of him that he never owed a bill a day beyond the time he promised to pay and that he was scrupulously honest and fair in his dealings with all men. Nearly eighty-one years of age he had never employed a physician in his life and had it not been for Sunday's accident would have probably lived to be a centenarian.
Meriden Daily Journal, Monday, 20 June 1904.
K. F. Schaefer's Funeral. Services tomorrow over man who was killed by cars.
The remains of Karl F. Schaefer aged eighty, who was instantly killed by a train on the Waterbury road yesterday afternoon, were removed from Undertaker R. G. May's rooms this morning to the home at 54 North avenue where the funeral will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Interment will be in West cemetery.
Mr. Schaefer lost his life because he was very deaf. The train, in charge of Conductor Booth, had just left the West Main street station and was about to pass under the bridge when the conductor saw Mr. Schaefer step on the tracks at the south end of the bridge.
He yelled with all his might be the warning went unheeded and the locomotive and cars passed over the man, cutting his body completely in two near the waist. Besides being deaf, Mr. Schaefer thought, as do many others, that no trains pass over the road on the Sabbath.
Medical Examiner Bradstreet viewed the remains and gave permission for their burial. Mr. Schaefer was born in Meerane, Saxony, and worked for several years in the Meriden Woollen mill. For fourteen years he had done no work and was in good health.
He leaves two sons, Richard, of this city, and Emil, of Philadelphia, and a daughter, Mrs. Moritz Jackson [sic – Yacker], of Atkins street.
Meriden Record, Wednesday, June 22, 1904.
Services were held over the remains of Karl F. Schaefer, who was killed by the cars Sunday, at his late home, 54 North avenue, Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The services consisted of the reading of several extracts from books and the singing by a male chorus. The bearers were: Frank Gartner, G. Henoch, Olaf Halvorson, John Beirle, Carle Stahmer and Henry Stange. The flower bearers were Oscar and Max Yacker. Interment was in West cemetery.
Many beautiful floral tributes were sent by the following: Mr. and Mrs. Bauch, Mr. and Mrs. Dalcher, of Rockville; Mr. and Mrs. Eichorn, Meriden; "Our Father", Emilie, Richard, and Emil Schaefer; Mr. and Mrs. Smallfuss, New Britain; Mr. and Mrs. Vogel, New Britain; grandchildren, Edmund, Willie, May, Martha, Ella, Oscar and Richard Kroebel, Meriden; Socialist No. 11, Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Frobel, Mr. and Mrs. Schuerer and family.
[Immigration on Ship Smidt, 10 Aug 1872, into NYC.
The mother of his three children is unknown. Christiane Grofe Reinhold was a subsequent wife. It is not known if they married in Germany or Connecticut. Family stories have that he had another wife, Mrs. Lang.]
HORRIBLE RAILROAD ACCIDENT - MAN KILLED ON TRACKS
Karl F. Schaffer (sic) Cut to Pieces by Switch Engine at West Main St. - Was Walking Railroad Track South of Bridge
One of the most horrible railroad accidents that has been known in Meriden for many years occurred just south of the West Main street station at 3:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon when Karl F. Schaefer, one of Meriden's oldest and best known German citizens met his death under the wheels of a freight train.
A switch engine and two cars, one a box car and the other a
platform car, in charge of Conductor H. N. Booth, had just started from the station for Hanover park, the cars being pushed in front of the engine. As the train started Conductor Booth saw a man step onto the track just south of the bridge. He shouted to the man who paid no heed
to his warning and as it was an utter impossibility to stop the train he was struck, thrown on the rails and his body cut completely in two as the cars and engine passed over it. The train was stopped as soon as possible and the crew ran back to where the body lay. The man was dead and Conductor Booth notified Station Agent Loomis of the accident. Dr. Bradstreet and Undertaker R. G. May were at once notified by the station agent.
A large crowd gathered at the scene of the accident many people leaving the trolley cars on which they were going to Hubbard park and others coming out from the city as soon as they heard of the accident. The body was covered with cloths and no one was allowed to touch it until the arrival of the medical examiner who was soon on the spot. The body was positively identified as that of Karl F. Schaefer by a man named Keane who lived in the house with him and so there was no doubt of the manner in which he met his death, Dr. Bradstreet said after taking the conductor's statement, gave permission for the removal of the body to R. G. May's morgue. The remains were also identified by Mr. Herman
Rheinhold, as step-son of Mr. Schaefer.
A Record reporter interviewed Conductor Booth in regard to the accident a few minutes after it occurred. Conductor Booth said: "We were coming down past the station and just as we got to the north side of the bridge. I saw the old man step onto the track ahead of us. I shouted to warn him but he paid no attention. I shouted again, louder than before, but he did not hear. It was utterly impossible to stop and in a second we struck him and it was all over." The conductor was greatly shocked by the accident but no blame is attached to him. Mr. Schaefer's son said that his father was quite deaf and could not hear the warnings.
Karl F. Schaefer was born in Meerane, Saxony, Nov. 7, 1823. He received the usual public school education and learned the weaver's trade. With his son, Richard M. Schaefer, he came to this country in August 1871 going to Pittsfield, Mass. The next year they came to Meriden and for four years Mr. Schaefer worked in his trade in the Woolen mill. He then went to work for his son who had a contract in the browning room at the Parker Gun shop and remained there eight years. For the past fourteen years he has done no work. He owned two houses on North avenue in one of which he had rooms. [72-76: Woolen mill, 77-84: gun shop; gap?? 1890-1904: no work]
Besides his son Richard of this city he leaves another son, Emil, who lives in Philadelphia and a daughter, Mrs. Moritz Jackson [sic – Yacker], of Atkins street, this city.
Mr. Schaefer was a free thinker who never a attended church. It is expected that some speaker holding the same belief will have charge of the funeral services. He was considered by all who knew him a remarkably upright and honest man. It is said of him that he never owed a bill a day beyond the time he promised to pay and that he was scrupulously honest and fair in his dealings with all men. Nearly eighty-one years of age he had never employed a physician in his life and had it not been for Sunday's accident would have probably lived to be a centenarian.
Meriden Daily Journal, Monday, 20 June 1904.
K. F. Schaefer's Funeral. Services tomorrow over man who was killed by cars.
The remains of Karl F. Schaefer aged eighty, who was instantly killed by a train on the Waterbury road yesterday afternoon, were removed from Undertaker R. G. May's rooms this morning to the home at 54 North avenue where the funeral will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Interment will be in West cemetery.
Mr. Schaefer lost his life because he was very deaf. The train, in charge of Conductor Booth, had just left the West Main street station and was about to pass under the bridge when the conductor saw Mr. Schaefer step on the tracks at the south end of the bridge.
He yelled with all his might be the warning went unheeded and the locomotive and cars passed over the man, cutting his body completely in two near the waist. Besides being deaf, Mr. Schaefer thought, as do many others, that no trains pass over the road on the Sabbath.
Medical Examiner Bradstreet viewed the remains and gave permission for their burial. Mr. Schaefer was born in Meerane, Saxony, and worked for several years in the Meriden Woollen mill. For fourteen years he had done no work and was in good health.
He leaves two sons, Richard, of this city, and Emil, of Philadelphia, and a daughter, Mrs. Moritz Jackson [sic – Yacker], of Atkins street.
Meriden Record, Wednesday, June 22, 1904.
Services were held over the remains of Karl F. Schaefer, who was killed by the cars Sunday, at his late home, 54 North avenue, Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The services consisted of the reading of several extracts from books and the singing by a male chorus. The bearers were: Frank Gartner, G. Henoch, Olaf Halvorson, John Beirle, Carle Stahmer and Henry Stange. The flower bearers were Oscar and Max Yacker. Interment was in West cemetery.
Many beautiful floral tributes were sent by the following: Mr. and Mrs. Bauch, Mr. and Mrs. Dalcher, of Rockville; Mr. and Mrs. Eichorn, Meriden; "Our Father", Emilie, Richard, and Emil Schaefer; Mr. and Mrs. Smallfuss, New Britain; Mr. and Mrs. Vogel, New Britain; grandchildren, Edmund, Willie, May, Martha, Ella, Oscar and Richard Kroebel, Meriden; Socialist No. 11, Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Frobel, Mr. and Mrs. Schuerer and family.
[Immigration on Ship Smidt, 10 Aug 1872, into NYC.
The mother of his three children is unknown. Christiane Grofe Reinhold was a subsequent wife. It is not known if they married in Germany or Connecticut. Family stories have that he had another wife, Mrs. Lang.]
Meriden Record, Monday, June 20, 1904.
HORRIBLE RAILROAD ACCIDENT - MAN KILLED ON TRACKS
Karl F. Schaffer (sic) Cut to Pieces by Switch Engine at West Main St. - Was Walking Railroad Track South of Bridge
One of the most horrible railroad accidents that has been known in Meriden for many years occurred just south of the West Main street station at 3:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon when Karl F. Schaefer, one of Meriden's oldest and best known German citizens met his death under the wheels of a freight train.
A switch engine and two cars, one a box car and the other a
platform car, in charge of Conductor H. N. Booth, had just started from the station for Hanover park, the cars being pushed in front of the engine. As the train started Conductor Booth saw a man step onto the track just south of the bridge. He shouted to the man who paid no heed
to his warning and as it was an utter impossibility to stop the train he was struck, thrown on the rails and his body cut completely in two as the cars and engine passed over it. The train was stopped as soon as possible and the crew ran back to where the body lay. The man was dead and Conductor Booth notified Station Agent Loomis of the accident. Dr. Bradstreet and Undertaker R. G. May were at once notified by the station agent.
A large crowd gathered at the scene of the accident many people leaving the trolley cars on which they were going to Hubbard park and others coming out from the city as soon as they heard of the accident. The body was covered with cloths and no one was allowed to touch it until the arrival of the medical examiner who was soon on the spot. The body was positively identified as that of Karl F. Schaefer by a man named Keane who lived in the house with him and so there was no doubt of the manner in which he met his death, Dr. Bradstreet said after taking the conductor's statement, gave permission for the removal of the body to R. G. May's morgue. The remains were also identified by Mr. Herman
Rheinhold, as step-son of Mr. Schaefer.
A Record reporter interviewed Conductor Booth in regard to the accident a few minutes after it occurred. Conductor Booth said: "We were coming down past the station and just as we got to the north side of the bridge. I saw the old man step onto the track ahead of us. I shouted to warn him but he paid no attention. I shouted again, louder than before, but he did not hear. It was utterly impossible to stop and in a second we struck him and it was all over." The conductor was greatly shocked by the accident but no blame is attached to him. Mr. Schaefer's son said that his father was quite deaf and could not hear the warnings.
Karl F. Schaefer was born in Meerane, Saxony, Nov. 7, 1823. He received the usual public school education and learned the weaver's trade. With his son, Richard M. Schaefer, he came to this country in August 1871 going to Pittsfield, Mass. The next year they came to Meriden and for four years Mr. Schaefer worked in his trade in the Woolen mill. He then went to work for his son who had a contract in the browning room at the Parker Gun shop and remained there eight years. For the past fourteen years he has done no work. He owned two houses on North avenue in one of which he had rooms. [72-76: Woolen mill, 77-84: gun shop; gap?? 1890-1904: no work]
Besides his son Richard of this city he leaves another son, Emil, who lives in Philadelphia and a daughter, Mrs. Moritz Jackson [sic – Yacker], of Atkins street, this city.
Mr. Schaefer was a free thinker who never a attended church. It is expected that some speaker holding the same belief will have charge of the funeral services. He was considered by all who knew him a remarkably upright and honest man. It is said of him that he never owed a bill a day beyond the time he promised to pay and that he was scrupulously honest and fair in his dealings with all men. Nearly eighty-one years of age he had never employed a physician in his life and had it not been for Sunday's accident would have probably lived to be a centenarian.
Meriden Daily Journal, Monday, 20 June 1904.
K. F. Schaefer's Funeral. Services tomorrow over man who was killed by cars.
The remains of Karl F. Schaefer aged eighty, who was instantly killed by a train on the Waterbury road yesterday afternoon, were removed from Undertaker R. G. May's rooms this morning to the home at 54 North avenue where the funeral will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Interment will be in West cemetery.
Mr. Schaefer lost his life because he was very deaf. The train, in charge of Conductor Booth, had just left the West Main street station and was about to pass under the bridge when the conductor saw Mr. Schaefer step on the tracks at the south end of the bridge.
He yelled with all his might be the warning went unheeded and the locomotive and cars passed over the man, cutting his body completely in two near the waist. Besides being deaf, Mr. Schaefer thought, as do many others, that no trains pass over the road on the Sabbath.
Medical Examiner Bradstreet viewed the remains and gave permission for their burial. Mr. Schaefer was born in Meerane, Saxony, and worked for several years in the Meriden Woollen mill. For fourteen years he had done no work and was in good health.
He leaves two sons, Richard, of this city, and Emil, of Philadelphia, and a daughter, Mrs. Moritz Jackson [sic – Yacker], of Atkins street.
Meriden Record, Wednesday, June 22, 1904.
Services were held over the remains of Karl F. Schaefer, who was killed by the cars Sunday, at his late home, 54 North avenue, Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The services consisted of the reading of several extracts from books and the singing by a male chorus. The bearers were: Frank Gartner, G. Henoch, Olaf Halvorson, John Beirle, Carle Stahmer and Henry Stange. The flower bearers were Oscar and Max Yacker. Interment was in West cemetery.
Many beautiful floral tributes were sent by the following: Mr. and Mrs. Bauch, Mr. and Mrs. Dalcher, of Rockville; Mr. and Mrs. Eichorn, Meriden; "Our Father", Emilie, Richard, and Emil Schaefer; Mr. and Mrs. Smallfuss, New Britain; Mr. and Mrs. Vogel, New Britain; grandchildren, Edmund, Willie, May, Martha, Ella, Oscar and Richard Kroebel, Meriden; Socialist No. 11, Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Frobel, Mr. and Mrs. Schuerer and family.
[Immigration on Ship Smidt, 10 Aug 1872, into NYC.
The mother of his three children is unknown. Christiane Grofe Reinhold was a subsequent wife. It is not known if they married in Germany or Connecticut. Family stories have that he had another wife, Mrs. Lang.]
HORRIBLE RAILROAD ACCIDENT - MAN KILLED ON TRACKS
Karl F. Schaffer (sic) Cut to Pieces by Switch Engine at West Main St. - Was Walking Railroad Track South of Bridge
One of the most horrible railroad accidents that has been known in Meriden for many years occurred just south of the West Main street station at 3:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon when Karl F. Schaefer, one of Meriden's oldest and best known German citizens met his death under the wheels of a freight train.
A switch engine and two cars, one a box car and the other a
platform car, in charge of Conductor H. N. Booth, had just started from the station for Hanover park, the cars being pushed in front of the engine. As the train started Conductor Booth saw a man step onto the track just south of the bridge. He shouted to the man who paid no heed
to his warning and as it was an utter impossibility to stop the train he was struck, thrown on the rails and his body cut completely in two as the cars and engine passed over it. The train was stopped as soon as possible and the crew ran back to where the body lay. The man was dead and Conductor Booth notified Station Agent Loomis of the accident. Dr. Bradstreet and Undertaker R. G. May were at once notified by the station agent.
A large crowd gathered at the scene of the accident many people leaving the trolley cars on which they were going to Hubbard park and others coming out from the city as soon as they heard of the accident. The body was covered with cloths and no one was allowed to touch it until the arrival of the medical examiner who was soon on the spot. The body was positively identified as that of Karl F. Schaefer by a man named Keane who lived in the house with him and so there was no doubt of the manner in which he met his death, Dr. Bradstreet said after taking the conductor's statement, gave permission for the removal of the body to R. G. May's morgue. The remains were also identified by Mr. Herman
Rheinhold, as step-son of Mr. Schaefer.
A Record reporter interviewed Conductor Booth in regard to the accident a few minutes after it occurred. Conductor Booth said: "We were coming down past the station and just as we got to the north side of the bridge. I saw the old man step onto the track ahead of us. I shouted to warn him but he paid no attention. I shouted again, louder than before, but he did not hear. It was utterly impossible to stop and in a second we struck him and it was all over." The conductor was greatly shocked by the accident but no blame is attached to him. Mr. Schaefer's son said that his father was quite deaf and could not hear the warnings.
Karl F. Schaefer was born in Meerane, Saxony, Nov. 7, 1823. He received the usual public school education and learned the weaver's trade. With his son, Richard M. Schaefer, he came to this country in August 1871 going to Pittsfield, Mass. The next year they came to Meriden and for four years Mr. Schaefer worked in his trade in the Woolen mill. He then went to work for his son who had a contract in the browning room at the Parker Gun shop and remained there eight years. For the past fourteen years he has done no work. He owned two houses on North avenue in one of which he had rooms. [72-76: Woolen mill, 77-84: gun shop; gap?? 1890-1904: no work]
Besides his son Richard of this city he leaves another son, Emil, who lives in Philadelphia and a daughter, Mrs. Moritz Jackson [sic – Yacker], of Atkins street, this city.
Mr. Schaefer was a free thinker who never a attended church. It is expected that some speaker holding the same belief will have charge of the funeral services. He was considered by all who knew him a remarkably upright and honest man. It is said of him that he never owed a bill a day beyond the time he promised to pay and that he was scrupulously honest and fair in his dealings with all men. Nearly eighty-one years of age he had never employed a physician in his life and had it not been for Sunday's accident would have probably lived to be a centenarian.
Meriden Daily Journal, Monday, 20 June 1904.
K. F. Schaefer's Funeral. Services tomorrow over man who was killed by cars.
The remains of Karl F. Schaefer aged eighty, who was instantly killed by a train on the Waterbury road yesterday afternoon, were removed from Undertaker R. G. May's rooms this morning to the home at 54 North avenue where the funeral will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Interment will be in West cemetery.
Mr. Schaefer lost his life because he was very deaf. The train, in charge of Conductor Booth, had just left the West Main street station and was about to pass under the bridge when the conductor saw Mr. Schaefer step on the tracks at the south end of the bridge.
He yelled with all his might be the warning went unheeded and the locomotive and cars passed over the man, cutting his body completely in two near the waist. Besides being deaf, Mr. Schaefer thought, as do many others, that no trains pass over the road on the Sabbath.
Medical Examiner Bradstreet viewed the remains and gave permission for their burial. Mr. Schaefer was born in Meerane, Saxony, and worked for several years in the Meriden Woollen mill. For fourteen years he had done no work and was in good health.
He leaves two sons, Richard, of this city, and Emil, of Philadelphia, and a daughter, Mrs. Moritz Jackson [sic – Yacker], of Atkins street.
Meriden Record, Wednesday, June 22, 1904.
Services were held over the remains of Karl F. Schaefer, who was killed by the cars Sunday, at his late home, 54 North avenue, Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The services consisted of the reading of several extracts from books and the singing by a male chorus. The bearers were: Frank Gartner, G. Henoch, Olaf Halvorson, John Beirle, Carle Stahmer and Henry Stange. The flower bearers were Oscar and Max Yacker. Interment was in West cemetery.
Many beautiful floral tributes were sent by the following: Mr. and Mrs. Bauch, Mr. and Mrs. Dalcher, of Rockville; Mr. and Mrs. Eichorn, Meriden; "Our Father", Emilie, Richard, and Emil Schaefer; Mr. and Mrs. Smallfuss, New Britain; Mr. and Mrs. Vogel, New Britain; grandchildren, Edmund, Willie, May, Martha, Ella, Oscar and Richard Kroebel, Meriden; Socialist No. 11, Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Frobel, Mr. and Mrs. Schuerer and family.
[Immigration on Ship Smidt, 10 Aug 1872, into NYC.
The mother of his three children is unknown. Christiane Grofe Reinhold was a subsequent wife. It is not known if they married in Germany or Connecticut. Family stories have that he had another wife, Mrs. Lang.]
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