FOUR WOMEN KILLED AT CROSSING
CINCINNATUS TRAIN HITS AUTOMOBILE NEAR POLKVILLE
TO VICTIMS INSTANTLY KILLED,
OTHERS DIE FEW MINUTES LATER
Dead Are Mrs. Jay Woodin, Miss Marjorie
Woodin and Mrs. John Moore of Mc-
Graw and Miss Jeanette Durfee
of New Woodstock
The Polkville crossing of the Cincinnatus branch of the Lackawanna railroad caimed four women victims this morning.
Mrs. Jay Woodin and her daughter Marjorie of McGraw, were instantly killed, Miss Jeanette Durfee of New Woodstock died within a few minutes and Mrs. John Moore of McGraw passed away shortly after she reached the Cortland Hospital where she was taken for treatment.
The accident, the worst in this vicinity in many years, cast a mantle of gloom not only over McGraw where three of the victims were well known and popular, but over Cortland, Homer, where Miss Woodin taught for several years, and Groton where Miss Durfee has been teaching.
Train was Cortland Bound
The four women were passengers in a Chevrolet four door sedan, owned and driven by Miss Woodin and the train was a passenger from Cincinnatus due in this city at 10:10 o'clock. John Robinson was the engineer of the train, Fred Masterson, fireman, and John Casey, conductor.
According to persons in the vicinity of the accident, the engineer blew his whistle repeatedly as the train approached the Polkville crossing, which would indicate that Mr. Robinson saw the Woodin car and gave more than the usual warning. The exact version will probably never be known as all four passengers are dead. The car came from McGraw on the highway which runs parallel with the railroad tracks as it approaches the crossing, then turned left onto the road leading towards Binghamton.
Leonard C. Belden, who was traveling towards McGraw at the time, was an eye witness of the accident. He did not believe that the car came to a stop as approaching the Polkville crossing. Mrs. Dora Thompson residing just east of the crossing, was looking out of her window at the time and saw the car as it was struck by the train. She states the car and its occupants were hurled 15 or 20 feet in the air and that the body of the car with its occupants was torn completely off the chassis. She saw a flash which appeared as though the machine had caught on fire, but later investigation showed that it came from the cowcatcher of the train which had dropped down after hitting the car and dug up several feet of the concrete pavement between the rails. The machine was carried fully 100 feet past the crossing and hurled down the left embankment, a complete wreck. Mrs. Thompson notified a neighbor and sought help, then went to the wreckage, only to see the four bodies of the women lying a short distance from the chassis.
Bodies Are Removed
Clarence Gilbert and Arthur Bush of Solon were among the first to reach the scene and assisted in removing the bodies from the wreckage. Mrs. Jennie A. Woodin, 61, and her daughter, A. Marjorie, 32, were both dead when rescuers reached them. Miss Jeanette Durfee of New Woodstock died within a few minutes; while Mrs. John Moore of McGraw, 59, died a few minutes after reaching the Cortland county hospital.
R.H. Beard & Sons were called and removed the bodies, those of Mrs. Woodin and her daughter and Miss Durfey to their undertaking rooms and that of Mrs. Moore to the hospital. All four bodies were badly cut and bruised from the impact, autopsies being conducted at the undertaking rooms under the direction of Coroner C.E. Chapin, assited by Drs. J.E. Wattenberg and A.A. Bailey.
Deputy Sheriff Joseph Crysler, who lives near the scene of the fatality, investigated the accident as did Sheriff Jerry L. Eades. The car was one of the worst looking sights which has figured in an automobile accident in this locality in years, being torn to shreds and apparently not enough left to salvage.
The news of the accident spread rapidly and within a short time hundreds of persons visited the scene.
Engineers Story
In reporting the accident at the Lackawanna depot in Cortland, Engineer John Robinson stated that he started blowing the whistle long before coming to the crossing, and as he approached the car near the turn in the road, he said he saw the women look out the windows of the car toward the train.
He also said that it was customary to slow down for that crossing, and he shut off his power until the train was making only 20 or 25 miles per hour at the time of the crash. He said that the driver of the light car was watching the locomotive as she started entering the tracks, and put her hands to the left as in a gesture to ward off the train.
Engineer Robinson said he stopped the locomotive within the length of the train, and when it hit the car the pilot, or "cowcatcher" dropped down and gouged out 10 feet of the asphalt pavement between the rails at the crossing.
John J. Haplin of Syracuse, investigator for the Lackawanna railroad, arrived this noon with his stenographer to start an investigation of the fatal crash.
The Four Victims
The Woodin women made their home at 38 West Academy Street, McGraw, and were well known and highly respected citizens of the village. They formerly lived at Blodgett Mills. Mrs. Woodin, besides her husband, is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Fred Buchanan of Cortlandville and three sisters, Mrs. Harrison Smith of Harford, Mrs. N.C. Hollenbeck of Blodgett Mills, and Mrs. Earl Johnson of East Homer. Marjorie, who was killed this morning, was a graduate of the Cortland High School and Cortland Normal in the class of 1917. She taught for several years at McGraw High School and of recent years at Homer Academy. It was said this morning that it was her custom to drive her car from her home to her teaching duties practically each day.
The funeral of Mrs. Woodin and her daughter will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the First Methodist Church in this city and burial made in the Cortland Rural cemetery.
Mrs. Ada Moore, the wife of John Moore, and residing on the McGraw road, a short distance this side of the village, leaves her husband and two daughters, Mrs. Lawrence Knapp of Homer, and Mrs. Gladys Roche of Syracuse. Arrangements for the funeral will be announced later.
Miss Carrie Jeanette Durfee, the fourth member of the party, was a resident of New Woodstock, and was the guest of the Woodin family over the Thanksgiving recess. She was a graduate of both the Cortland High School and Normal in 1911, attended the First Baptist Church, while in this city, and for a time made her home with Jessamine Ellsworth, 11 Grant Street. She taught for eight years' at Callicoon, Sullivan county, and was in her third year at Groton. The only surviving relative is a brother, Charles Durfee of Syracuse, whom undertakers R.H. Beard & Sons communicated with today and who was expected in the city to arrange for the funeral and burial, which will probably be held in New Woodstock.
-Cortland Standard, Saturday Evening, December 1, 1928, pages 1 & 2
CINCINNATUS TRAIN HITS AUTOMOBILE NEAR POLKVILLE
TO VICTIMS INSTANTLY KILLED,
OTHERS DIE FEW MINUTES LATER
Dead Are Mrs. Jay Woodin, Miss Marjorie
Woodin and Mrs. John Moore of Mc-
Graw and Miss Jeanette Durfee
of New Woodstock
The Polkville crossing of the Cincinnatus branch of the Lackawanna railroad caimed four women victims this morning.
Mrs. Jay Woodin and her daughter Marjorie of McGraw, were instantly killed, Miss Jeanette Durfee of New Woodstock died within a few minutes and Mrs. John Moore of McGraw passed away shortly after she reached the Cortland Hospital where she was taken for treatment.
The accident, the worst in this vicinity in many years, cast a mantle of gloom not only over McGraw where three of the victims were well known and popular, but over Cortland, Homer, where Miss Woodin taught for several years, and Groton where Miss Durfee has been teaching.
Train was Cortland Bound
The four women were passengers in a Chevrolet four door sedan, owned and driven by Miss Woodin and the train was a passenger from Cincinnatus due in this city at 10:10 o'clock. John Robinson was the engineer of the train, Fred Masterson, fireman, and John Casey, conductor.
According to persons in the vicinity of the accident, the engineer blew his whistle repeatedly as the train approached the Polkville crossing, which would indicate that Mr. Robinson saw the Woodin car and gave more than the usual warning. The exact version will probably never be known as all four passengers are dead. The car came from McGraw on the highway which runs parallel with the railroad tracks as it approaches the crossing, then turned left onto the road leading towards Binghamton.
Leonard C. Belden, who was traveling towards McGraw at the time, was an eye witness of the accident. He did not believe that the car came to a stop as approaching the Polkville crossing. Mrs. Dora Thompson residing just east of the crossing, was looking out of her window at the time and saw the car as it was struck by the train. She states the car and its occupants were hurled 15 or 20 feet in the air and that the body of the car with its occupants was torn completely off the chassis. She saw a flash which appeared as though the machine had caught on fire, but later investigation showed that it came from the cowcatcher of the train which had dropped down after hitting the car and dug up several feet of the concrete pavement between the rails. The machine was carried fully 100 feet past the crossing and hurled down the left embankment, a complete wreck. Mrs. Thompson notified a neighbor and sought help, then went to the wreckage, only to see the four bodies of the women lying a short distance from the chassis.
Bodies Are Removed
Clarence Gilbert and Arthur Bush of Solon were among the first to reach the scene and assisted in removing the bodies from the wreckage. Mrs. Jennie A. Woodin, 61, and her daughter, A. Marjorie, 32, were both dead when rescuers reached them. Miss Jeanette Durfee of New Woodstock died within a few minutes; while Mrs. John Moore of McGraw, 59, died a few minutes after reaching the Cortland county hospital.
R.H. Beard & Sons were called and removed the bodies, those of Mrs. Woodin and her daughter and Miss Durfey to their undertaking rooms and that of Mrs. Moore to the hospital. All four bodies were badly cut and bruised from the impact, autopsies being conducted at the undertaking rooms under the direction of Coroner C.E. Chapin, assited by Drs. J.E. Wattenberg and A.A. Bailey.
Deputy Sheriff Joseph Crysler, who lives near the scene of the fatality, investigated the accident as did Sheriff Jerry L. Eades. The car was one of the worst looking sights which has figured in an automobile accident in this locality in years, being torn to shreds and apparently not enough left to salvage.
The news of the accident spread rapidly and within a short time hundreds of persons visited the scene.
Engineers Story
In reporting the accident at the Lackawanna depot in Cortland, Engineer John Robinson stated that he started blowing the whistle long before coming to the crossing, and as he approached the car near the turn in the road, he said he saw the women look out the windows of the car toward the train.
He also said that it was customary to slow down for that crossing, and he shut off his power until the train was making only 20 or 25 miles per hour at the time of the crash. He said that the driver of the light car was watching the locomotive as she started entering the tracks, and put her hands to the left as in a gesture to ward off the train.
Engineer Robinson said he stopped the locomotive within the length of the train, and when it hit the car the pilot, or "cowcatcher" dropped down and gouged out 10 feet of the asphalt pavement between the rails at the crossing.
John J. Haplin of Syracuse, investigator for the Lackawanna railroad, arrived this noon with his stenographer to start an investigation of the fatal crash.
The Four Victims
The Woodin women made their home at 38 West Academy Street, McGraw, and were well known and highly respected citizens of the village. They formerly lived at Blodgett Mills. Mrs. Woodin, besides her husband, is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Fred Buchanan of Cortlandville and three sisters, Mrs. Harrison Smith of Harford, Mrs. N.C. Hollenbeck of Blodgett Mills, and Mrs. Earl Johnson of East Homer. Marjorie, who was killed this morning, was a graduate of the Cortland High School and Cortland Normal in the class of 1917. She taught for several years at McGraw High School and of recent years at Homer Academy. It was said this morning that it was her custom to drive her car from her home to her teaching duties practically each day.
The funeral of Mrs. Woodin and her daughter will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the First Methodist Church in this city and burial made in the Cortland Rural cemetery.
Mrs. Ada Moore, the wife of John Moore, and residing on the McGraw road, a short distance this side of the village, leaves her husband and two daughters, Mrs. Lawrence Knapp of Homer, and Mrs. Gladys Roche of Syracuse. Arrangements for the funeral will be announced later.
Miss Carrie Jeanette Durfee, the fourth member of the party, was a resident of New Woodstock, and was the guest of the Woodin family over the Thanksgiving recess. She was a graduate of both the Cortland High School and Normal in 1911, attended the First Baptist Church, while in this city, and for a time made her home with Jessamine Ellsworth, 11 Grant Street. She taught for eight years' at Callicoon, Sullivan county, and was in her third year at Groton. The only surviving relative is a brother, Charles Durfee of Syracuse, whom undertakers R.H. Beard & Sons communicated with today and who was expected in the city to arrange for the funeral and burial, which will probably be held in New Woodstock.
-Cortland Standard, Saturday Evening, December 1, 1928, pages 1 & 2
FOUR WOMEN KILLED AT CROSSING
CINCINNATUS TRAIN HITS AUTOMOBILE NEAR POLKVILLE
TO VICTIMS INSTANTLY KILLED,
OTHERS DIE FEW MINUTES LATER
Dead Are Mrs. Jay Woodin, Miss Marjorie
Woodin and Mrs. John Moore of Mc-
Graw and Miss Jeanette Durfee
of New Woodstock
The Polkville crossing of the Cincinnatus branch of the Lackawanna railroad caimed four women victims this morning.
Mrs. Jay Woodin and her daughter Marjorie of McGraw, were instantly killed, Miss Jeanette Durfee of New Woodstock died within a few minutes and Mrs. John Moore of McGraw passed away shortly after she reached the Cortland Hospital where she was taken for treatment.
The accident, the worst in this vicinity in many years, cast a mantle of gloom not only over McGraw where three of the victims were well known and popular, but over Cortland, Homer, where Miss Woodin taught for several years, and Groton where Miss Durfee has been teaching.
Train was Cortland Bound
The four women were passengers in a Chevrolet four door sedan, owned and driven by Miss Woodin and the train was a passenger from Cincinnatus due in this city at 10:10 o'clock. John Robinson was the engineer of the train, Fred Masterson, fireman, and John Casey, conductor.
According to persons in the vicinity of the accident, the engineer blew his whistle repeatedly as the train approached the Polkville crossing, which would indicate that Mr. Robinson saw the Woodin car and gave more than the usual warning. The exact version will probably never be known as all four passengers are dead. The car came from McGraw on the highway which runs parallel with the railroad tracks as it approaches the crossing, then turned left onto the road leading towards Binghamton.
Leonard C. Belden, who was traveling towards McGraw at the time, was an eye witness of the accident. He did not believe that the car came to a stop as approaching the Polkville crossing. Mrs. Dora Thompson residing just east of the crossing, was looking out of her window at the time and saw the car as it was struck by the train. She states the car and its occupants were hurled 15 or 20 feet in the air and that the body of the car with its occupants was torn completely off the chassis. She saw a flash which appeared as though the machine had caught on fire, but later investigation showed that it came from the cowcatcher of the train which had dropped down after hitting the car and dug up several feet of the concrete pavement between the rails. The machine was carried fully 100 feet past the crossing and hurled down the left embankment, a complete wreck. Mrs. Thompson notified a neighbor and sought help, then went to the wreckage, only to see the four bodies of the women lying a short distance from the chassis.
Bodies Are Removed
Clarence Gilbert and Arthur Bush of Solon were among the first to reach the scene and assisted in removing the bodies from the wreckage. Mrs. Jennie A. Woodin, 61, and her daughter, A. Marjorie, 32, were both dead when rescuers reached them. Miss Jeanette Durfee of New Woodstock died within a few minutes; while Mrs. John Moore of McGraw, 59, died a few minutes after reaching the Cortland county hospital.
R.H. Beard & Sons were called and removed the bodies, those of Mrs. Woodin and her daughter and Miss Durfey to their undertaking rooms and that of Mrs. Moore to the hospital. All four bodies were badly cut and bruised from the impact, autopsies being conducted at the undertaking rooms under the direction of Coroner C.E. Chapin, assited by Drs. J.E. Wattenberg and A.A. Bailey.
Deputy Sheriff Joseph Crysler, who lives near the scene of the fatality, investigated the accident as did Sheriff Jerry L. Eades. The car was one of the worst looking sights which has figured in an automobile accident in this locality in years, being torn to shreds and apparently not enough left to salvage.
The news of the accident spread rapidly and within a short time hundreds of persons visited the scene.
Engineers Story
In reporting the accident at the Lackawanna depot in Cortland, Engineer John Robinson stated that he started blowing the whistle long before coming to the crossing, and as he approached the car near the turn in the road, he said he saw the women look out the windows of the car toward the train.
He also said that it was customary to slow down for that crossing, and he shut off his power until the train was making only 20 or 25 miles per hour at the time of the crash. He said that the driver of the light car was watching the locomotive as she started entering the tracks, and put her hands to the left as in a gesture to ward off the train.
Engineer Robinson said he stopped the locomotive within the length of the train, and when it hit the car the pilot, or "cowcatcher" dropped down and gouged out 10 feet of the asphalt pavement between the rails at the crossing.
John J. Haplin of Syracuse, investigator for the Lackawanna railroad, arrived this noon with his stenographer to start an investigation of the fatal crash.
The Four Victims
The Woodin women made their home at 38 West Academy Street, McGraw, and were well known and highly respected citizens of the village. They formerly lived at Blodgett Mills. Mrs. Woodin, besides her husband, is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Fred Buchanan of Cortlandville and three sisters, Mrs. Harrison Smith of Harford, Mrs. N.C. Hollenbeck of Blodgett Mills, and Mrs. Earl Johnson of East Homer. Marjorie, who was killed this morning, was a graduate of the Cortland High School and Cortland Normal in the class of 1917. She taught for several years at McGraw High School and of recent years at Homer Academy. It was said this morning that it was her custom to drive her car from her home to her teaching duties practically each day.
The funeral of Mrs. Woodin and her daughter will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the First Methodist Church in this city and burial made in the Cortland Rural cemetery.
Mrs. Ada Moore, the wife of John Moore, and residing on the McGraw road, a short distance this side of the village, leaves her husband and two daughters, Mrs. Lawrence Knapp of Homer, and Mrs. Gladys Roche of Syracuse. Arrangements for the funeral will be announced later.
Miss Carrie Jeanette Durfee, the fourth member of the party, was a resident of New Woodstock, and was the guest of the Woodin family over the Thanksgiving recess. She was a graduate of both the Cortland High School and Normal in 1911, attended the First Baptist Church, while in this city, and for a time made her home with Jessamine Ellsworth, 11 Grant Street. She taught for eight years' at Callicoon, Sullivan county, and was in her third year at Groton. The only surviving relative is a brother, Charles Durfee of Syracuse, whom undertakers R.H. Beard & Sons communicated with today and who was expected in the city to arrange for the funeral and burial, which will probably be held in New Woodstock.
-Cortland Standard, Saturday Evening, December 1, 1928, pages 1 & 2
CINCINNATUS TRAIN HITS AUTOMOBILE NEAR POLKVILLE
TO VICTIMS INSTANTLY KILLED,
OTHERS DIE FEW MINUTES LATER
Dead Are Mrs. Jay Woodin, Miss Marjorie
Woodin and Mrs. John Moore of Mc-
Graw and Miss Jeanette Durfee
of New Woodstock
The Polkville crossing of the Cincinnatus branch of the Lackawanna railroad caimed four women victims this morning.
Mrs. Jay Woodin and her daughter Marjorie of McGraw, were instantly killed, Miss Jeanette Durfee of New Woodstock died within a few minutes and Mrs. John Moore of McGraw passed away shortly after she reached the Cortland Hospital where she was taken for treatment.
The accident, the worst in this vicinity in many years, cast a mantle of gloom not only over McGraw where three of the victims were well known and popular, but over Cortland, Homer, where Miss Woodin taught for several years, and Groton where Miss Durfee has been teaching.
Train was Cortland Bound
The four women were passengers in a Chevrolet four door sedan, owned and driven by Miss Woodin and the train was a passenger from Cincinnatus due in this city at 10:10 o'clock. John Robinson was the engineer of the train, Fred Masterson, fireman, and John Casey, conductor.
According to persons in the vicinity of the accident, the engineer blew his whistle repeatedly as the train approached the Polkville crossing, which would indicate that Mr. Robinson saw the Woodin car and gave more than the usual warning. The exact version will probably never be known as all four passengers are dead. The car came from McGraw on the highway which runs parallel with the railroad tracks as it approaches the crossing, then turned left onto the road leading towards Binghamton.
Leonard C. Belden, who was traveling towards McGraw at the time, was an eye witness of the accident. He did not believe that the car came to a stop as approaching the Polkville crossing. Mrs. Dora Thompson residing just east of the crossing, was looking out of her window at the time and saw the car as it was struck by the train. She states the car and its occupants were hurled 15 or 20 feet in the air and that the body of the car with its occupants was torn completely off the chassis. She saw a flash which appeared as though the machine had caught on fire, but later investigation showed that it came from the cowcatcher of the train which had dropped down after hitting the car and dug up several feet of the concrete pavement between the rails. The machine was carried fully 100 feet past the crossing and hurled down the left embankment, a complete wreck. Mrs. Thompson notified a neighbor and sought help, then went to the wreckage, only to see the four bodies of the women lying a short distance from the chassis.
Bodies Are Removed
Clarence Gilbert and Arthur Bush of Solon were among the first to reach the scene and assisted in removing the bodies from the wreckage. Mrs. Jennie A. Woodin, 61, and her daughter, A. Marjorie, 32, were both dead when rescuers reached them. Miss Jeanette Durfee of New Woodstock died within a few minutes; while Mrs. John Moore of McGraw, 59, died a few minutes after reaching the Cortland county hospital.
R.H. Beard & Sons were called and removed the bodies, those of Mrs. Woodin and her daughter and Miss Durfey to their undertaking rooms and that of Mrs. Moore to the hospital. All four bodies were badly cut and bruised from the impact, autopsies being conducted at the undertaking rooms under the direction of Coroner C.E. Chapin, assited by Drs. J.E. Wattenberg and A.A. Bailey.
Deputy Sheriff Joseph Crysler, who lives near the scene of the fatality, investigated the accident as did Sheriff Jerry L. Eades. The car was one of the worst looking sights which has figured in an automobile accident in this locality in years, being torn to shreds and apparently not enough left to salvage.
The news of the accident spread rapidly and within a short time hundreds of persons visited the scene.
Engineers Story
In reporting the accident at the Lackawanna depot in Cortland, Engineer John Robinson stated that he started blowing the whistle long before coming to the crossing, and as he approached the car near the turn in the road, he said he saw the women look out the windows of the car toward the train.
He also said that it was customary to slow down for that crossing, and he shut off his power until the train was making only 20 or 25 miles per hour at the time of the crash. He said that the driver of the light car was watching the locomotive as she started entering the tracks, and put her hands to the left as in a gesture to ward off the train.
Engineer Robinson said he stopped the locomotive within the length of the train, and when it hit the car the pilot, or "cowcatcher" dropped down and gouged out 10 feet of the asphalt pavement between the rails at the crossing.
John J. Haplin of Syracuse, investigator for the Lackawanna railroad, arrived this noon with his stenographer to start an investigation of the fatal crash.
The Four Victims
The Woodin women made their home at 38 West Academy Street, McGraw, and were well known and highly respected citizens of the village. They formerly lived at Blodgett Mills. Mrs. Woodin, besides her husband, is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Fred Buchanan of Cortlandville and three sisters, Mrs. Harrison Smith of Harford, Mrs. N.C. Hollenbeck of Blodgett Mills, and Mrs. Earl Johnson of East Homer. Marjorie, who was killed this morning, was a graduate of the Cortland High School and Cortland Normal in the class of 1917. She taught for several years at McGraw High School and of recent years at Homer Academy. It was said this morning that it was her custom to drive her car from her home to her teaching duties practically each day.
The funeral of Mrs. Woodin and her daughter will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the First Methodist Church in this city and burial made in the Cortland Rural cemetery.
Mrs. Ada Moore, the wife of John Moore, and residing on the McGraw road, a short distance this side of the village, leaves her husband and two daughters, Mrs. Lawrence Knapp of Homer, and Mrs. Gladys Roche of Syracuse. Arrangements for the funeral will be announced later.
Miss Carrie Jeanette Durfee, the fourth member of the party, was a resident of New Woodstock, and was the guest of the Woodin family over the Thanksgiving recess. She was a graduate of both the Cortland High School and Normal in 1911, attended the First Baptist Church, while in this city, and for a time made her home with Jessamine Ellsworth, 11 Grant Street. She taught for eight years' at Callicoon, Sullivan county, and was in her third year at Groton. The only surviving relative is a brother, Charles Durfee of Syracuse, whom undertakers R.H. Beard & Sons communicated with today and who was expected in the city to arrange for the funeral and burial, which will probably be held in New Woodstock.
-Cortland Standard, Saturday Evening, December 1, 1928, pages 1 & 2
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