GALENA -- William J. Beadle, Jr. 30, R. R. 2, Galena, was killed in an accident half a mile west of the junction of US highway 20 and Illinois highway 80 near here at 12:50am today. Two injured persons, Rosalie A. Busson, 20, a passenger in Beadle's car, and Mrs. Emma Grebner, wife of Jo Daviess county sheriff, seem to be resting comfortably in Mercy Hospital, Dubuque,Ia., today. A third car was believed involved but the driver was uninjured.
------------
Galena Gazette, 22 Jun 1954, Vol. 120 No. 48
Kill One; Injure Two

Rear End Crash on Highway 20
Details of the tragic accident Friday night which claimed the life of Galena resident William J. Beadle, Jr., and injured Rosalie A. Bussan and Emma Grebner indicate that only a miracle prevented additional fatalities.
Mrs. Grebner's life was undoubtedly spared because of the heavy construction of the car in which she was seated when struck.
Sheriff Lawrence Grebner told the Gazette yesterday that he leaped from the center of the road to the ditch only seconds before the car tore by him at an estimated 75 miles per hour when it became apparent that the driver was not going to slow down.
Grebner was unhurt. Mrs. Grebner was bruised, but is expected to return to her Galena home today after additional x-rays have been taken at Mercy Hospital. Miss Bussan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cy Bussan, and an employee of the Foecking Oil Company, is reported in fair condition at Mercy Hospital. She retained consciousness at the scene of the accident, but was badly cut and bled profusely.

Sequence of Events
About 11:15pm Friday state police officers Groom and Trenty, who had been investigating a serious accident in Apple River Township, received a call to go to the aid of Loras Hosch, Iowa truck driver, whose tractor-loaded trailer was on fire on Holz Hill, four miles west of Galena. An appeal was made to the Galena Fire Department for help, but Chief Obbie Hirst suggested that the Hazel Green and East Dubuque departments be called since Galena equipment cannot be moved outside the city limits.
Nath's garage was called, as was Sheriff and Mrs. Grebner. Nath responded by sending out his wrecker. Mrs. Grebner was summoned in her white formal from an Eastern Star initiation in Elizabeth.
While the fire was being extinguished the state police officers and the Grebners were directing traffic. When the "caravan" started moving toward Galena, the police car was in front, the tractor-trailer outfit next with the rear end jacked up by Nath's wrecker which was backing down, and the sheriff's car last with rear-end warning signals displayed. Rate of speed was about 5 miles per hour.
A half mile down the road flames broke out again, and the procession halted to fight them. The sheriff's car with Mrs. Grebner at the wheel stopped three car lengths behind the wrecker. Sheriff "Rip" Grebner retreated 200 yards down the highway to the nearbrow of a small hill where he flagged down several cars with a red warning light.

Heard Car Coming
Grebner says he heard the car coming at a rapid pace. He flashed his warning from the black line in the center of the road, and leaped to safety in the ditch only when it became apparent that the driver was not going to stop. The car plowed into the sheriff's Chrysler without slackening speed.
Mrs. Grebner, who was at the wheel, was thrown over the seat onto the rear floor of the car where she landed on the back seat cushions. The brakes were set on the Chrysler, but it was driven into the back of the wrecker with force enough to buckle the frame six inches.
Beadle was killed and Miss Bussan seriously hurt. The Petitgout ambulance took Miss Bussan to Mercy Hospital and the Nash ambulance carried Mrs. Grebner. The Nash ambulance picked up Beadle's body on the return trip.
The sheriff's car, his own property, is expected to be a total loss. Beadle was driving a new Chevrolet sedan.
County Coroner Charles Bartell of Warren swore in a jury on Saturday afternoon, viewed the body and then adjourned the inquest pending the availability of additional testimony.

Services for Beadle
The funeral service was held on Monday morning from the Nash Funeral Home at 8:30 D. S. T. to St. Michael's Church at 9 o'clock with the Rev. Vincent L. Cottom officiating. Burial was made in the family lot in St. Michael's cemetery with Eugene Nolan, Delbert W. Muehleip, Roland Stump, Delbert Bussan, Chares (Charles?) Branagan and Walter Jennings serving as casket bearers. The rosary was recited on Sunday evening at the Funeral Home.

Overseas Veteran
William J. Beadle, Jr. was born in Rice Township, Jo Daviess County, Illinois on February 8, 1924, the son of William J. and Wilhelmina (Heller) Beadle. He attended the township schools and Galena High School and was a member of St. Michael's Church.
Since his return from Korea where he served in the United States Army he had been assisting his father on their farm in Rice Township.
Besides his parents, he is survived by eight sisters and two brothers, Mrs. Donald (Helen) Petitgout, Mrs. Henry (Florence) Bautsch, Mrs. Boise (Frances) Murphy, Mrs. Joseph (Vera) Wienan of Galena; Mrs. Nathan (Catherine) Seelye and Mrs. Elmer (Lucille) Rusboldt, Harvard, Ill.; Mrs. LeRoy (Virginia) Armstrong, Joanne Beadle and Donald Beadle, Galena, and A 2/C Thomas Richard Beadle, USAF, Lake Charles, Louisiana.