Erie County, Ohio Genealogy and History - presented by Genealogy Trails

Bessie Till Schoepfle

Flying debris apparently struck Mrs. K.C. Schoepfle, 61, Native Sanduskian, Police Say; Man Hospitalized.
A 10-car westbound New York Central mail train, roaring through Sandusky late Wednesday afternoon an hour and 13 minutes late on high speed tracks between the station and a standing passenger train, smashed a platform mail and baggage truck into a group of passengers, killing one person and injuring another.
Dead is Mrs. Bessie Till Schoepfle, 61, wife of Karl C. of 3333 Dellwood-rd., Cleveland Heights, and a native Sandusky resident who was boarding the passenger train for the trip home after visiting relatives here. Dr. Harrison W. Pratt, Erie-co coroner, told police the woman suffered a fractured skull and two broken legs, and died instantly. In fair condition at Good Samaritan Hospital is Jeffery Cohen, 56, South Bend, Ind., assistant to the director of manufacturing for Bendix Home Appliance, Division of Avco. Cohen, who suffered two broken legs and a fractured rib, was boarding the passenger train for Elmira, N.Y.
In a police report issued by Chief Russell A. Thom, investigation disclosed that the No. 6 eastbound passenger train with C. Hurst of Toledo, engineer, was standing at the station taking on passengers, 21 bags of mail and one suitcase. No. 3, the west bound mail train, J. D, Deal, Toledo, engineer, was due to pass through Sandusky at 4:55 p.m., but was running one hour, 13 minutes late.
The passenger train was on high speed track No.3, the third track opposite the station. The mail train was traveling on high speed track No. 1, the second from the station and running between standing passenger train and the station.

Scatter Debris
As the mail train roared into the station, with brakes on full, it crashed into a platform mail and baggage truck which was being unloaded into the passenger train, demolishing the truck. Wheels and parts of this truck were carried along by the No. 3 engine and the flying debris is apparently what struck the two passengers. Mrs. Minnie Brumm, 120 Cable-st, who had taken her sister, Mrs. Schoepfle, to the train, suffered severe shock and is under care of Dr. E. J. Meckstroth, police said.
Witnesses to the accident were John A. Evans, Evansville, Ind., and Robert, Barbara and Donna Knapp, all of 501 48th-st, and Ross C. Bickley, 1124 First-st, all of Sandusky.

Man Yells Warning
Helper Conductor Jay H. Dell, Toledo, told police he was standing alongside two passengercars of No. 6 and had the platform down for loading passengers. He said that Brakeman F.R. Hayes, noticing No. 3 approaching from the east, asked for a red flare and which he lighted and swung back and forthe across the mail train's tracks. When he saw No. 3 was not going to stop he yelled a warning to people to "Get out of the road" and then jumped out of the way, police said.

Engineer Hurst and Fireman E. E. Price, also of Toledo, were both in the passenger train Diesel cab. Price said he saw No. 3 coming lighted a red flare, and waved it from out of the cab window when the oncoming train was at a distance approximately between NYC freight house and the Hayes ave subway. Flagman H.N. Ridgway, who was riding in the last car of the 10-car mail train with Conductor W.F. Smith, 902 Fifth-st, Sandusky, reported to police that he saw the red flare burning from the Diesel cab as they passed the passenger train at this point.
Escapes Into Car
Karel Ames, rural route 1, Vickery, baggageman at the NYC station, told police thta he had loaded four bags of mail out of 21 and one suitcase, when he saw No. 3 coming. He jumped into the baggage car just before No. 3 hit the mail truck. Police also quoted Ticket Agent H.D. Pickering, Willow Grove, Huron, as stating that No. 6 arrived at 5:41 p.m. and that No. 3 had been due to pass through Sandusky at 4:55 p.m., but was one hour, 13 minutes late. When he saw No. 3 approaching from the east at 5:42 p.m. he is said to have called for people standing at the station entrance to get out of the way and said he saw several NYC employes with flares.

Reports were made by the engineer of the No. 3 mail train, J. D. Deal, Toledo, and Lewis Ross, 530 E. Madison-st, operator on duty at the B & O tower, approximately one mile east of the station. Engineer Deal told police that the tower failed to signal him another train was standing in the station. Ross said he had signalled the engineer to "ease off." Deal said that his brakes were part way on as he passed the tower and when he saw the red flares at the station he put brakes on full and sounded the steam locomotive's whistle all the way into the station.
Sparks flew from the wheels of the braked train and it roared into the station.

Train Beyond Station
Brakeman F. R. Hayes, Toledo, spotted the onrushing train and screamed in time to get passengers off the tracks. He then started waving a flare, one of which Engineer Deal saw approximately a half mile away. That was too late to halt the steam locomotive which traveled approximately 150 feet past the Camp-st subway before being stopped. The car of the train stopped just west of the accident scene. Both trains were held up approximately one hour following the accident.
Investigating police officers were Patrolmen Peter Lange and Kenneth Cullen. Post office officials here said today that only two parcels were slightly damaged when they were knocked from the station truck.
Mrs. Schoepfle was born in Sandusky 61 years ago, and with her husband had lived at the Cleveland Heights address for 27 years. She was an active member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and its Guild, and was also active in the Cleveland Heights Women's Civic Club.
Mr. Schoepfle received word of the accident while waiting at his home until it was time to go to the Cleveland Union Terminal to meet his wife. He is an engineer with the Weatherhead Co. Their son and only child, Carl W., is an engineer with the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. Survivors, in addition to her husband and son, who lives in Willoughby, are two grandchildren, and two sisters, Mrs. Arthur Sutcliffe, Park Ridge, Ill., and Mrs. Minnie Brumm, Sandusky.
Friends may call at the Charles J. Andres Sons' Funeral Home after noon Friday, where services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and at 2 p.m. at Calvary Episcopal Church, the Rev. Ray Evans, officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery.

Mrs. Bessie Till Schoepfle
Thursday, January 10, 1952
A Change in the time of services for Mrs. Schoepfle was announced today, with rites scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Charles J. Andres Sons' Funeral Home and at 3 p.m. at Calvary Episcopal Church, the Rev. Ray Evans, officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery.

Mrs. Bessie Till Schoepfle
Sunday, January 13, 1952
Rites for Mrs. Bessie Till Schoepfle, wife of Karl C. of Cleveland Heights, rail accident victim, were held Saturday afternoon at the Charles J. Andres Sons' Funeral Home and at Calvary Episcopal Church, the Rev. Ray Evans, officiating. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Robert, Donald and William Till, Reed Fletcher, herbert Guss and Forrest Feick.