BYRD, Donald - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

FRANKFORT, Ind., Sept. 7- Sorrow was brought to many homes here yesterday when it became circulated throughout the city that Donald Byrd, one of Frankfort’s most popular young men, had been accidentally killed in a grade crossing accident near Newcastle, Ind. Mr. Byrd, with Miss Myrtle Adamson, of Indianapolis, his fiance, were returning to Indianapolis from Winchester, when the Ford automobile in which they were riding was struck by a Big Four passenger train at Modock. The bodies of the unfortunate couple were carried in the wreckage for nearly a quarter of a mile.  Mr. Byrd and Miss Adamson spent Sunday at Winchester and were returning to Indianapolis. They were accompanied as far as Newcastle by Miss Adamson’s mother, Mrs. E. S. Adamson, who became tired of riding in the machine, decided to continue the journey on the train. When Mrs. Adamson left the car at Newcastle her daughter and Mr. Byrd joked her about being a quitter and said they would be waiting for her at the Union station in Indianapolis to take her home.  It was the train on which Mrs. Adamson was speeding to Indianapolis that struck the automobile. The impact of the collision aroused all of the passengers, and many left the train when it stopped. Mrs. Adamson did not leave until she learned it was a man and woman who had been killed. Fearing it might be her loved ones, she left the train and was overcome with grief, when by the clothing she was able to identify the body of the woman as that of her daughter. She told the train crew who the people were that were killed and fainted. Friends in Frankfort were notified of the tragic accident shortly before noon and R. D. Vorhees, father-in-law of Mr. Byrd, and several friends went to Modock and took charge of the bodies. Donald Byrd was 30 years old and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Byrd, of Crawfordsville. He graduated from the Crawfordsville high school and later from Wabash college. For several years he had been residing in Frankfort and was associated with the Vorhees Lumber company. His wife, who was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Vorhees, died during the influenza epidemic in November, 191, while Mr. Byrd was serving in the United States army. Mr. Byrd was commissioned a lieutenant in the artillery at Camp Taylor, and later was sent to Camp Jackson in South Carolina, and then to Fort Sill, Okla., where he was an instructor in the school of fire. Since his discharge from the army he had resided with Mr. and Mrs. Vorhees in this city. He was a member of the American Legion post, the Knights of Pythias, the Masonic fraternity and the Kiwanis club. He also belonged to the Christian church and was a member of the church choir. Miss Adamson was a former Frankfort girl, but had been living in Indianapolis for some time, where she was employed in the Lake Erie and Western railroad offices. Her body was taken to Indianapolis and the body of Mr. Byrd was brought to Frankfort. Funeral services will be held there and burial will be in the cemetery at Flora. – thanks Lena