James - Karl Casey - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Karl C. (Casey) James, 94, Crawfordsville, a retired schoolteacher, died early yesterday of injuries suffered late Tuesday when he was struck by a car as he walked across a Crawfordsville street.  Police said the auto was driven by Michael A. Mahorney, 20, RR 7, Crawfordsville.  Mahorney had glanced at the instrument panel of his car and a passenger yelled, “Look out” upon seeing James. But Mahorney saw James too late to stop, police said. James was a graduate of Wabash College and attended Indiana, Indiana State and PU.  He began his teaching career in 1901 at Fairview near New Market. He also had taught at Crawfordsville and Parkersburg had been superintendent of Darlington and Montgomery County schools and had been principal of the junior high school at Crawfordsville.  Services are pending at Powers Funeral Home at Crawfordsville.  

Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review 28 Aug 1974 p 1

An elderly Crawfordsville man became Montgomery County’s 7th traffic fatality of the year when he was struck by a car while crossing a street near the downtown area Tuesday night. Karl C. “Casey” James, 94 of 316 S. Green St, died at 1:15 a.m. today in Culver Hospital where he was taken after being struck by a car driven by Michael A. Mahorney, 20 of Rt, 7, Crawfordsville.  James was attempting to cross the street in the 200 block of East Wabash Avenue, Mahorney was driving in the eastbound lane.  Mahorney told police he glanced at the instrument panel in the car when a passenger yelled at him to lookout. He said he glanced up but it was too late to avoid James who had stepped into the eastbound lane, according to police.  Police indicated it would have been hard for Mahorney to stop because of wet pavement. It was raining at the time. The accident occurred at 8:40 o’clock. County Coroner Russell Powers called into the investigation said James suffered head injuries and two broken legs. He was conscious at the scene. James retired from teaching in 1951.  He began teaching at Fairview School southeast of New Market in September of 1901.  From Fairview he went to Parkersburg in 1904 and taught the only high school course offered there.  He remained there until 1907 when he became superintendent of Darlington schools.  He was Montgomery County superintendent from 1914 until 1921 when he came to the Crawfordsville schools.  He became principal of the junior high school here in 1925.  He held the post until 1947.  He served as a teacher for a total of 50 years, 30 in the Crawfordsville system.  He missed only six weeks of school during his tenure and that because of an automobile accident.  Mr. James received his AB degree from Wabash and took graduate work at Purdue, ISU and IU.  He was born Feb 13, 1880 in Montgomery County the son of George W., and Hattie Stepy James. He was married to Ethel Branch in 1905 at New Market.  He was a member of the Trinity Methodist Church and Elks Lodge.  Surviving are two sons, Dr. Ernest Karl James of Lowell and Eston B. Englewood, Calif; two daughters Mrs. John (Mary Emma) Long of Chico, Calif; and Mrs. Bruce (Joanne) Roberts of Reno, Nev; a brother, Ivan of Elkhart; 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, a sister and a daughter.  Services are pending at Powers Funeral Home.  Mr. James is the second traffic victim in Crawfordsville this year.  The first was on July 24 when a Florida woman was killed in a two-car collision on US 231 north near Concord Road. - kbz