Submitted by: Sharon Vanden Bossche

SBT- August 15 1933

DEATH CLIMAX TO AUTO RIDE IN MISHAWAKA

Student, 16, Walks in Front of N.Y.C. Freight Train

CLASSMATES SEE TRAGEDY

Escort, Who is 23 Refuses to Tell Why She Got Out of Car

As the aftermath of the death of Ilene Person. 16, year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Person, of 318 East Marion Street, Mishawaka, who ended her life Monday night by walking in front of a New York Central freight train in Mishawaka, Coroner B. J. Bolka today was holding a 23 year old youth incommunicado in the county jail.

The youth Paul Niswonger of 224 1/2 East Mishawaka Avenue, today admitted he let the girl out of his car at Union and Sixth Streets.

Niswonger also told of following the girl to the home Rose Areta, 211 East Jefferson Boulevard, where he let her out of the car.

 Unfriendly to Youth

Her parents asserted that she had repulsed advances of friendship from Niswonger and added that her only interests were her friends and her schoolwork.

Three high school classmates saw the girl end her life at 9:20 p.m. at the Spring Street crossing, Mishawaka, within a few yards of the New York Central station. They wer: Lynn Klaer, of 307 West Seventh street, a Tribune carrier; Paul Tripple of 221 West Sixth street and Victor Brackeveldt of 318 West Eighth street.

Lynn Klaer told the story: "We first saw the girl waiting at the north side of the crossing of Spring street as we started to cross it on our way home from downtown.

Had Time to Cross Tracks

At the time the train was only a few blocks away, and we thought it unusual that the girl would stop at that point only a few feet from the track when she had ample time to cross the track.

When we reached the other side of the crossing, I motioned the other boys to stop and we looked back. Just as we did, we saw the girl walk out into the path of the train, turn and face it, and throw her hands in her eyes and permit it to run her down. It all happened so quickly that it was impossible to distract her attention or that of the engineer of the train"

The train was in charge of W. C. Cone, conductor and T. D. Oliver, engineer, both of Elkhart, Ind.

The Girl's body was dragged several hundred feet.

Mother Hears of Death

Parents of the girl did not learn of her death until today when Patrolmen Ralph Bobson and Herbert Geiger saw Mrs. Person walking along Division street near Marion street. She was seeking her daughter. Prostrated by tragedy, Mr. Person was able to tell police only that Niswonger had been paying attentions to her daughter.

The girl was born in Dowagiac, Mich. and moved to Mishawaka from South Bend four years ago. She would have entered her senior year at Mishawaka High School this fall.

Besides her parents, she leaves two brothers, Frank jr. and Carson, at home, and two sisters, Mrs. Lester Hiler of Watervliet, Mich. and Mrs. Ora Winrotte, of Mishawaka. The young woman was a member of the Christian church in Dowagiac.

Funeral services will be conducted from the Losson B. Hunt funeral home; Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock and burial will be in St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park.

SBT - August 16, 1933

Youth Freed in Girl's Death; Fail to find Suicide Motive

The motives in the suicide of Ilene Person, 16-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Person, of 318 East Marion street, Mishawaka, who Monday night walked in front of a fast freight train in Mishawaka, remained in enigma today.

Coroner B. J. Bolka, who conducted an inquest Tuesday, announced today that he would return a suicide verdict.

Paul Niswonger, aged 23 of 224 1/2 East Mishawaka avenue friend of the girl, who let her out of his car before her death, could throw no light on the matter.

Niswonger said she apparently was in good spirits when she left him to walk home. He said she had called him that evening and asked him to take her riding.

Niswonger who was held by police following the tragedy, was released after the inquest.

Funeral sercices for the girl were conducted from the Losson B. Hunt funeral home at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon with Rev. J. A. Watson, of River Park Methodist church in charge. Burial was in the St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park cemetery.