Submitter:  Nadine A. Hardin

Name:   Anthony L. Wartha

South Bend Tribune:  October 22, 1964 <3 articles>

Surnames mentioned:  Wartha, Beutter, Szedeni, Brothers, Arehart, Valleau, Mendel, Herczeg, Prikosovich, Steinhofer, Toth

South Bend Tribune, Local Obituary:  Funeral Notes, Thursday, October 22, 1964.

WARTHA - Funeral services for Anthony L. Wartha, 37, of 2401 Gertrude St., who was killed Wednesday morning in a train mail-truck accident at the Darden Rd. crossing, will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday in St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, Rev. Martin A. Horvath, pastor, will officiate, and burial will be in Highland Cemetery.  Friends may call in the Zahoran Funeral Home after 5 p.m. today, until the time of services.  The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Friday in the funeral home.  Mr. Wartha, who was a substitute mail carrier, was born May 2, 1927, in South Bend.  A life-time resident, he married the former Margaret M. Tschida Sept 15, 1956.  She survives, along with his mother, Mrs. Lawrence Wartha; a brother, Edward M. Wartha, of South Bend, and six sisters, Mrs. Louis F. Beutter; Mrs. Michael Szedeni and Mrs. Garold Brothers, all of South Bend, and Mrs. Edward B. Arehart, Kalamazoo, Mich., Mrs. Mary Valleau, of Rockfort, Ill., and Mrs. Arden J. Mendel, of Kouts, Ind.  Mr. Wartha was a trustee of St. Mary's Church; a member of the D.F.V. German Club; Veteran of Foreign Wars, Post 3931, and a veteran of World War II.

South Bend Tribune, Local Obituaries:  Funeral Notes, Friday, October 23, 1964.

WARTHA - Pallbearers at services for Anthony L. Wartha, 2401 Gertrude St., who was killed Wednesday morning in an train-mail truck accident, will be Joseph J. Herczeg Jr., Martin Prikosovich, Charles Steinhofer, Peter L. Toth, August Van Paris and Lawrence Wartha.  Services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday in St. Mary's of the Assumption Catholic Church with Rev. Martin Horvath, pastor, officiating.  Burial will be in Highland Cemetery.  The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in the Zaboran Funeral Home by parish members at 8, by members of of the Sacred Heart and Rosary Society.

South Bend Tribune, Local Section, Wednesday, October 21, 1964.

"Train Kills Mail Driver On Darden; Victim, 37, Crushed In Small Van:  Substitute Carrier Pronounced Dead At Hospital"

 A 37 year old substitute mail carried was killed this morning when the small van which he was driving was struck by a slow-moving, four-car New York Central train on Darden Rd. west of U.S. 31.

Anthony L. Wartha, 2401 Gertrude St. was pronounced dead on arrival at Memorial Hospital at 9:12 a.m. Dr. F. S. Shelley, St. Joseph County coroner said he suffered internal chest injuries caused by multiple broken ribs.

Sheriff's deputies said Wartha, carrying special mail for local distribution, apparently failed to stop at the crossing for the approaching northbound train. The crossing is marked by cross-arms.  It has no automatic barriers or warning lights.

The train, which was carrying three hoppers of coal for St. Mary's College and one for Indiana and Michigan Electric Co., dragged the westbound small vehicle for about 100 feet, scattering fragments of window glass from the auto along the single track.

In the cab of the engine at the time of the accident, were the engineer, Marvin Strange, 51, of 104 Grant St., Jackson, William J. Kelly, 31, of 831 Bush St., Jackson, the fireman, and the conductor, Earl A. Bachman, 40, of 1522 N. 5th St., Niles.

All three said the train's whistle, bell and lights had been working since 500 feet before the crossing in accordance to company rules.  About 200 yards of the track is visible from that part of Darden Rd. which approaches the crossing from the east.

Pull Battery Wires.   Kelly said the first time he saw the auto was immediately before the engine hit the vehicle in which by then, was three feet over the tracks.  After the accident, the crew members said they jumped from their cab and pulled the wires from the van from its battery, as the small vehicle seemed to be smoking.  The three notified NYC officials and the sheriff's department.

Wartha's body was found lying across the dash panel and against the passenger door, opposite the driver's side of the vehicle.  The steering wheel is located on the right side of the van.

A witness to the accident, Mrs. Betty Molenda, 40, of 20073 W. Layden St., told deputies the small van made an apparent attempt to stop or slow down for the crossing, they said.

The train had begun its daily run earlier in Niles.

The body of Wartha was taken to the Zahoran Funeral Home.