 |
| Emily Amina Crane, ca 1897 |
Emily had two older brothers, Henry and John Crane.
I have found no information on her early life, however, I know that her mother, Nancy, died on 30 August 1881 when Emily was only 3 years old. Her father, William, remarried in May 1883 in Tippecanoe Co., Indiana to Eliza J. McClary; Emily was 5 years old. She was, therefore, raised by her father and step-mother.
We know that by May 1897 when Emily was 18, she was living in Frankfort, Indiana. She married Alba E. Braden there on 15 May 1897.
On 9 October 1902, Emily wrote a letter to her sister-in-law, Mary Jane Braden. The letter was addressed to Miss Mary J. Braden, Washington, D.C., (307 East Capital Street.) and postmarked at Oct 10 1902 Ind. The letter follows:
"Frankfort, Ind
Oct. 9, 1902
Dear Sister Mary:
We received your letter to-day. I am glad you are having a good time. We are getting along very well I guess. Mamma did not feel [sic] yesterday but is better to-day. We had a caller yesterday, who was Mrs. Reigel and the two smallest girls. I tell we had a time with the little one that is not bright. She went out of doors in just a little while after they came. The butcher knife was on the creamery and mamma went out and she was going around the house with it in her hand and would not give it up and she had to take it from her. After a while her mother wanted to go home and sent the other one out to get her and I went too but we could not hardly find her. She was in the chicken yard with the little spade after the ducks. I could not get her to come in and had to call her mother and it was as much as she could do.
Mrs. Reigel was very badly dissapointed [sic] when she found you was not at home. She saw Father, Wm and I coming from Mulberry Tuesday and she thought it was you comming [sic] home.
Mr. Allen ate dinner here today. I guess you know how well pleased papa was to see him. He and Wm have gone to bed. Neither of them got a nap to-day and are sleepy.
Mamma says to tell you to stay until you get your visit out and have a good time, and that you know how well she likes to write when she has anyone else to do it gets them so you know this is from her as well as me. She sends her love to all and says to tell you we are getting along fine. We hope to hear from you soon from
Mamma and Mina with our love for you. Good-By. [sic]
Dear Cousin Clara:
Mamma says to tell you to have a good time this time for maybe you would not have the opportunity again soon. Min called us up yesterday after dinner and she said she heard from you also. We have not heard from Alba since you have gone so I suppose they are not having any very great trouble. See all the new sights you can, and remember all of it so you can tell us about it when you come home. I must close and send this as it is almost time for the mail-man. your Loving aunt & Cousin Amina"
We have another letter from Emily dated 19 October 1906. The envelope was addressed to Miss Mary J. Braden, Frankfort, Ind. R.R. and postmarked Mulberry, Ind. Oct. 19, 1906. The letter follows:
"Mulberry, Ind.
Oct. 19, 1906
Dear Sister Mary:
Mrs. Thornton has decided that she had better go to the city next Tuesday and she said if you and Clara can go to come over as early as you can. She would like to know what kind of ribbon that mamma wants for her ties on her bonnet. Here is a sample of the silk ribbon she has. If she wants a heavier quality than this she will get it. She said she has the velvet ribbon or maybe mamma would use what is on her summer one, so she don't know whether to get it or not.
We got home alright and in a little while the other evening. We thank you very much for the presents you brought us. Wm as usual has his comb broken, and Laura wanted to fan almost all the time for a while. Alba has his book read through as he is sick and has been in the house.
I have been cleaning house just finished up stairs this evening. Yours With Love Mina"
On 10 November 1907, Emily's husband, Alba Braden, died in their home in Mulberry. Emily was only 29 years old and her two children were only 9 and 7 years old.
On 1 January 1908, Emily A. Braden, widow of Alba E. Braden, filed a written relinquishment of her right to administer Alba's estate and requested the appointment of Robert F. Braden (Alba's brother) as administrator. Robert F. Braden had already been appointed the guardian of the persons and estates of William Robert Braden, aged 9 years on Sept. 28, 1907, and Laura Nancy Braden, aged 7 years on March 4, 1907, minor heirs of Alba E. Braden, deceased. And on 10 January 1908, an inventory of Alba's personal property was filed in court in Frankfort. It listed many tools and machinists tools. Emily, the widow, claimed everything and nothing was sold.
By June 1908, Emily and her two children, Bill and Laura, were living at 409 E. Paris Street, Frankfort, Indiana.
In August 1908, Emily sold the portion of the Braden Farm that she had inherited from Alba to her brother-in-law, Robert F. Braden.
The 1910 census shows Emily and her children living on Paris Street in Frankfort, Indiana. The household shows Braden, Emily A.: Head; F; W; 32; Seamstress; Braden, William R., son, M, W, 11; Braden, Laura N.: daughter, F, W, 9. Emily is listed as widowed. She was born in Indiana as were her parents.
The Frankfort City Directory for 1913 lists Emily as the widow of Alby and William and Laura as students. They are all living at 409 E. Paris Street in Frankfort.
At about 8 p.m., on 9 July 1914, Emily and Laura were walking to church in Frankfort when they came to the railroad crossing at Clay Street. Emily's high-top, laced up shoe got caught between the rails of the track as she was crossing. Before she could free herself, she was struck by a train and killed. Her 14-year-old daughter, Laura, saw it all. Bill (age 15 1/2) came upon the scene a few minutes after it happened. Emily was 36 years old.
There were a number of articles in the newspaper about the tragic accident. Here is one from the Frankfort Crescent News:
"Loses Life on Rail Crossing - Mrs. Emily Braden Receives Fatal Injuries in Shocking Accident Last Night. - Foot Caught Beside Rail - Clay Street Crossing of Clover Leaf Was Scene of Horrifying Tragedy, In which Woman Awaited Inevitable Fate. -- The community was shocked last night by news of the horrible accident in which Mrs. Emily Braden, 35 years old, was fatally injured when she was run down by a Clover Leaf freight train at the Clay street crossing, shortly after eight o'clock.
The accident was horrifying in its details, as the woman was conscious of her impending doom, when the heel of her shoe caught fast between a rail and plank on the sidewalk, as Mrs. Braden, in company with her daughter Laura Braden, crossed the tracks. As the train bore upon her from the west, the unfortunate woman struggled to release her foot from the track, but to no avail. Then seeming to realize that she could not escape, she threw herself to the north side of the track, apparently deciding to sacrifice the limb which had been held fast in the effort to save her life.
Charles Reno and Mrs. Frank Reno who were seated on the porch of their home near the railroad crossing, were probably the only witnesses to the tragedy besides the daughter. From descriptions of the eye witnesses, the woman's body seemed to be lifted from the position beside the track when struck by the fast moving locomotive. Charles Reno hurried to the scene as he saw the woman's predicament but was still several feet away when the train struck its victim. The body was thrown against the front and north side of the locomotive where the clothing became entangled in the piston rod of the cylinder. The woman was thrown toward the wheels and by motion of the piston was then cast from the moving locomotive alighting into the ditch beside the railroad at a point about 40 feet of [sic] the crossing. The woman was removed to the Palmer hospital where an examination showed that the right arm and shoulder had been crushed fearfully. The skull had been fractured over the eyes and the face was badly mangled. The body was a mass of bruises, the most severe being a deep gash near the right hip that extended to the bone. Although every effort was made to save her life, by Doctors Palmer and Sims, including an amputation of the shattered arm, she died at 11:20 p.m.
Coroner J. B. Wise was one of the first to arrive on the scene last evening. He announced today that the inquest would be started within a few days. At the inquest the condition of the crossing at Clay street will probably be investigated. The city council ordered the repair of the crossing several days ago when it was reported in bad order. Chief of Police Corns, who measured the opening between the rail and plank, where the woman's heel caught, says the opening was 3 1/2 inches. It is said 2 1/2 inches is the width prescribed by law.
Grim evidence of how the woman met death was shown by a deep bruise on the inside of the left foot, seemed to have been inflicted by a bolt, when the foot became fastened between the rail and plank. The entire back portion of the shoe was torn off, indicating how the foot had been released when the locomotive struck the body.
At the time of the accident Mrs. Braden and her daughter were enroute from their home at 409 East Paris street, to the Christian Science church. In passing the Clay street crossing, the woman dropped her handkerchief, and turned to retrace her steps to recover it. While in this act her foot became fastened between the rail and plank, it is thought.
When the daughter saw what had happened to her mother, she ran to the Christian Science church and told persons there of the shocking accident. The screams of the woman and girl had attracted neighbors, who went to the aid of the injured woman, offering what assistance possible. The train was stopped, after the engine had proceeded to the Washington street crossing.
William and Ben Dunham carried the unconscious woman from the ditch beside the railroad to the lawn of the Reno home, where it was seen she had been horribly mutilated. Dr. I. F. Scripture held the arteries in the crushed arm else she might have bled to death before reaching the hospital. An ambulance was called and she was taken to the Palmer hospital, where efforts were at once begun to save her life.
At no time did the woman regain consciousness. Meanwhile her father, William Crane of Antioch, and her brothers, John and Henry Crane of this city were summoned and reached her side shortly after the accident. A pathetic incident of the tragedy was witnessed when her son, William Braden reached the scene of the accident, shortly after it had occurred. News that a woman had been struck at the crossing traversed the city quickly and a crowd gathered at the scene. Among these was the son, who not knowing it was his mother, inquired who the woman was. Some one told him they thought it was a Mrs. Braden, not knowing that was the boy's name. He exclaimed that it could not be his mother, as he thought she was at home. Finally the truth was revealed and the young man nearly collapsed from the news.
The train that figured in the accident was No. 42, a meat train drawn by engine 162, in charge of Conductor W. E. Robson and Engineer Jerry Motter. Names of the train crew and other evidence was taken by Chief of Police Corns and Officers Hill and Fryback.
Mrs. Braden was Miss Emily A. Crane before her marriage. She was the daughter of William and Nancy Crane, and was born in Boone county on August 18, 1878. She was married to Alva [sic] Braden 17 years ago. The couple resided in Mulberry following their marriage, until Mr. Braden's death, when she removed to Frankfort. She was a member of the Christian Science belief, and has a wide circle of friends who will mourn her death. She is survived by two children, William and Laura Braden; two brothers, Henry and John Crane of this city; and her father, William Crane of Antioch. Her mother and one sister are dead.
The body was removed to the Goodwin undertaking rooms following death where it was prepared for burial.
The funeral service will be private, and will be conducted from the residence, 409 East Paris street, Saturday morning at 9:30 o'clock. The service will be by William Cave, Christian Science reader. Interment will be made at the Fair Haven cemetery near Mulberry. The body will be removed to the residence this evening."
Her death certificate states cause of death as "locomotive run over head."
Emily was buried in Fairhaven Cemetery next to her husband, Alba.
A Frankfort, Indiana, newspaper article dated 28 July 1914, from the Frankfort News,
page 1 states:
"Probe Accident That Cost Life of Woman. Members of Clover Leaf Train Crew Testify That Mrs. Emily Braden Tripped and Fell Before Approaching Engine. A question of whether Mrs. Emily Braden, who was fatally injured at the Clay Street crossing of the Clover Leaf railroad on the night of July 9, stumbled and fell before the approaching freight train that struck the woman before she could leave the crossing, or whether her shoe caught between a rail and plank of the crossing, holding her to meet her fate, arose yesterday afternoon during the inquest conducted by Coroner J.B. Wise.
Members of the crew of the train that ran down the unfortunate woman testified before the coroner that Mrs. Braden stumbled and fell while walking over the crossing. She arose to her feet and again fell. Before she arose the second time the pilot of the locomotive had struck her, trainmen said. Supporting the other theory, Charles Reno, who lives near the crossing and was an eyewitness to the accident, declared the woman behaved as though her foot had become fastened between the rail and the plank. Reno said Mrs. Braden remained standing and appeared very plainly to be pulling at her foot, apparently endeavoring to release it. The woman's body weaved from side to side, as she stood during the few seconds before the train struck her, Reno said.
Reno testified that he hurried to the scene but did not arrive before the train had struck the woman. Laura Braden, 16-year-old daughter of the dead woman, was a witness before the coroner, but could tell practically nothing of the accident. She was with her mother at the time but said she didn't know whether her mother's foot had become fastened in the rail. She said she had dropped her handkerchief but did not believe her mother returned to pick it up. Arthur E. O'Donnell, head brakeman, was ten car lengths behind the engine. He testified that the Braden girl had run across the tracks before her mother.
Other trainmen who testified were Jerry Moiter, engineer; W.E. Robinson, conductor; F.A. Bellfy, fireman; G.Clark Thomas, a student fireman; and Raymond Kelly, near brakeman. Fred Taylor witnessed the accident from the Aughe street crossing. He testified that he saw Mrs. Braden on the track, and spoke to his wife and mother telling them the woman would be struck. Chief of Police Walter V. Cerns testified that he had measured the distance between the rail and plank at the crossing and found it was 3 1/4 to 3 3/4 inches.
The inquest was conducted by Deputy Prosecutor Geddes VanBrunt. Miss Laura Bayless served as stenographer. Coroner Wise will return his verdict Thursday."
Emily died without a will. Her brother, Henry Crane, was named administrator of her estate. Her two minor children were made wards of their uncle Robert F. Braden, and aunt, Mary Jane Braden.
No comments:
Post a Comment