858. Charles Franklin KNICKERBOCKER ^{(21) (95)} was born on 1 Apr 1869 in Chilton, Calumet, WI. He died on 11 Nov 1918 in Racine, Racine, WI. From Racine Newspaper Just After Death Date Of Nov. 11, 1918.
"Two Meet Death Under Electric. Wife Is Instantly Killed When Struck By Electric Car and Husband Died Later in ihe Day from Injuries Received"

"The celebration of the ending of the war came as a tragedy to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Knickerbocker, who formerly resided at 868 Park Street in Kenosha as both Knickerbocker and his wife were fatally injured when then they were run down by a street car in Racine shortly after twelve o'clock on Monday afternoon. Mrs. Knickerbocker was instantly killed and her husband was so badly mangled that he died from his injuries just after nine o'clock Monday evening at St. Mary's Hospital in Racine.

Mr. and Mrs. Knickerbocker, joyous over the ending of the war, had gone to Racine to celebrate the day with their son Glenn Knickerbocker.They were members of the merry jostling crowds of people which gathered near the corner of State and Main Street in that city. They were walking just a little way in front of their son when they reached the corner and they walked across the street in front of a Douglas Avenue car.

The car struck them and they went under it. When the motorman finally managed to stop his car both Mr. and Mrs. Knickerbocker were wedged in under the trucks of the car and it was necessary to jack up the wheels of the car to remove them. Mrs. Knickerbocker was instantly killed as her head was completely severed from her body and otherwise she was badly mauled. The remains were removed to the morgue. Knickerbocker had had his left leg severed at the knee and he had suffered severe internal injuries. He was removed to St Mary's Hospital in an ambulance and efforts made to save his life, but he had suffered so from loss of blood and the shock of the accident that he died just after nine o'clock Monday night.

The son saw the car carry them away and attempted to go to their rescue, but friends who saw what had happened held him back. He became so excited that it was found necessary to take him into the Orpheum Theatre. It was some time later before he was informed about the result of the accident. According to witnesses, the car resembled a runaway horse as it turned the corner. It looked as if the motorman had lost control of it and was standing as though he was paralyzed when the car struck the people.

The motorman of the car was Frank Withworth, but he was not in charge of the car at the time of the accident. In coming in from the south he injured one of his fingers and when the Hotel Racine was reached he fainted. Track man Ferdinand Brooks took charge of the car and was operating it when the man and woman were struck. Superintendent Weyker, when interviewed, could not give any information as to just how the accident occurred, claiming that he had not talked to the motorman or the man who had charge of the car. He did not know whether the car went around the corner of State and Main Street unusually fast or not, and did not state whether the brakes were in good condition or whether they had refused to work.

The coroner of Racine and the Chief of Police of the city are planning a vigorous investigation of the accident. No announcement of the time of the funeral has been made.

Note: The following obituary appeared in the paper later....
"Knickerbocker--The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Knickerbocker, killed here in a street car accident, were shipped over the C.M. & St Paul Railroad at 6 o'clock to Chilton, Wisconsin for burial"

06-08-98 Called Lloyd Broker (1-920-849-4652) caretaker of the Charlestown Union Cemetery at Gravesville, near Chilton, WI informed me that Frank bought lot number 52.

(from http://www.knic.com/Unified/Mast_Gen/d2312.htm)