CELESTE SECTION IN MOURNING AS RESULT OF TERRIBLE TRAGEDY TUESDAY NIGHT

Miss Loraine Felty, J. L. Conley and Don Barrett Killed and Miss Winnie Comer, Miss Cleon Felty, and Robert Prater Injured Near Leonard Tuesday Night

One of the most terrible accidents ever happening in this immediate section occurred near Leonard Tuesday night when a car occupied by six young people of Celeste and surrounding territory was struck by the northbound Katy train near Leonard and three of the occupants killed outright.

The dead are Miss Loraine Felty, aged sixteen years; J. L. Conley, aged nineteen; and Don Barrett, aged twenty-one.

Miss Winnie Comer, aged eighteen and driver of the car, was badly injured in the lower limbs, Miss Cleon Felty, aged eighteen, was injured about the chest, and Robert Prater, aged about twenty, was also injured about the chest.

The Misses Felty, daughters of James Felty of Hickory Creek were attending school at Celeste, Miss Comer lived at Celeste, and also Robert Prater lived at Celeste.

J. E. Conley and Don Barrett, both lived at Trenton, just over the Hunt County line in Fannin.

Many students of Wesley College went from this city to see the game and a long string of cars were immediately behind the ill-fated car.

A Celeste man expressed the opinion that the headlight of the train was mistaken for lights from some of the string of cars following and thus failed to notice the train, their car going on the track directly in front of the fast going train.

The Pike road runs parallel with the Katy road and make a sharp turn at the crossing near the Leonard pool where the unfortunate accident occurred.

Parties who viewed the bodies of those killed report that they were terribly mangled and those injured were cut and bruised in a severe manner.  Physicians reported the day following however that the injured had a good chance for recovery.

Celeste, Trenton, and Hickory Creek, wherever these young people lived and were loved and admired, are beneath a great cloud of sorrow as a result of this fatal accident to those happy, spirited youngsters who meant so much to the life of their respective home communities.

The train picked up the injured and carried them to Trenton for hospital treatment where they were given every possible care.

The large number going from Greenville to see this game cause great solicitude here as the first news merely told of the serious accident and gave no names and naturally many homes feared for their own until details came in.

At Wesley College, excitement ran high as many students and some of the teachers had gone to see their team battle with the Texas Military College of Terrell in a championship game and the same was true at other points no doubt as a number attended from Celeste, Trenton, and other points.

This city and the people generally feel keenly the shock this terrible accident and sympathy is universal for those who grieve the death of these young people who in happy moments filled with bright anticipation were suddenly cut down, leaving loved ones shocked and grieved beyond measure for those that were the light of home and in whom the hopes of the household were filled with the bright prospects.

(February 22, 1924, The Greenville Messenger)
 Submitted by Sarah Swindell sss@texoma.net Through TXHUNT-L@rootsweb.com

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