Johnson City, IL Bus And Train Collision, Sep 1943

GREYHOUND BUS AND PASSENGER TRAIN COLLIDE.

7 KILLED, 53 HURT IN ILLINOIS IN GRADE CROSSING TRAGEDY.

Johnson City, Ill. -- (AP) -- Collision of a crowded Greyhound bus and a two-car Missouri Pacific railroad passenger train killed seven persons and injured at least 53 yesterday.
In the accident at a crossing two miles south of here the cab and one side of the bus were smashed and the engine-baggage car of the Diesel powered train was overturned.
All but five of the casualties were passengers on the bus bound from Memphis, Tenn., for Chicago. Among the slightly injured were DR. LUCIANO MILLA CISNEROS, 53, Honduran minister to Guatemala, and his daughter, SOFIA MILLA, 22. They were en route to Rochester, Minn.
Hospitals at West Frankfort, Herrin and Marion and an emergency center established by the Red Cross and civilian defense in Herrin cared for the injured.
Coroner Lon W. Gasaway of Williamson county identified the dead as:
J. R. HARD, 38, Memphis, the bus driver.
LOUIS LOOKOFSKY, Paducah, Ky.
ED WHITE, Johnson City.
DOROTHY PATE, Memphis.
EDDIE LOUIS MARSHALL, one year old Negro, Hutting, Ark.
GEORGIA HAWKINS, Negro, Milwaukee.
An Unidentified Woman who was decapitated.

The Brownsville Herald Texas 1943-09-20

-----------------------------------------------------------

EIGHTH DEATH IN WRECK REPORTED.

Johnston City, Ill., Sept. 20. -- (INS) -- The eighth death resulting from the bus-train collision at a grade crossing near Johnston City Sunday morning was recorded tonight.
The latest victim was PAUL S. SHAMHART, 45, of Newton, Ill., who died in the Veterans hospital at Marion, Ill.
SHAMHART had boarded the bus at Marion only a few minutes before the Greyhound bus struck a two-car Missouri Pacific train. He had been a patient in the Veterans hospital and was en route home after being discharged.
Meanwhile authorities learned the identity of a white woman who was hurled from the crowded bus and decapitated under the wheels of the train. She was MRS. BLANCHE BOSTIC, 44, of Memphis, Tenn.

Long Beach Independent California 1943-09-21
__________________

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!