1953 — Aug 1, two cars collide/side-swipe in pouring rain, US 10 near Randall, MN –all 10

–10 AP. “10 Killed When Cars Side Swipe.” Sunday Tribune, Albert Lea, MN. 8-2-1953, p. 1.
— 9 AP. “Lakes Area Crash Kills 9; One Hurt.” Austin Daily Herald, MN. 8-1-1953, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Aug 1, AP: “Little Falls, Minn. (AP) – Nine persons were killed today when two cars collided in a pouring rain on U.S. 10 near Randall, 10 miles north of Little Falls. Coroner E. C. Goblirsch of Morrison County said only one of the 10 occupants of the two machines survived. She is an unidentified woman, in critical condition in a Little Falls hospital. In the morgue here were the bodies of five men and four women.

“The crash came during a downpour so heavy water was running over the highway. One car, a Pontian, carried Manitoba, Canada, license plates and the second, a Ford, was listed to a Minneapolis man. Both machines were badly wrecked, with the Pontiac slamming off the road an into a water-filled ditch. Sheriff Titus Plettl said one side of each machine had been torn off, indicating the cars had side-swiped with terrific force.

“Goblirsch gave these tentative identifications for four of the dead:

Gust A. Olson, 2616 Third St., N., Minneapolis
Israel Katz (no address).
John Frank Bemben, 220 Belmont Ave., West Kildonan, Man.
Roth Adelbert, 446 Salter St., Winnipeg, Man.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Carmack, each about 40, 2617 Third St. No., Minneapolis.

“Highway patrolmen said it was the worst traffic accident on a Minnesota highway since 12 young people were killed in the headon collision of two cars near Slayton on April 21, 1940. Eleven of those victims were killed instantly and another died soon after in a hospital.” (Associated Press. “Lakes Area Crash Kills 9; One Hurt.” Austin Daily Herald, MN. 8-1-1953, p. 1.)

Aug 2, AP: “Little Falls, Minn. (AP) – A Minneapolis woman died in a Little Falls hospital late Saturday, bringing to 10 the number of deaths in the second worst highway crash in Minnesota history. The woman was Mrs. Bust A. Olson, 58.

“There were no witnesses to the crash…Titus Plittl, Morrison County sheriff, said a truck driver was first to come upon the twin wrecks and scattered bodies along U.S. 10 at Randall, 10 miles north of here. Plettl said evidence at the scene indicated the two machines had sideswiped with terrific force. One of them plunged into a water-filled ditch. The sheriff said left side of both machines were literally torn off. Bodies of two of the victims were recovered from the ditch water but it was not known immediately whether these had been killed by the impact or drowned.

“Coroner C. E. Goblirsch identified the dead as:

Mr. and Mrs. Gust A. Olson…Minneapolis.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Starmack…Minneapolis, all occupants of…car Olson was believed
to have driven.
Israel Katz…Winnipeg, Man., and his wife, Bella.
Mr. and Mrs. Roth Adelberg…Winnipeg.
John Frank Bemben, West Kildonan, Man., and
Mrs. Fanny Rosen Corin…believed to have been riding with the Canadian party.

“In Winnipeg, the Canadian Press said the group had been bound for Minneapolis for a holiday weekend. The Katz family had three children and the Adelbergs two sons….” (Associated Press. “10 Killed When Cars Side Swipe.” Sunday Tribune, Albert Lea, MN. 8-2-1953, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “10 Killed When Cars Side Swipe.” Sunday Tribune, Albert Lea, MN. 8-2-1953, p. 1. Accessed 7-1-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albert-lea-sunday-tribune-aug-02-1953-p-1/

Associated Press. “Lakes Area Crash Kills 9; One Hurt.” Austin Daily Herald, MN. 8-1-1953, p. 1. Accessed 7-1-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/austin-daily-herald-aug-01-1953-p-1/