1927 — Oct 14, Interurban Rail hits truck-pulled trailer of partiers, Indianapolis, IN–20-21
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 2-21-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/-
–21 Associated Press. “Ninth Crash Victim Dies.” Anderson Daily Bulletin, IN. 10-28-1969, 2.
–21 Class900indy.com. “Tragedy on the Honey Bee Line: The Sahara Grotto…” 12-7-2021.
–21 Logansport Press, IN. “Blast Rivals Rail Wreck as Worst State Disaster.” 11-2-1963, p. 5.
–20 Greensburg Daily News, IN. “Fatal Crash Probe Slow.” 10-18-1927, p. 3.
–20 Indianapolis Times. “Truck Driver Is Blamed In Grotto Crash.” 10-28-1927, p. 1.
–20 IndyStar. “Retro Indy: Interurban streetcars of the early 1900s.” 8-7-2028.
Narrative Information
Associated Press, Oct 28, 1969: “The death toll in Sunday’s crash was the worst since 21 died in a collision between an electric interurban car and a truck full of lodge members in 1927. The 1927 crash took place on private property and would not be counted as a traffic crash today.” (Associated Press. “Ninth Crash Victim Dies.” Anderson Daily Bulletin, IN. 10-28-1969, p. 2.)
Class900indy.com. “Tragedy on the Honey Bee Line: The Sahara Grotto…” 12-7-2021.
“….On Friday, October 14, 1927, a truck towing a large trailer approached the Honey Bee Line crossing on Emerson Avenue, near 24th Street, on the northeast side of Indianapolis. On board the truck and trailer was a large party of revelers, members of the Sahara Grotto drill team and their families, who were on their way to a barn dance near Fort Benjamin Harrison. The Sahara Grotto is a fraternal organization, composed of Master Masons. At the same moment the truck and trailer crossed the interurban tracks, at 8:45 pm, a Honey Bee Line car was heading south towards the crossing. The truck managed to get off the tracks, but the trailer was struck by the oncoming car. The destruction was substantial and the trailer was blown apart, with victims and debris spread over both sides of the track for a stretch of 200 feet. The human toll was initially 17 killed, and 7 injured, all from the trailer. Some victims succumbed to their injuries later, eventually raising the death toll to 21.
“The passengers on the interurban car were unhurt, but the motorman and conductor were both injured, the latter suffering burns to his hands and face, while the former’s position in the front of the car resulted in his injuries. Police and medical services immediately responded to the scene, as did hundreds of onlookers, and the injured were taken to city hospital. Some of the injured would succumb to their wounds in days following the crash. Harry Smith, a member of the Indianapolis Police, was on the truck and reported at the hospital that he had seen the interurban car coming and called a warning to the truck driver to speed up: ‘The truck speeded up. We were off the tracks, but a splintering crash-and the trailer disappeared.’….”
IndyStar. “Retro Indy: Interurban streetcars of the early 1900s.” 8-7-2028:
“Worst Indianapolis crash
“The worst Interurban crash in Indianapolis occurred on Oct. 14, 1927 when an interurban car struck a trailer loaded with people at a rail crossing at 23rd and Emerson Avenue (just south of today’s I-70 Emerson exit).
“Twenty people were killed or mortally wounded, all of them members of same social club. This was the Sahara Grotto, a Masonic social club whose full name was the tongue-in-cheek “Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm.” It still exists, as does the Indianapolis-based Sahara Grotto.
“About 65 grotto members had gathered about 8 p.m. at the intersection of Emerson and Washington Street. There, they boarded a big trailer pulled by a truck driven by grotto member Harry Stewart who was going to tow the trailer to a barn on Pendleton Pike near Fort Benjamin Harrison where an orchestra was already setting up for the dance.
“Stewart drove up Emerson Avenue in the dark and up around 23rd Street he suddenly felt the trailer give way behind him with a crash. He later said he didn’t know his truck had just cleared the railroad tracks, and he didn’t see or hear the interurban streetcar bearing down on them from the east. It may have been going as fast as 70 mph when it struck the trailer, and whether it had lights or sounded its horn was a matter of dispute afterward.
“Sixteen of the 65 passengers on the trailer were killed on impact or died that night. Four others would die from their injuries in the coming days. Only five passengers were aboard the interurban car, none of them seriously injured. The conductor, Indianapolis resident Hal Titus, was badly burned but refused to be taken to an ambulance. “No, no, I’ve got to stick to my post,” The Star quoted him saying. “I can’t leave. I can’t leave. I was the conductor.”….”
Newspapers at the time
Oct 15, United Press and Associated Press: “Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 15 (UP)—The Indian a public service commission. Coroner C. H. Eever and the Indianapolis police department launched separate investigations today into the cause of the wreck of an automobile trailer hit by an interurban car last night, seeking determine whether any criminal liability was involved. The conductor and motorman
“Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 15 — (UP) – The Indiana public service commission provided bond, but the truck driver still was in jail. All three are charged with involuntary manslaughter.
“Indianapolis, Ind.. Oct. 15.-AP– Sixteen persons, five of them women, were killed last night when the automobile trailer in which they were riding to a pre-Halloween barn dance was smashed to pieces by a Muncie-to-Indianapolis interurban car at the edge of the city. Five’ others were so seriously hurt they may die.
“The trailer, drawn by truck carried the drill team of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of Enchanted Realm, and relatives. There were only five passengers aboard the interurban and all were unhurt. The motorman and conductor of the interurban car, however, were injured. Harry Stewart, driver of the motor truck, and Mr. and. Mrs. C. E. Paulcy who were riding with him, escaped, the truck having cleared the racks when the crash came. Stewart said he neither saw nor heard the approach of the electric car. Fourteen of those in. the trailer were killed outright—Two others died soon afterward….” ( Waterloo Evening Courier, IA. 10-15-1927.)
Oct 15, Associated Press: “Indianapolis, Oct 15 (AP) – Eighteen persons dead, several others so severely injured they probably will die, was the toll of a collision here last night between an interurban car and an automobile truck trailer laden with men and women bound for a barn dance north of the city. Some of the party escaped with minor bruises.
“All of the dead were seated or standing in the trailer when the crash occurred. Five persons in the interurban escaped with a shaking up, although their motorman, W. W. Merrill, suffered a broken leg and the conductor, Hal Titus, was severely burned.
“Fourteen were killed outright, eleven being men and four women. Four others died during the day after a hopeless but never ending struggle on the part of a host of city physicians who were pressed into emergency service at the various hospitals.
“The brunt of the tragedy was borne by the family of C. B. Pauley, proprietor of an Indianapolis printing establishment, six members losing their lives when the trailer was driven in front of the speeding traction car at the Emerson avenue crossing four miles northeast of the city. Three sons-in-law, two daughters and a nephew were killed.
“The trailer bore members of the Sahara Grotto, a social organization within the Masonic order. They were enroute to a dance in the country. It was to have been an old time affair, staged in a barn. Many died with a song in their throats superceded by cries of horror as they saw the traction car bearing down on them…” (Logansport Press, IN. “Eighteen Lost Lives in Trolley Wreck.” 10-16-1927, p. 1.)
Oct 17, Kokomo Tribune, IN: “Indianapolis, Oct. 17. – Death of Miss Margaret Pauley, twenty-eight years old, at the City hospital early yesterday. Increased the toll of the interurban-trailer crash at the Union Traction company tracks and North Emercon avenue Friday night to nineteen. Miss Pauley, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Pauley, 345 South Audubon road, was the eighth member of the family to lose her life as a result of the crash.
“The interurban struck the trailer of a truck occupied by a party of Sahara Grotto members and their wives and friends who were on their way to a barn dance and killed fourteen persons outright….
“As a result of the tragedy, Mr. and Mrs. Pauley lost two other daughters, Mrs. Mabel Pauley Meredith, 30 years old, and Mrs. Ethel Pauley Merriman, 33 years old, and Miss Margaret Pauley; three sons-in-law, Lee Merriman, 33 years old, Frank H. Heredity, 33 years old, and Von Weber Glascock, 47 years old; Charles Virgil Wheeler, 36 years old, husband of Mrs. Pearly Wheeler, a niece who suffered serious injuries and is not expected to live, and Miss Opal Merriman, a sister of Mr. Merriman….” (Kokomo Tribune, IN. “Masonic Lodge Making Plans for Memorial.” 10-17-1927, 1.)
Oct 18, United Press: “Indianapolis, Oct. 18. – (UP) – No report of the interurban crossing wreck which killed or fatally injured twenty persons here last Friday, will be made for several days, D. E. Matthews, head of the railway inspection department of the public service commission announced today.
“Commissioner Calvin McIntosh, who was placed in special charge of the investigation by Chairman Frank Singleton, is out of the city and will not return before Wednesday or Thursday.
“In the meanwhile Matthews and J. K. Smith, has assistant, have been carrying on the investigation. They have made several trips to Anderson and Monday night had a special interurban car making tests at the crossing. They declared today, however, that they would make no report until the return of Singleton.
“C. W. Poster, owner of the truck and trailer which figured in the Grotto crossing crash, was the first witness in a coroner’s inquest into the tragedy which is being held simultaneously with the public service commission. This investigation also is being held in secret and no report is expected for several days.” (Greensburg Daily News, IN. “Fatal Crash Probe Slow.” 10-18-1927, 3.)
Oct 28, Indianapolis Times: “Blame for the Emerson Ave. crossing crash which cost lives of twenty Sahara Grotto members, wives and friends the night of Oct. 14 will be placed upon the driver of the truck which was struck by a Newcastle Union Traction interurban. The report of the public service commission investigators was turned over to the commission this afternoon. Commissioner Calvin McIntosh, in charge of the investigation, said that recommendations to prevent such accidents will be made.
“The truck driver was Harry Stewart, 38, of 6 S. West St.
“More than 100 persons were interviewed by commission investigators.
“The report will hold that the truck driver, who declared he did not know an interurban was coming, and that he did not realize danger until the car struck the truck trailer, was alone on the driver’s seat and did not know the exact destination of the party. The party was en route to a barn dance on Pendleton Pike.
“The report will state that the interurban headlight was burning. A number of survivors of the crash declared the headlight was not burning, or if it was, it was dimmed.
“The report will criticize failure to provide an assistant for the driver to watch for traffic hazards.”
(Indianapolis Times. “Truck Driver Is Blamed In Grotto Crash.” 10-28-1927, p. 1.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Ninth Crash Victim Dies.” Anderson Daily Bulletin, IN. 10-28-1969, p. 2. Accessed 3-7-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/anderson-herald-bulletin-oct-28-1969-p-48
Class900indy.com. “Tragedy on the Honey Bee Line: The Sahara Grotto Interurban Crash of 1927.” 12-7-2021. Accessed 2-21-2025 at: https://www.class900indy.com/post/tragedy-on-the-honey-bee-line-the-sahara-grotto-interurban-crash-of-1927
Greensburg Daily News, IN. “Fatal Crash Probe Slow.” 10-18-1927, 3. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=129457441
Indianapolis Times. “Truck Driver Is Blamed In Grotto Crash.” 10-28-1927, p. 1. Accessed 2-21-2025 at: https://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=IPT19271028&e=——-en-20–1–txt-txIN——-
IndyStar. “Retro Indy: Interurban streetcars of the early 1900s.” 8-7-2028. Accessed 2-21-2025 at: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2014/01/17/interurban-streetcars-retroindy/4583215/
Kokomo Tribune, IN. “Masonic Lodge Making Plans for Memorial.” 10-17-1927, 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=113470896
Logansport Press, IN. “Blast Rivals Rail Wreck as Worst State Disaster.” 11-2-1963, 5. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=84400396
Logansport Press, IN. “Eighteen Lost Lives in Trolley Wreck.” 10-16-1927, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=83987363
United Press. “Three Probes of Wreck Started, 3 Men Under Bond.” Waterloo Evening Courier, IA. 10-15-1927, p. 1. Accessed 2-21-2025 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/waterloo-evening-courier-oct-15-1927-p-17/