Taken From "The Madisonville Messenger" Madisonville (Hopkins Co.) Ky. - Jan. 1953

John Jefferson Reynolds, 24, Evansville, Ind. and formerly of Madisonville, Ky. was instantly killed and his 16 year old brother-in-law, Roy D. Williams of Madisonville, Ky. was fataly injured when the car they were in was struck by the Hummingbird L & N passenger train at the grade crossing one block North of the Mortans Gap Depot.
Reynolds was found dead beneath the automobile, which was owned by Mrs. Reynolds, when the car was overturned to see if there were more bodies in the wreckage. Williams, who was found in the rear seat, was rushed to Hopkins County Hospital here when he was ascertained to be (illegible) enroute to the hospital.
Reynolds, who worked in Evansville at a furniture factory had made his temporary home there, suffered a crushed skull. Williams injuries consisted of a crushed chest, broken left jawbone, broken left leg, facial cuts and bruises.
Double Inquest Held
Coroner S.T. Harris conducted a double inquest at the Harris Funeral Home at 4 p.m. Sunday. A jury returned a verdict of accidental deaths by being struck by the passenger train locomotive at the grade crossing. The jurors were George Blades, Deputy Sheriff W.T. Fields, Virgil Ivy, Tommy Craft, Clayborne Richardson and Albert Larmouth.
It was announced today a double funeral service will be conducted for Reynolds and Williams at Harris Funeral Home 134 North Main Street at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Officiating will be the Rev. Rupert Utley who will be assisted by the Rev. Harold D. Tallant pstor of Madisonville First Baptist Church. Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery. The bodies will remain at the funeral home.
The men were enroute to Madisonville and thier car was headed west to enter U.S. Highway 41 when it is believed the automobile stalled on the tracks. Engineer M.B. Burns of Evansville, said at the inquest that he saw the stopped car but he was unable to stop the diesel locomotive to avoid striking the car. The car was knocked about 92 yards north of the the grade crossing and thrown on the east side of the railroad companys right of way. It was demolished. Damage to the locomotive was set at $600.00 today. The train was traveling at a speed of about 40 miles per hour.
Doll, Shoes Found
A doll and womens shoes were found in the car and this resulted in a thorough search of the wrecked vehicle in the belief there were other occupants other than Reynolds and Williams. The articles belonged to the Reynolds family it was said. State police said there were several empty and unopened beer cans in the car. Assisting in removing the car wreckage were constable Benny Rash of Mortans Gap, State Troopers and others.
The train crew besides engineer Burns, all of whom live in Evansville, were conductor W.T. Adams, fireman J.C. Dismukes and G.M. Riddle and A.J. Johnson, brakemen.
Reynolds, a World War II veteran is survived by the widow Mrs. Johnny (Elizabeth Williams) Reynolds, sister of Roy D. Williams, three children, John Wayne Reynolds, Sharon Gale Reynolds and Anthony Gray Reynolds, all of 519-B East Arch Atreet, Madisonville; mother, Mrs. John Allen (Martha) Reynolds; brother, Cosby Reynolds, both of 77 East Broadway and four sisters, Mrs. Beulah Mitchell, Mrs. Marie Johnson, both of Evansville, Mrs. Dorothy Wyatt of Madisonville and Mrs. Virginia Morris of Dawson Springs.
Williams, who served in the states for eleven months and recieved his discharge because he was under age, is survived by the mother, Mrs. Alice Mildred Williams, 519-B East Arch Street, Madisonville, four brothers, Clifford R. Williams in the Army at Fort Benning, Ga., Thurmond Lee Williams, Strother Wayne Williams and William Edward Williams all of 519-B East Arch Street, Madisonville, and five sisters, Mrs. John (Elizabeth) Reynolds of 519-B East Arch Street, Madisonville, Mrs. J.W. Bruce, Route 3, Madisonville,Mrs. William Deaton, US Highway 41-N, Mrs. John Lindstrom of Evansville, and Mrs. Joseph Kwiatkowski of Buffalo, NY.