Car Owned By Ray Fabel

Of New Ulm Plunged Into

Lake Crystal.

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CHRIS FREDERICKSON

UNFORTUNATE VICTIM

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Was Seated On Rock Fishing With His Back To Oncoming Car.

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Sunday afternoon about two o’clock Chris Frederickson of Butternut Valley aged seventy-seven, was instantly killed when he was struck on the head by the Ford Sedan belonging to Ray Fabel of this city which plunged down the embankment into the lake. The high wind started the car down the road-side toward the beach although the brakes were set and had to be released before it was possible to pull the car out of the Lake following the accident.

Having A Picnic

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Fabel and family, Mr. and Mrs. A. Schulke and family and Mrs. Anna Maltzahn and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bingham and family had motored to Lake Crystal, leaving New Ulm shortly after twelve o’clock to enjoy a picnic dinner. The road on which they parked their cars ran thru the tourists camp west and east. The New Ulm party entered the park from the east and had drawn up to the roadside to park their cars. The Schulke car headed west was parked in front of the Fabel car with the Bingham auto directly behind the Ford sedan. The ground between the road and the lake on the north was covered with trees. Other cars were parked on the same side of the road.

Wind Starts Car

Spreading their dinner under the trees on the right hand side of the road where they had parked their cars, the New Ulm people were enjoying their meal when some one shouted that a car had gone over the beach. Everyone hurried to the beach to see what had happened and it was then that it was learned that the car belonged to Mr. Fabel. The high wind had started the car down the slight incline and it had gone between the trees where it would have taken an experienced driver to pilot an automobile. The sedan turned over once on the path to the beach and righted itself only to strike a rock on which Mr. Frederickson was seated fishing and then turned over and landed on its side by the lake. By the time the local party had reached the beach other people were lifting the injured man from the water and placed him on the bank. He had been instantly killed and as the entire happening had been witnessed by Policeman Dailey of Lake Crystal, he called the coroner from Mankato at once.

Accidental Death

The coroner’s decision was that Mr. Frederickson had come to his sudden death thru an accident which was unavoidable and which had been caused by the elements. No liability is held against the owner of the car.

It seems that the son of Mr. Frederickson was seated on the beach near his father as was also a lady. The son shouted to the lady who jumped in time to avoid being struck, but the father had turned around to see what the commotion was and the Sedan struck him. Only an hour before the car started on its destructive slide the Fabel baby had been sleeping in it and had been taken out by members of the party before they started their dinner.

The Ford was damaged considerably and was not pulled out of the lake until after the coroner had visited the scene of the accident. It was taken to Lake Crystal and as it was impossible to drive the car home that evening it was left until the following day when it was brought to New Ulm.

This unfortunate circumstance is one more of the freak happenings which are brought about thru the elements. Had the wheels on the Ford not “jack-knifed” the car might have been turned in the other direction and would have come to a stop. Mr. Fabel and his family feel very keenly the sad incident.

New Ulm Review,

June 10, 1925

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