Boy, Girl Struck on Trestle
Camden Courier-Post —
Frantic parents today identified John Wawrzyniak Jr., 14, and his sister, Karen, 8, as the two young people killed on the trestle at Mechanic and Louis sts.
Police said the parents were John and Florence Wawrzyniak, of 1121 Orchard st.
Investigators said the boy, John Jr., 14, went to get his sister Karen, 8, off the trestle and attempted to drag her off. They were near the end of the trestle when they were struck by a Camden-bound Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines train.
The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. The girl died shortly after at Jersey Hospital.
Railroad authorities placed the accident at 8:15 p.m. A witness, William Bukowski, 41, of 1508 Norris st., attempted to run up the ice and snow-covered embankment when he saw their plight.
Patrick Carr quoted Bukowski as stating: “I heard the whistle and saw the kids. The girl appeared to be playing and bending over the tracks. When the boy heard the whistle, he turned and ran back.”
Walter D. Lamon, of Camden, was also a witness.
At the hospital, a marketing list and $7 was found in the boy’s pockets. It called for purchases of sauerkraut, pumpernickel bread, cracked wheat bread, cream cheese and cigarets.
Police were called to the scene by John Revallo, operator of a cafe at Louis and Mechanic sts., who relayed a report by Henry Uber, another witness.
Uber, a painting contractor with offices and shop at 1207–09 Liberty st., was clearing snow on the Mechanic st. side of his building when he heard the train whistle and looked up to see the children on the tracks. Both appeared to be running in the same direction the train was heading, he said, and were thrown part way down the embankment when struck.
A girl died here today … suddenly.
Rites Slated Tuesday for Train Victims
Camden Courier-Post —
Solemn requiem high Mass for John Wawrzyniak Jr., 14, and his sister, Karen, 9, will be sung Tuesday at 9 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Church, 10th and Mechanic sts.
The children were killed Thursday by a Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines train on a trestle over Louis and Mechanic sts., less than four blocks from their home at 1121 Orchard st.
Preceding the Mass, friends will meet at 8:30 a.m. in the Ciechanowski Funeral Home, 1309 S. 10th st., where they may call Monday night. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Chews Landing.
The boy was an honor student at Hatch Junior High School, and his sister, a fourth-grade pupil at Lincoln School.
Surviving them are their parents, John and Florence; paternal grandparents, Casimir and Stefania Wawrzyniak, of Camden, and maternal grandparents, Francis and Laura Pierzynski, of Camden.
Slate Hearing in Two Deaths on RR Trestle
Camden Courier-Post —
Reprinted from Wednesday’s Late Edition
The engineer of a PRSL train that hit and killed two children on a trestle at Louis and Mechanic sts. last Thursday was released Wednesday in his own recognizance by Municipal Judge Marino pending further hearing next Wednesday.
John C. Gillan, 66, of 241 Rhoads ave., Haddonfield, the engineer, appeared in court, but Marino announced that through a clerical error the family of the children and the Camden police accident division had not been notified of the hearing.
The children were John Wawrzyniak Jr., 14, and his sister, Karen, 9, of 1121 Orchard st.
Judge Holds Engineer in Child Deaths
Camden Courier-Post —
City Court Scene — Reprinted from Wednesday’s Late Edition
Municipal Judge Marino Wednesday held a PRSL engineer and a motorist for grand jury action on a manslaughter charge. Both pleaded not guilty and were released in their own recognizance.
The engineer, John C. Gillon, 66, of Rhoads ave., Haddonfield, was operating a train Dec. 5 which killed John Wawrzyniak, 14, and his sister, Karen, 9, on a trestle at Mechanic and Louis sts.
The motorist, Samuel Trazzera, 39, of Mountain st., Philadelphia, was identified as the driver of a car which killed Mrs. Mary J. Grey, 76, of 842 Pearl st., Dec. 8 as she was walking at 10th and Penn sts.