Today we share of yet another Kegel Bros accident, this one shared in the Sept 8, 1923 Freeport Journal-Standard!
WOMAN INJURED, PERHAPS FATALLY, ON GRANT ROAD
Mrs. Joseph Kegel in Critical Condition as Result of Accident
AUTOMOBILE AND MOTORCYCLE COLLIDE
Six Other Person in Crash Fortunately Escape With Slight Injuries
One person was seriously and perhaps fatally hurt while several other were slightly bruised and shocked when an automobile and a motorcycle collided on the Grant Highway about two and one-half miles east of Freeport shortly after 7 o'clock last evening. The most seriously injured is Mrs. Margaret Kegel, wife of Joseph Kegel. Her injuries consist of a fracture of the left hip, a broke left arm, bruises about the head, face and body and perhaps internal injuries. Mrs. Kegel's condition is such that it is regarded as critical by the attending physicians. The injured woman was taken to St. Francis hospital following the accident, and it is feared she may not survive. Her husband was slightly bruised about the right leg.
Others Slightly Hurt
Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Fye, 540 W. Moseley street, who were riding in the automobile, which collided with the Kegel motorcycle, were not injured but suffered from shock while Mr. and Mrs. James Mullens and Mrs. H. Closson, 540 W. Moseley street also suffered from shock. The accident occurred while Mr. and Mrs. Kegel were returning from Rockford where they had been to make preparations for moving to that city. They were traveling toward Freeport and as they reached a point near the old Yellow Creek brewery a team of horses and wagon, driven by James Stebbins, approached from the west. The automobile drive by Mr. Fye was also leaving Freeport and traveling east and it appears that the wagon having no lights, could not be seen by Mr. Fye until he had approached closely to the wagon. He then turned to the left to pass it, being unaware that Mr. and Mrs. Kegel were approaching from the opposite direction on the motorcycle. As he had just about cleared the wagon Mr. Fye noticed the motorcycle and attempted to turn to the side of the road but his machine struck the sidecar of the motorcycle causing the accident. Mrs. Kegel was thrown against the side of the automobile and then back onto the pavement the injuries resulting.
After the car struck the side of the motorcycle the machine skidded over a culvert bridge at that point and down into a ditch turning a complete somersault but finally landing right side up and it was undoubtedly due to that fact that the occupants of the car were not badly hurt. That Mrs. Kegel was not more seriously cut by the broken glass was due to the fact that she was wrapped in a heavy blanket as she rode in the sidecar of her husband's motorcycle.
Machine Wrecked
The sidecar of the machine was broken and bent from the crash, the windshield of the motorcycle sidecar was smashed and the machine was almost completely wrecked. Despite the fact that the auto turned a complete somersault it was not badly damaged. Immediately following the accident there was a general call for physicians and a number of physicians hurried to the scene. Scores of motorists also rushed to the scene of the accident it requiring the services of several deputy sheriffs and policemen to handle the traffic there.
Mrs. Kegel was Miss Margaret Wagner before her marriage. She is a sister of A.J. and Clark Wagner and Mrs. Leonard Spengler of Freeport.
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