Obit: Haas, Fred (1885 - 1942)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Haas, Karsten, Wiersig, Hohman, Fechtner, Cook, Pharl, Hoffmann

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 04/09/1942

Haas, Fred (21 Mar. 1885 - 2 Apr. 1942)

Fred Haas, a transient, age about 50, was instantly killed at about 2:00 P.M. last Thursday on Highway 13 about two miles south of Colby, Wisconsin when he was struck by a car driven by Alfred Karsten of Abbotsford, Wis. Marathon county traffic officers said that Haas had no permanent address and had wandered about the country for years. It is presumed, however, that he was on his way to Dorchester to visit relatives.

At the time of the accident, Haas was walking north toward Colby on the left side of the road when he was overtaken by a team and wagon driven by Arthur Wiersig of Colby, Wis. Haas asked Wiersig for a lift, and, when the latter assented, ran across the road to climb abroad. In doing so, he stepped directly into the path of a car driven by Alfred Karsten of Abbotsford who was going south. The impact carried Haas about 20 feet and he died instantly.

Haas suffered a severe skull fracture and a badly fractured right leg before Karsten brought his car to a stop which was within 20 feet after he struck Haas. Karsten was on his way to Marshfield with his wife and said he was traveling between 40 and 45 miles per hour at the time of the accident.

The accident took place in Clark county, only a few steps west of the Marathon county line. E. E. Hohman, Marathon county district attorney, Dr. H. H. Fechtner, Marathon county coroner, George S. Cook, state motor vehicle department inspector and Lloyd Pharl, Marathon county traffic officer, investigated into the accident.

Dr. H. H. Fechtner said that marks indicated that Haas was about three and one-half feet into the pavement when he was struck by the right front fender of the southbound car. He also said that no inquest would be held since the victim’s death was due to his own negligence and the accident was unavoidable on the part of Karsten, the driver.

Wiersig said that Haas had apparently failed to notice the approaching car when he started across the highway.

Funeral services were held at the Lulloff Funeral Home in Colby Monday afternoon, Rev. O. Hoffmann officiating, and internment was made in the Colby cemetery.