COLBERT COUNTY, ALABAMA
NEWS ARTICLES

TRAIN WRECK NEAR TUSCUMBIA
1 FEB 1931

The Florence Times
Monday Afternoon, February 2, 1931, page 1

FOUR KILLED WHEN CAR HITS TRAIN SUNDAY
Auto Runs Into Side of Passenger As Nears Tuscumbia
          The collision of an auto and train snuffed the lives of four persons about 1:15 Sunday afternoon when a car in which the four were riding ran into the side of Southern passenger train No. 35 at Hopwood crossing, two miles east of Tuscumbia.
          The victims were: Lawrence Powell, aged about 28, of Muscle Shoals City; James Hyatt, aged about 37, World War veteran of Guntersville; his wife, Mrs. Etta G. Hyatt, aged about 26, and Henry Grubb, aged about 55 of Guntersville route one, believed the father of Mrs. Hyatt.
          Few details concerning the accident were available today. The train was on its way to Sheffield when the car, believed to have been driven by Hyatt toward Tuscumbia, hurtled into its side, striking the front of the baggage car. The car was dragged down the track for approximately 100 feet, being completely demolished.
          When help reached the scene the three men were dead, and Mrs. Hyatt barely alive. Ambulances were summoned from Brown’s and the four rushed to Tuscumbia. Mrs. Hyatt died enroute to the hospital. The bodies were taken to Brown’s Funeral Home and relatives of the four were notified.
          Funeral services will be held for Powell Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock at Glendale church. Interment will be made in Glendale cemetery with Brown’s directing. He is survived by his widow and two small children. Powell was an auto mechanic with a shop at his home in Muscle Shoals City.
          Information from Guntersville this morning indicated that Mr. and Mrs. Hyatt and Mr. Grubb left their home over a week ago, traveling in a car belonging to Hyatt. In their possession was found the address of Powell, and it is believed that they visited him there yesterday, and that the four were on their way to Tuscumbia. In the rear of the car was found three suitcases, filled with clothing, and a small portable talking machine.
          Hyatt was a disabled veteran of the war, and was unable to work, according to documents from the Veterans Bureau, found in his possession after the accident. He possessed papers indicating that he was honorable discharged from the service and that he had been a member of Company K, 16th Infantry. He was wounded by shrapnel and also gassed on the Champagne front on July 14, 1918.
          Relatives of Mr. and Mrs. Hyatt and Mr. Grubb were expected to arrive in Tuscumbia this afternoon to make arrangements for the funerals of the three.