Julia Madsen

Mrs. C. M. Madsen Dies in Auto Wreck

Injuries Received When Auto Crashes Into Bridge Are Fatal to Step-Mother of Chris Madsen of Lusk; Funeral Here Sunday

Mrs. C. M. Madsen, 67 years old, step-mother of Chris Madsen of Lusk, and wife of C. M. Madsen, passed away at the Lusk Hospital early last Thursday morning, as the result of hemorrhage of the brain, resulting from a concussion, sustained when the automobile in which she was riding with her husband struck a bad bridge a few miles north of Jay Em, throwing her through the door of the car to a dry ravine several feet below.

It was not thought at first that Mrs. Madsen was seriously hurt. She made the trip to town after the accident without apparent pain. After being taken to the Lusk Hospital, however, she suffered a hemorrhage of the brain, and passed away at 2:53 o'clock Thursday morning.

Mr. and Mrs. Madsen were moving from Kimball, Neb. to Lusk, where they intended to make their future home, and were making the trip in their Chevrolet Coach. When they came to a stretch of rough road, a few hundred yards north of where Rawhide Creek crosses the road, the lights of an approaching car coming south blinded Mr. Madsen, who was driving, and he did not see the bridge. The two right hand wheels of the car missed the bridge, and Mrs. Madsen, who was in the front seat with her husband, was thrown through the door by the impact and alighted at the bottom of the ravine. Her head apparently struck a slab of concrete at the bottom of the gulch.

The car was not badly damaged. The occupants of the car going south stopped and helped Mrs. Madsen from the gulch, and she was placed in a car driven by Tom McCullough of Lance Creek, who brought her to the hospital at Lusk. Her wounds were dressed by Dr. Dovney, and she was apparently resting comfortably.

Shortly after midnight her condition became serious, and, although everything possible was done for her, she passed away.

The stretch of road where the accident occurred is a particularly bad one. The bridge, which is considerably narrower than the road, and has no railing, spans an old irrigating ditch, which was formerly used to carry water from Rawhide Creek to the old Harris Reservoir, the dam which washed away several years ago, and has not been in use since that time.

Chris Madsen of Lusk was following several miles behind his parents with a truck load of furniture and household goods, which he was bringing to Casper for his parents, and had not heard of the accident until he came upon the car hanging over the side of the bridge. With the help of passing motorists he pulled the car out and had it taken to Lusk.

Funeral services for Mrs. Madsen were held in Lusk Sunday afternoon from the Baptist Church with the Rev. Farrar officiating. Burial was made in the Lusk Cemetery, the Peet Mortuary being in charge of arrangements. The pallbearers were Menno Kaan, Nick Kaan, Ed Jones, Roy Quigley, Jalmer Thon and J. W. Higgins.

Obituary

Julia Natvig was born May 5, 1862 at Sorn Lerdall, Norway. She died at the Lusk hospital, Lusk Wyoming, on Thursday, October 10, 1929, at the age of 67 years, 5 months and 5 days. Death was due to injuries received in an automobile accident the previous evening.

At the age of 20 years, she came to the United States, making her home at Kimball, Nebraska.

In 1902 she was united in marriage to Chris Jensen. This union lasted until April 1918, at which time Mr. Jensen was called by death.

Her marriage to Mr. C. M. Madsen occurred in 1927, the ceremony being performed in Lusk, Wyoming, Shortly after this the couple moved to near Kimball, Nebraska, where they engaged in farming and ranching, until this summer, when they decided to lease their place and remove to Lusk to make their home. It was while they were driving from Kimball to Lusk that the accident occurred, Mrs. Madsen being thrown from the car as it hit a bridge. She was brought to the hospital in Lusk, where she passed away early the following morning.

Besides her husband, the deceased leaves to mourn her passing one brother, Hans Natvig, living in Minnesota, another brother and one sister in Norway. Two nephews in Kimball, Neb. also survive. She was a member of the Lutheran Church.

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