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Detroit Free Press
Monday, 28 December, 1903

         [Victim of Dec. 26, 1903 Pere Marquette head-on train wreck]
         
         Portland, Mich., December 27 (Special) - Among the victims
       of the awful railroad wreck near Grand Rapids last night was
       WILLIAM SMITH, a prominent young farmer of Portland. He was
       returning from a visit with his wife and son, who were spend-
       ing the holidays with MRS. SMITH'S mother at Grand Rapids,
       and deceased had spent Christmas with them. As soon as MRS.
       SMITH'S brothers, BENJAMIN and GEORGE, received word from a
       friend in Grand Rapids that an unidentified victim of the
       smashup resembled their brother, they drove fifty miles in
       the awful storm which prevailed at that time, and with the
       thermometer below zero, and found that the dead man was
       their brother. He was then at the morgue with the other vic-
       tims. From those present who escaped they learned that he
       did not die instantly, but death soon ensued from a deep
       cut in the throat which severed the jugular vein, and he bled
       to death. Deceased was a son of the late LABAN A. SMITH, who
       was one of the wealthiest and most prominent farmers of Ionia
       county. The brothers will bring the remains to Portland as
       soon as the inquest is held.
       
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The Grand Rapids Press
Monday, 28 December, 1903

         WILLIAM G. SMITH of Portland, among the killed, had been
       visiting in Grand Rapids at the home of MRS. HURD at 215
       South East street. His wife and child, who were with him
       here, went to the train Saturday night to bid him good-by
       before he returned to Portland, and they never saw him again
       alive. When news of the wreck reached Portland, SMITH'S two
       brothers, becoming anxious about their brother, started to
       come to Grand Rapids, but there being no trains out that
       night they drover overland to the scene of the wreck ar-
       riving in the morning after their brother's body had been
       brought to Grand Rapids. They did not learn of his death
       until they reached here yesterday at noon. SMITH'S body
       was taken to Portland today and it will be buried there.
       He was one of several sons of the late LABAN A. SMITH, who
       at the time of his death had a statewide acquaintance and
       was the richest farmer in Portland township. The elder
       SMITH was one of the early settlers of the region. MRS.
       WILLIAM SMITH has two sisters in this city, the Misses
       HURD, who are teachers in the local schools.
       
       
       
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