Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-02-06
From SATURDAYS Daily.
DEATH.
John Doran Ran Over by Two o,
Three Railroad Trains and
Horribly Mutilated.

With all the terrible. accidents oc-
curing within the last few years on
Samantha street, causing loss of life,
it does seem strange that people
should SO persistently run the risk of
their lives by travelling that street, es-
pecially at night, when SO many trains
are constantly passing. 1t is no diff
cult matter for person with even an
ordinary memory to count many acct
dents on that street, at the expense of
life and limb within a half dozen
years, and the end seems to be not
yet.
John Doran, the man killed last
night, as his name indicates, was an
Irishman, who has lived in the city
for several years, we believe, and was
between SO and 60 years of age.
Since the commencement of the pres
ent term of court he has been on two
or three Juries and yesterday evening
took his supper as usual at Mr.. Quinn
lan's boarding house on the corner of
Samantha and Green streets. At the
boarding house was also an old gen.
tleman of the same nationality who,
after supper expressed a desire to go
to Prairie City, but said he did not
know the way 10 the depot. Doran
remarked that he had nothing to do
and would as soon walk with him to
the depot as not and show him the
way as the man was!a stranger in the
city. They left the house together,
and we're gel together later at a sa-
loon near the depot, from which time
until the finding of the mangled re-
mains nothing is known of him that
our reporter could discover. The sa-
loon keeper and other parties remem-
bered seeing him in the saloon but
did not notice what time in the eve
ming he left.
There arc many theories in regard
to the matter, and some difference Of
opinion as to which train killed him,
and which matter still remains q v
terry.
A freight train from the West ON
the Valley road comes down at 10 80,
which is closely followed by the Ex-
press train and that in few moments
by the Central Express train, and it is
very evident that he was ran over by
one of these trains or all three of
them.
The train going west left the depot
on time at about II o'clock, r. NJ, and
Tim White, mail carrier, rode up on
the train as far as the foot of Court
street, left his mail and on returning
to the depot walked down the track.
A short distance below Green street
he found the old mans cane, a few
steps further his hat, and just below
Bakers ware house he came upon the
mutilated remains of Doran resemb-
ling a bundle of rags more than tho
body of a human being. The wheels
had caught his head on the rail and
mashed it so that all semblance was
lost, both legs were cut off near the
feet, the entrails torn out and the
blood and brains scattered along the
track for several feet. The Central
going west had already started, and
seeing it approaching the Mortified
man ran across to where a Waterman
was standing with q lantern and COM
menced signaling the train to stop.
The train did not come to a halt how
ever, until after the engine and ten
der had again passed over the re.
mains.
There seems to be no mean at pres.
emit Of finding out exactly what train
did the killing, or how the old man
came to be on the track. A coroner's
inquest was being held this afternoon
which before it concludes its invest.
cations may throw some light on tht
subject.
LATER-The coroner's jury aftel
taking considerable evidence adjourn
ed until Monday, Feb. 4th.
The body of Doran was buried a
the Catholic cemetery this afternoon
q Nina