The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-04-13
CUT TO PIECES.
A Dessrter from Fort Douglas
Meets a Terrible Fate.
Instantly Killed by a Railroad
Train.

| On Tuesday afternoon one of thos
occurrences, which, while fortu
nately infrequent here, are so com
mon in railroad experience, tool
place on the Utah Central. A shor
time after o'clock word was tele
graphed to the railroad office in this
city, that two tramps had been run
over by the regular nOrth-bOunC
Utah Central passenger near Woods
Cross. a few minutes later a spe,
cial train, with Supt. John SHARP
and Drs. Richards had started
for the scene, and at CPS returned
with the victims of the accident.
One was lifelesS, death having en-.
sued instantaneously. The other
was laid out, unable to move, and
said he had been struck in the back
The details, as far as can be learned
are as follows: John G.. Quinn, OF
Philadelphia, and Frank Owen, OF
Wilkesburg, Pa, with another per-
son, were soldiers at Fort Douglas
and on Monday they deserted. Yes
terday morning all boarded the
train going north, but were
put off, just after the train
got started. They then began
to tramp northWard. their destina-
ton, it is said, being Helena. What
become of the third party, is I'M
known, but he is supposed to have
continued his journey, leaving
Quinn and Owen behind. These two
were drunk in the morning, and
doubtless kept drinking and getting
worse as they progressed nOTthward.
Just before arriving at Woods Cross,
they sat down on the track. Owen
probably fell asleep for he lay right
across, or nearly across it. when the
train came in sight. Quinn was
sitting ON the track. Quinn, though
began trying TO pull Owen
off, and as the engineer saw this, he
shut off steam, and began ringing
the bell, thinking, as had often been
the case before, they would get off.
But Owen did not arouse and Quinn
was too drunk to pull him off, and it
was not until too late to save them
that the engineer saw they could
not escape. So the engine passed
over Owen. The exact position of
the body at the time can not be told,
but it must have been in just such
a position as would cut and
bruise him most. The back of
his head was crushed in; his
neck was broken; both shoulders
and elbows were dislOcated, and the
bones stuck out; the right leg was
the left leg, near the
knee, was literally cut clean off, as
though it had been haggled with
iull knife, and but for a small piece
If skin on one side, would have
Jeen completely severed; he had a
leep cash in the left side of his
Jody, near the hip bone, and in fact,
le was crushed, bruised and broken
n almost every conceivable way,
md in every possible place. Death
must have resulted instantaneOusly; |
lie could have suffered no pain, and !
indeed never knew what struck |
lin. Quinn said he had been struck |
n the back, and was unable to |
move, and groaned frightfully every |
ime he was lifted. The sexton was |
resent a few minutes after the |
rain arrived, and took the body of |
)wen to his Office, whence it will be
Inferred.
Quinn, who had nearly recovered |
rom his drunk by the time this city |
vas reached, had not been ex-
was placed carefully in a
Jack, and directed to be sent to st.
Iark's Hospital, but it being learned
N the arrival of the train that he
vas deserter, he was sent straight |
o Fort Douglas in care of Officer
Nm. Calder. The post surgeon
sked him where he was hurt, and |
le complained that his back was
,roken. They then commenced |
o strip him, when he screamed
With pain. Having taken off
nOugh clothing to admit of |
II examination, the post surgeon
OOked over him and found that he
vas totally unhurt. He will be held |
o answer for desertion. Quinn said
le intended to report his back |
in the hope he would thus
scape punishment.
The affair was the occasion of |
much talk all over the city last |
AS definite details of the |
flair as can, will doubtless be ascer-
aimed to-day.