The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-03
AN HEROIC sWITcHmAN.
He Meets His Death in Futile Effort
to Save a Woman's Life.

From the New York World, April 2s.
AS the New York express train from
Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania rail-
road, which left the latter city at O'Clock
Yesterday afternoon, was entering Jersey
City at 500, the gates at the Newark ay-
Il enue crossing were descending as neat
" dressed woman was approaching from
1 the side nearest TO Henderson street The
gate tenders always begin to drop the
gates while there is ample time for ped
estrians to cross, and the gate was stopped
to allow the woman to pass, She reach
ed the upper side of the crossing, that
towards Grove street, before the gate was
down, and there she stopped. The gate
man at the crank on the upper side hal
looed to her TO hurry up, but she paid
no attention to the warning. and rupt-
| ly turned on her heels and started 70 re-
4 cross the rails. On nearing the lower side,
although the train was at Barrow street b
two blocks away, the careful gate tender
on that side shouted to her to hurry up,
as the train was rapidly approaching, but
she turned to the right, and seeing the
| train coming dashed to the fence just
above the flagman's hut at the east side of
the crossing She clutched two palings
of the fence, one with each hand, and
lust as she did this Lawrence O'Brien,
watehman, went to her aid, although the
train was not seventy-1ve yards away.
The distance between the train and the
fence was too narrow for there to be the
slightest hope of the woman saving her
life as she would have been carried in by
the suction of the train and crushed to
death under the wheels. This was mani
fest to O,Brien, but he concluded to sacri
flee his own life to save that of the WON
On. He limped to the fence, for he had
lost the use of one leg in the service of the
company, and catching hold of the woman
tried to toss her over the fence to the
street of railroad avenue, where she
would be away from danger
but she had become excited by the
approach of the train, and being stout
powerful woman, made n vigorous, but
fatal resistance, despite O'Brien's words
of warning. She fought him stubbornly,
and when he found it was too late to hurl
her over the fence, he warned her to cling
to it with all her strength. just as he
was preparing to hold her with one hand
and seize the fence with the other she |
tainted or fell backwards on the track. |
O'Rrien reached out to save her from fall |
ing. His right arm caught her body as
it reached the rail but just then the ira
Numbered along and he Was struck by the
pilot and hurled over the fence into the |
street. The woman fell on the track. |
Her head was hit by the engine and turn |
ed so that the entire train passed over
her body lengthwise, completely cutting |
the body in two. The horribly mangled |
body was gathered up and conveyed tothe |
morgue OBrien was little less fortunate.
He was not killed outright and was car
ried to Weeks drug store at the corner of
Newark avenue and Henderson street, but
died before medical aid could be sum-
mOned. O'Brien was a married man and
lived at No. 205 railroad avenue He
has been employed by the railroad COM
pany for several years. O'Brien lost the
use of his right leg two years ago while
to save the life of a little
girl who attempted to cross the track at
street. The body of the wo
man was recognized by her clothing and
q letter found On her addressed to Mrs.
Patrick Anthony, No. liz East Forty
ninth street, and written by Miss May
3edell of No. 258 Warren street. Jersey
Jity. Miss Bedell said that the dead
woman was the wife of James Anthony,
a liquor dealer in New York, but owing
to some family trouble there was a separ-
alton and she lived in room. at 1860
seventh street,,Jersey City.