The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-25
fRiGHrfUL FATALITY.
Oryille Wilcox Crushed by nm Engine
on the c., X. & p. ROad...A
Shocking Casualty.
CRUSHED TO DEATH ,

compaDyis yards met with most terrible
death, and apparently through careless.
ness on his own part Just how he was
killed Is not known, nor Is it probable
that it ever will he. The particulars of
the case.--which was frightful in the ex.
treme--as nearly as can be ascertained.
are these Freight locomotive No. 90 on
the c., r. l. & p. had just come in from
the west and had pulled up past the depot
to point nearly opposite the center sta
ton of the Moline & Rock Island horse
car line, where Wilcox followed to throw
the switch so the engine might
back up on another track and
go to the round house. Wilcox
opened the switch and signaled for
the engineer to reverse his engine. This
was the last that was seen of Wilcox
alive. The engine backed down to the
c.. R. |, & P. depot. when it was discov
cred that Wilcox was being dragged along
under the engine. The engine was
stopped Immediately, and the unfortn>
nate young mans head was found to be a
| MUTILATED MASS
of flesh and bone, an object that could
scarcely be recognized as having been the
head OF human being five minutes be-
| fore.
How Wilcox got into such position
as to be dragged such distance is not
known. Engineer Smith and Fireman
Means say that the last they saw of him
was when he gave the signal TO back up.
and they can conceive of no way in which
he could have got into the position be-
meath the engine. Dr. Plummer, who
was upon the ground moment after the
occurrence of the frightful casualty,
traced the blood on the snow back to
within few yards OF where the engine
started to back up, and then footsteps
were visible the rest of the way From
appearances Wilcox must have been
DRAGGED NEARLY ONE THOUSAND FEET
by the engine. The theory is that he at
tempted to step on the brake beam of the
tender, and slipped and fell upon the
track and was dragged along the ground
while his head was literally ground
to pieces His body received little or nj
injury. 1t was strange accident and
from all that can be learned, death was
caused by carelessness on The part of The
young man, and no blame III be attached
to the employees of the road
Coroner Halves, having summoned
| jury composed of G. B. Knox, foreman
John Brennan, J. E. Swan. L. V. Eck
hart, p. J. Cary and 3. r. Wright, hel
INQUEST,
and from the testimony there produced
may be formed better idea of the partic
ulars of the fatal casualty,
Frank Murphy. janitor at the depot
testified that he was standing on the porcl
OF Mrs. Johnston's boarding house Tn,
operator in the train dispatcher's Office
adjoining called his attention to the fac
that man had been killed on the c., r
|. & P. track, Went out and saw vii.
cox lying on the track with his head Gu
open. Assisted in carrying remains tt
baggage room just before witnes
heard of the accident he saw engine No
80 go west and think it was that engin
that killed him. The body lay on tn
rail of the west bound track, with heat
toward south.
J. W. Crandall, baggagemaster on tn,
c. r. !. 81 P, had been out to attend to
the baggage on train No. ~ Saw No o.
backing down the track and Just as i
passed the switch saw black bundle OF
the track, which | was told was deat
body. and received orders to convey i
the baggage room.
James Smith, engineer No. 90, c., r
| & P, testified that he came in from TIN
west on Second 49," pulled into th
yard and stopped about ten Car length
east of depot. After the outward trail
pulled out of our way the switch engin
was making up a train and thi
young fellow-Mr. Wilcox-went u
, ahead and threw open the switch ahead
| pulled up over the switch so he coulC
turn the switch, then he gave me sigma
to back up and / reversed the engine ant
backed down; did not see any more o
him after that; the yard men often ste
on the brake beam of the engine and rid,
down to the yard.
Frank Means, fireman of engine No 90
c.. r. l, & P. road, said the first he say
of Wilcox was when he crossed the ives
bound main track to throw the switch
We run out on the main track going east
and then he closed the switch and CAV
the signal to back; the engine backed III
and that was the last / saw of Mr.. Viii
cox.
Dr. S. c. Plu miner, surgeon of the G.
r. |, g. P road. testified as to being o
his way to visit patient in Sinnet's ad
dition, and as l came in front of Wag
ners brewery, saw several men standin
on the railroad track, and at that momen
Mr.. Raines called me and ! then pc,
ceived that there was q man on the track
Upon investigation | found it to be youn
Wilcox. He was
TERRIBLY MANaLED,
his head was crushed and brains wer
lying on the track and rails. between tn
; rail of the west bound track. and | cay
from marks between the rails on tn
snow. where he had been dragged. Til
snow was bloody for quite a distanc
along the track. and instructed the me
!. to remove the body into the baggag
room. l afterward went over the trac
to the switch nearly opposite the cente
station of the street car line. and the in
dications were that he had been dragge
from that point for forty.eight yards, an
there was no blood after that. The sno'
was bloody down as far as where the bod
was lying. The entire distance was frol
$50 to $40 feet.
The testimony of less imDortant VIII