The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-08-30
FRIGHTFUL FATALITY.
A Young Man Cut to Pieces on the e.,
b. Q. Track--The Ceroner's
Inquest.

)
man BY the name of c. ". Rohland,
aged twenty-five, and whose home it is
supposed was at Bloomington, while I'M
der the influence of intoxicants, wan
dered into the yards of the Rock Island
Lumber & Manufacturing company, and
lying down on the c., B. & @ track,
went to sleep. Shortly after, switch
engine came along, severing both of the
unfortunate fellows limbs at the knees,
and fatally injuring him. The engineer,
J. W. Mason, Immediately reversed his
engine and word was telephoned to the
police station. The patrol wagon was
sent up and the body taken the armory,
where Drs Plummer and Craig attended
the sufferer, wto died from his injuries
few minutes after midnight.
Yesterday afternoon Coroner Halves
summoned jury composed OF Robert
Bennett, forenoon; S. ]. Hull, s. r.
Wright, Henry Lamp, James Hardin and
J. II. Cleland, and held
AN INQUEST.
The first witness examined was Chas
D. Heiufeldt. He testified that he was
a resident of Rock Island aud twenty
eight years of age; switch tender at the
c., R. I. & p road. Saw deceased at
twenty minutes before Saturday
night in the c.. r. l. & P. yard, coming
down from the depot. Saw him fall
against a freight train, and took him
and started him for the avenue. He
was intoxicated. Saw him again near
the c., B. & Q. crossing after the acct
dent
]. T. Mason. resident of Rock ISL
and; aged twenty eight years; engineer of
locomotive 351 of the c.. B. & @. road,
testified to running down from Moline at
els Saturday night. Stopped at the c.,
R. |. & P. crossing and at signal backed
up about two hundred feet from the cross
lug. A man on the end of the tank gave
an alarm aud be stopped the locomotive
and saw the body on the track. Freight
cars standing on a side track prevented
witness from seeing ahead as well as he
could otherwise Examining the body
both legs were found to be cut off and
one arm seemed to be in the same condi-
ton. Witness went to the mill office
and telephoned the police station for
help, but got no answer. Then ran his
engine to the c.. B. & Q. depot. Ia the
meantime help had gone up. The bell
was ringing at the time, and the engine
was running at the rate of about five
miles am hour The fireman and two
switchmen were on the engine at the
time.
John E. AlbTecht, resident of Rock
Island, aged twenty-six years, aud switch
man for the c., B. & Q. road, testified to
being on engine PSI when the accident
happened. The engine was backing down
from Moline. He was sitting on the back
of tank, when he saw man on the track
twenty-five or thirty feet ahead. Gave
an alarm to the engineer, but the engine
had passed over before the engine could
be stopped Witness tried in vain to get
word to the police station and got con-
nection from center office, but could gel
no answer at the station. Witness then
came down with the engine to the c., B
s @. depot. leaving Night Watchman
McCabe aud J. W Williamson with the
body.
John D. Williamson, aged twenty six
years, resident of Rock Island and
switchman for the G., B. & Q. road, gave
evidence in confederation of the above
Drs. S. C. Plummer and G. G. Craig
testified to being summoned to St. Luke S
hospital, and performing the amputation
of both the young mans limbs above the
knees. and stitching up scalp wound.
He never rallied from the nervous shock,
and died at about 1890 Sunday morning
THE VERDICT
of the jury was that &c. W. Rohland
came to his death by being run over by
engine 35i of the C B. & @. railroad
company, while lying across the track OF
said railroad company in state of intox
| ication; and we further agree that thu
said employees used due diligence to pre-
vent said accident"
4 WHO HE WAS.
The victim of this fearful casualty wa
a young man of fine appearance aud goot
address. who had been in the city few
days in the interest of the New Home
sewing machine. His wife from Bloom
lngton will be here tonight, as will hi
father, who resides at LIE Roy, Ill. Tit
body, which was buried at the county
expense by Undertaken Knox, will be dis