, 1888-10-23
KILLED In A CUT.
Fatal Accident on the Union Pacific
Yesterday.
John Mccain Meets Death in an
Unusual Way.
Men Pushing a Hand Car Run Down
by a Train.

"NASF AOui IN "C6O vi bhIo S1I1g hNC
carpenters who were pushing a hand car
were run down by an eastbound freight
train yesterday morning. Their attempt
to save the car cost Thomas McCann, a
married man about so years of age, his
life. He was the last to leave his charge.
which was thrown violently upon his body
after being struck by the locomotive. His
spine was fractured and he was injured
internally. He lived about an hour and a
halt. The remains are at the Warren
undertaking rooms. held to await advice
as to their disposition from his family at
Council Bluffs. An inquest was held at
the city hall Yesterday afternoon. The
testimony of the witnesses as given below
tells the story of the tragedy.
The coroner's jury included A. S.
Emery, foreman; w. l.. Welchans, clerk;
l.. B. Spoor, A. Ringolsky, VIM. Schil-
ling and G. B. Richardson.
Engineer John Hickey of Laramie was
the first witness. He was aboard the
locomotive striking the hand car which
ended poor McCann's career. When he
caught sight of the party of which de-
ceased was a member they were about 100
feet apart. The train was rounding a
curve at a speed not exceeding fifteen
miles per hour, and probably only about
twelve miles. The laborers we're hurried
~ endeavoring to remove the hand car
from the track, having heard the train
approaching. Hickey sounded the whis-
tie and the crash followed in an instant.
The hand car was sent flying to the left of
the track. The train was stopped so soon
as possible and witness returned 10 where
the injured man lay. The latter was
placed in the caboose and died en- route
to this city. Had Mccain been less
solicitous for the car he could easily have
escaped injury and death.
Chas. King of Laramie was in charge
of the second locomotive, and saw very
little of the accident. So soon as Hickey
sounded his whistle witness applied the
air brake and called down brakes to the
train men. King could not leave his
engine. He thought the speed was
about twelve miles Fer hour.
Fireman Frank Myerly, Laramie, was
on Hickey's engine. He saw the hand
car crush deceased to earth and later
learned of the fatal injury sustained by
Mccain. In other particulars Myerly
corroborated the testimony of the first
witness. He remained with his engine.
Z. h. Bond of Cheyenne was conductor
Of the death dealing train. He saw moth.
ing of the accident, but ran to the pros
trate man when the train halted. Bond
assisted in removing the victim of the
accident to his caboose, where everything
possible to relieve his sufferings was done.
The lady with whom deceased boarded at
Granite Canyon lent her aid, remaining
until the man passed away. He was in
terrible agony until a few minutes before
dissolution and complained OF racking
pains through the abdomen. Mccain
was rational and conversed readily. He
realized that his doom was sealed and said
SO, but. remarkable to say, did not men
ton his family. He asked to be moved
quite frequently, seemingly unable to rest
In any position. He passed away easily.
John Donnelly was head brakeman of
Bonds crew. Being on the front engine,
like MyerlY, he saw the car strike deceased
and supposed that the blow would be
fatal. He returned to the rear with
Hickey.
In broken English Jens Sorensen, a
Swedish companion of McCann's, gave
quite a graphic account of the accident.
The party started from Granite canon
at I o'clock. They anticipated meeting a
train and proceeded cautiously. Despite
their care the train was almost upon them
before they were aware of its proximity.
He and a companion lifted one end of the
car from the track. Mccain and an aged
mate lacked the strength to do the same.
The dead man might have escaped with
the witness, who scaled the bank, had he
not apparently lost his presence of mind.
The weighty and unusual missile landed
on Mccain with terrific force. Witness
was lightly struck on the back with a bit
of flying debris. He ran to Mccain and
raised the load from his bruised form.
With death creeping over him the
wounded man first thought of his family.
Sorenson remained with his friend until
the %latter's death. In answer to the d.
rect question as to who was to blame for
the accident the witness said hat he did
not know. Neither was he conversant
with hand car tagging rules. His lack of
knowledge on this subject rendered him
incompetent as a witness in the matter of
ascribing the cause of the accident.
w Wy D.:l -