Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-26
CRUSHED TO DEATH.
HAPPY HOUSEHOLD TRANSFORMED
INTO ONE OF SORROW.
Charles Douglass Brown the Victim
of an Unfortunate and
Fatal Accident.

While Christmas brought happiness and
cheer to many homes all over the land, it
also brought sorrow and anguish to others.
a sad instance of the latter character &C.
CURED in this city. Charles Douglass
Brown, an employe of the Southern Pacific
Company, who had charge of that portion
of the railroad yards in the vicinity of
Sixth and E streets, met with frightful
death while IN the discharge of his duties
and the news thereof brought agony into a
household that up to that hour had been
bright and happy with anticipation of a
merry Christmas gathering when the hus-
band and father should return from his
days labor to the bosom of his family.
1t appears that deceased had just removed
switch at Sixth and E streets, at about
half past 10 o'clock A NJ, for locomotive
to pass upon certain track, when from an
opposite direction a box-car was backed
down suddenly upon him.
One report was TO the effect that he saw
the car in time to get out OF the way, but
that one of his feet was caught in frog,
which held him fast, while the car ran him
down. Another story is that the car came
so suddenly upon him that he did not see
1t in time to escape.
However that may be, the unfortunate
man was knocked down by the box-car,
which ran over his body as also did the
locomotive. mangling it in shocking
manner. Nobody seems to know precisely
how be came to be struck by the car, but
some Of the yardmen nearest TO him saw
him disappear under the wheels just as it
namn TDOu him
The remains were strewn along the
track for some distance, but were gathered
together and taken the Cor n RS Office
Deceased would have been through with
his mornings work five minutes later and
on his way to his happy little home at 1417
Fourth street, where his young wife and
babe awaited him. He is said to have
been one of the most expert switchmen in
the company's employ, branch of work
in which he had had long experience.
He was married only between two ard
three years ago, his wife being at the time
q resident OF Nevada county. He was held
in the highest esteem by his fellow-work-
men, and especially by those under his
supervision, who speak of him as a man of
unusually kind and gentle manners and
pleasant toward everybody.
Those familiar with his home life say
that deceased was fairly adored by his wife
and child, to whom he was devoted. His
shocking and sudden death cast a deep
sorrow over the neighborhood in which he
resided and among all his acquaintance.
Coroner Clark will hold an inquest on
his remains to-day. 1t is said that no
blame is attached to any person for the
lamentable occurrence, it having been
one of those unfortunate cases the result
whereof could not have been foreseen.
Deceased was native of Cincinnati, Ohio,
and in his thirtieth year.
WHAT AN EYEWITNESS SAYS.
Since the above was put in type REC.
oRD-UNIoE reporter succeeded in finding
brakeman who saw the accident and was
able to explain just how it occurred. He
stated that he WAS on the top of box-car
near the spot, which gave him q clear view
of the accident. A locomotive was run
ming a hy"-that is, rushing a box-car
down to the switch to be diverted to an
other track. 1t is generally a dangerous
thing to do, and requires experience and
agility on the part of the switchman to re-
set the switch for the locomotive and then
get out of the latter's way.
In this case deceased had changed the
switch and closed it again for the locomo-
tive, and then jumped backward upon an
other track alongside to let the locomotive
pass. Just as he did so another box-car
and locomotive were backed down upon
him. The car struck and knocked him
down and his body was showed ahead until
damned into a frog, where it was torn and
manglsd by the trucks and wheels of the
car and locomotive