The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-29
CRUSHED BY THE WHEELS.
Charles Lawson, q Brakeman in the
Northern Pacific Yards
Killed Yesterday.
The Company and Employees Held
Blameless by the Coro-
ner's Jury.
He Fell From the Top Of . Freight
Car and Was Cut In
Two.

Chas. Lawson was crushed and manglec
in terrible manner in the Northern Pacific
yards about 1U:30 yesterday morning, and
yet SO sudden was his taking off that al
though two men were within few feet Of
him, no one knew of the accident till the
jolting of the cars going over his body sug'
gested the idea that man might be undel
the wheels
As soon as possible after the accident
Coroner Rockman was notified. Aiury con-
sisting of Chas. G. Stubs. Joseph Burrah,
B. w. Sanders, Byron Dewitt and VIM,
kranich were summoned, and afteI
viewing the body, which had been put
on stretcher and deposited under the
shadow of warehouse, they went to Kra-
nich's place. where the evidence was heard.
Only four witnesses were examined, the
fireman Of the switch engine, J. j. Bellivou,
Wagner and Fireman Lewis Kelly.
Bellivou's story was to the effect that he
was engaged In switching empty cars in the
vicinity of the warehouse. Lawson, who
was brakeman, was on top of the cars
and had nothing to do with the coupling.
The crew was switching four cars, one in
front of the engine and three behind it.
The engineer had been signaled to send the
three cars down on a spur, which he did,
and then ran down to make the coupling.
When the cars ran on the spur, Bellivou
saw Lawson standing on the end Of the last
car. The first attempt to couple to the cars
failed, but the second one was successful.
In about minute Bellivou, who was riding
on the car next the engine, gave the signal
to the engineer to 90 ahead. They had gone
about a car length when he felt q jolt and
thought there was q stick Of wood on the
track. Jumping off he looked for Lawson,
and not seeing him he signalled the engi-
crushed body of man on the track, which
on examination proved to be Lawson. He
was lying on his face and the four cars and
the engine had gone over his body just
about the waist, fairly cutting him in half.
The evidence of the other witnesses
fair. The opinion of the witnesses as to
how the accident occurred was that Law
son was sitting on the brake, or standing
on the end of the car, when the engine
backed up to couple and the jar caused him
to lose his balance and fall. As it was q
minute before the cars moved after the
coupling was made, he must have struck on
his head and been rendered insensible, or
he could have gotten away before the cars
touched him.
The jury rendered verdict Of accidental
death, holding the railway company and its
employees blameless.
Lawson was Swede and had been en-
ployed about the Northern Pacific yards
about year. He was sober, industrious
fellow and very popular among the railroad
men. He is not known to have had any
relatives in Montana, his mother and sister
living at Valley City, N. D., notice of his
fate being sent them.
Undertaken Flaherty took charge of the
body, under instructions from the Northern
Pacific officials, and it was shipped last
last night in the care of special messen-
ger to his relatives in Dakota.