The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-30
DEATH ON THE RAIL.
A Stranger Killed on the Black
River Tfestle.
STRUCK ~ THE ENGINE SHAFT
He ThoseAt Il Safe - Lie Down ON thu
Ties while the Express Train
Passed-The Body.

An unknown man was struck and killed
by the driving-shaft Of the Northern Pa
ciic passenger train from Tacoma last
other side of Black River junction
As the train came on the trestle the man
was seen to step of the track and the en-
gineer thought he intended stepping on to
one Of the caps, where he would have been
uninjrred by the passing train. Instead
Of doing this the man lay
down on the ties outside of the track. and
the engines driving-shaft struck him in
the head as it went down. fracturing the
skull in frightfui manner. and breaking
the mans right arm between the elbow
and shoulder. the bones protruding. The
man was killed almost instantly. The train
Was stopped and the body taken up and
brought to this city. where the train Ar
rived at 10 o'clock.
Coroner Smart, who had been notified by
telegraph, was at the Northern Pacific sta
ton when the train arrived. He exam
ined the body and gained all the informa-
ton Is to how the man was killed from the
trainmen and those who witnessed the &C.
cidenk The coroner then ordered the
remains taken to the undertaking rooms
OF Bonney d Stewart. where strict search
was made among the mans effects for
identification papers. but the examiners
failed to find anything. It was afterwards
learned by the undertakes that the station
agent ct Kent knew the dead mans name,
and they will prepare the body today for
burial and await orders for its disposition.
Coroner Smart gained the information
that the man had worked for . Mr.. Hos
trander, near Tacoma, from May 4 till
May s; that he then went to work for 81.
Watson on q ranch near the same town
from May Ii till May o. The man then
left Tacoma to walk the tr ack to the race
track near this city. where he was to work
for some parties, and met his death on the
rail as stated.
The man was about 80 years of age, of
slight build, about five feet nine inches in
height, and looked like Frenchman. His
eyes were blue, his hair was dark brown
and he wore light, sandy mustache and
about ten days growth of whiskers. He
had evidently been Q sober man and his
books show that he kept careful accounts
Of his wages, work and expenses.
His apparel consisted of pepper-and-salt
coat and vest, brown shirt, blue overalls,
striped cotton undershirt, brown cotton
socks, and laced shoes.
In his pockets were found . bandana
handkerchief. pair Of buckskin gloves. .
package Of soap. tobacco. . small purse
containing $l2, composed OF two
IS gold pieces. silver dollar and two
50cent pieces. There were also three MEM
orandum books In his pocket, two of
which were gift books from Dickson Bros.
U. S. store. in Tacoma, and the other q
leather-backed one. The examiners failed
to find any name IN the books.
When the reporter learned of the acci-
dent be went ia the undertaker,s rooms
late last night and carefully examined the
books. with the result that the name
Joseph S. Foley Was found almost obliter-
ated on the top of the back cover of the
leather-backed memoranda book. As no
other name appears anywhere else in the
books. it is to be presumed that this is the
mans name