The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-22
HURLED ASIDE.

How One Hero Was Killed While En-
deavoring to save Another.
"a man killed by the o'clock New York
express"
At the Providence division of the Old
Colony road in this city the message came
in about 800 yesterday afternoon
1t was simple message, and in railroad
telegraph Offices unfortunately not an un-
usual one.
The later news was more in detail.
James Mckeever, a lineman in the en-
ploy of the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, had lost his life instantly while at
tempting to rescue his foreman, James III.
Finnegan.
The young operator who received this
message at the office of the Western Union
Company in Boston lifted his eyebrows with
q show OF interest.
'Man killed" wasn't such an unusual or
peculiarly startling information, hut IMAM
killed in saving fel!0w-man'S life had in
it the element of romance, and Immediately
suggested many interesting details. And
the more ample information that followed
the first news of the accident was received
with genuine interest.
james Mckeever was one of gang OF
worknen that went out to Hyde Park yes
te:day 10 erect new telegraph-pOle. James
ID. f1nnegan was foreman OF the gang.
The New York express left Boston at 3
o'clock. AT 3:15 O'Clock the tracks at Hyde
Park were already trembling with the mo-
ton OF the approaching train.
Az the same time the pole, which the llue-
men were raising about twenty feet from
the station. slipped from the grasp that held
it. 1t toppled over and fell directly across
the three tracks that run by the station.
The pole in falling carried Foreman Fin
negan to the ground and held him there.
The noise OF the approaching train was
sounding in the ears of the men on TIE
track. Foreman Flnnegan, although Sc
verely bruised, struggled beneath the pole.
just then McKeever leaped forward and
attempted to raise the upper end and cross
arm OF the pole, which lay across the outer
track.
The express came down like flash.
1t struck the upper end of the pole and
Mchrever al the same time. 1t flung the
pole far from the track as boy might kick
chip. 1t struck McKeever aud hurled
him aside. His fellow-w0rkmen Sprang to
the spot where lie lay and picked him up.
he was bleeding from CHASTITY wound i'll
the head. 1t was clear that his skull had
been fractured.
When Medical Examiner Sturtevant
viewed the body few minutes later in the
Hyde Park Station, whittier it was taken,
he saw Immediately that the man had prob
ably been instantly killed.
finnesan was painfully bruised by the
pole that fell on him, but it is not expected
that his injuries are very serious.
Ii the men belonging to the construction
gang in which Mekeever was working had
been on the other side of the pole it would
doubtless have been necessary to report a
number OF casualties.
Ii there had been train going in the
other direction, that is, INTO Boston, it
would have struck the heavy end of the
pole, would certainly have seriously injured
Finnegan. would nave injured if not killed
IA at-U and IA pt har hsr nf hn
construction gang, and, most serious of all.
1t might have derailed the train and caused
heavy loss of lie.
When McKeever sprang to the assistance
OF his foreman from his actions he evil
IDENTITY believed the situation was extremely
perilouS. He tugged excitedly at the upper
end of the pole, and when he found his
efforts were futile it was too late for him to
escape the swiit-cOming engine.
He was about 40 years old, and he leaves
a family in Nova Scotia. He had been with
the Western Union Company only about
four mOnthS-Roston GIobe