Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-03-13
The Death of ID. Il. Stephens.

David Barton Stephens was struck th
morning about half past eight O'Clock b,
freight train going south just as he at.
tempted to cross the railroad from the ives
side of the track near the depot.
The train was going at such rate of speet
his body was carried about fifty feet anC
dropped in front of the tireman's building
some fifteen or twenty feet from the track
The train was slowed down and stopped
in front Of the section house a little NOR.
than the length of the train.
Those who saw the accident ran immedi
ately to Mr.. Stephens and found him Still
alive, but unconscious and unable to NOV.
hand or foot. He seemed to be in great
misery and groaned at each breath until be
died. lie never became conscious.
lie was carried into the waiting room o
the depot and there pnt on a cot and carried
to the Selma Lodging House where he wa:
put In Il bed.
Drs. McMaster, Burns, Brown, Wagner
and Osborne made an examination of Mr.
stephens wounds. They found the left lee
broken III two places, the left arm broken
in several places, his left side seemed to BIZ
badly crushed the ribs being broken. 4
bad cut was found on the left side of The
face just back Of the chin and bad wound
on tie right side of the top part of the
skull, yet the skull did not seem to be frac-
tured. The crushing blow on the left side OF
body near the region of the heart was prob
ably the fatal wound, although the blow OIL
the head Jared the brain SO that death
might have resulted from that. Before the
doctors made their examination many hop
ed that the strong constitution of Mr..
Stephens would enable him to revive from
the terrible shock and possibly get well.
OF course then it was thought that he was
not SO seriously hurt internally. He never
regalned consciousness but kept getting
weaker and weaker until lG:15, about one
hour and thirty minutes after he was hnrt,
when his spirit left his poor crushed body to
appear before his Maker in another world. ;
VIM. Potts is the last man who spoke to
Mr.. Stephens. Mr.. Potts had Just crossed
the railroad and met Mr.. Stephens, spoke to
near the track waiting for the train to pass
and VIII turned around in time to see Mr..
Stephens attempt to cross the track. Mr..
Potts saw the engine strike him and thought
he had been dragged under the wheel until
he saw his body lying near the engine house.
Mr.. Potts sister saw the engine strike Nj.
stephens and she says it seemed 10 her that
his body went flying throul b the air almost
high as the smoke stded. Mr.. Houston.
depot agent, aw the engine strike Mr..
Stephens and he thought be seemed to roll
along to where the body was found. The
train soon ran where he was and where the
body was thrown. Herb Drew and team
came very near being caught by the same
engine one block further north of where
the train struck Mr.. Stephens. The wind
was Dio"lhS 50 HIFu from Tue SCUM tnat
the train coming FROM the north could not
be heard until il got near. Another theory
is that Mr.. stephens thought the train was
gong to run over some school children and
in attempting to cross and save them hs lest
his life. No doubt had The train been going
at less cate OF speed tie accident would
not have happened. 1t is very dangerous
for trans to go through a town this size at
such rapid rate. There has been quite a
number Of narrow escapes here in the last
twelve months.
u. 3. stephens was born in Missouri but
moved to this state in an early day. He
settled here III Selma and took up land be-
fore any town was thought Of, He was q
good business man ana was liked by all who
knew him, He was SD years months and
days old to. day. Sad indeed will be the
heart of every old settler in this place when
they learn the awful death of D. b. Steph.
ens.-SeInlQ (CaI.) frTigdtOr.