Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-03-14
TORN INTO SHREDS.
HORRIBLE DEATH OF PHILIP KORAN.
CKwATCHMsN.
Struck by Last Nights Incoming Oregon
Express-How the Discovery
Was Made.

As the 1910 Oregon express train from
San Francisco came into the depot last night
RECORD UNION reporter saw what resem-
bled mans coat lying across the front
of the pilot of the locomotive, and think
ing that perhaps it betokened an accident
to some person, ran to where the locomo-
tive halted beyond the east end OF the de-
pot. The yard switchmen had already
reached the engine to cut it loose from the
train, and by the light of their lanterns dis
covered the coat and had picked it up when
the reporter reached the spot.
And, sure enough, it bore the CHASTITY
evidences of a terrible death. The gar
ment, which was long one, made of oil
cloth, and well worn, was partially cov-
cred with blood as also were the pilot, the
wheels and all the gearing of the locomo-
tive on one side, while shreds of under
clothing hung here and there to the ma
chinery Fragments of flesh were spat-
tered over the side of the locomotive as
high as four or five feet from the rails.
The yardmen gathered about the loco
blood-bespattered machinery that told of
the awful death of some poor unfortunate.
The reporter sought engineer Goff and
asked him if he was aware of having run
over any person. He ereplied that he was
not, and knew nothing of what had hap
pened until that moment, when he was
shown the bloody coat and the condition
of the locomotive.
To Justice Newton of Washington, who
is in charge of the railroad depot at night,
engineer Goff said that as his train was
coming in it passed several track-watch-
men in the vicinity of Webster Station and
beyond, and their fires were burning at
intervals along the track. He passed an
other fire just this side of the long trestle,
and about seven minutes run from this
city, and remembered that at about that
moment the wheels of the locomotive
seemed to be slipping on the track and it
jolted slightly, as if passing over some
small sticks. 1t was just enough to attract
his attention, but as the locomotive went
along smoothly the next moment he
thought nothing more of it and came right
along to the city. AS it was then certain
that somebody had been run over, he had
no doubt that the accident occurred at that
point, although he saw nothing on the
track as the train approached the spot.
The matter was reported at once at Su-
perintendent Wrights Office and the con-
ductor of the overland express, due at 11:40,
was notified by telegraph to keep look
out for the body and to bring it in if found.
In the meantime another of the patrol
men came upon the remains of the victim,
which were torn and msngled to shreds,
and scattered along the track for distance
of several hundred yards. He boarded
the train when it came along and explained
that it would be useless to then endeavor
to gather the remains together, and the at
tempt was not made.
The reporter saw this man when he
arrived, and learned that the name of the
deceased was Philip Horan; that he was
from suisun, where his aunt resides, that
he was single man, and was employed as
one of the track walkers between here and
Davisville.
Justice Newton notified Reeves G. Long,
undertakers, and went out about o'clock
this morning on a locomotive to gather up
the remains and take them to Washington,
where an inquest will be held to-day.
The theory of the railroad employees is
that Horan laid down by the track, with
his head on one of the rails and his coat
thrown over his body. The coat is of a
grayish color and so closely resembled that
of the ground where he lay that the engi-
neer could not distinguish it.