Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-27
NET A SAD FATE.
Claus AGdren Killed on the Track
on Thanksgiving Eve.
Exactly How he Met His Death Is a
Mystery-The Inquest Conduct
ed by Deputy Coroner
Eckhart.


this city discovered the body OF a man
on the west bound c.. r l. 6 P. track
near Sixth street. Moline. who had evil
IDENTIFY been run down by a passing train
not a great while before. The police Of
that city were Immediately notified aud
the body was taken to the police station
and the coroner notified. Deputy Coroner
l.. V. Eckhart went Immediately to Mo.
line and impanneled jury consisting of
E. j. Baldwin. foreman. Edward Kittil-
sen. A. Mowry, Thomas B. Kearney, D.
E. Dean and Charles Dormau. The
names of the workmen who had found
the body being unknown the inquest was
adjourned until yesterday morning at 10
o'clock.
The dead man was stranger to every>
one and the police were unable to estab-
lish his identity, as there was nothing on
his person to indicate who he was. Early
yesterday morning, however, Otto An
dren, who resides on Railroad avenue
and Sixth street, Moline, called
at the station and identified the dead
man as his brother. Claus Andren,
who was employed as grinder
at the Deere & NJ snsur companys works
He had quit work shortly after o'clock
and it is supposed that while crossing the
tracks at Sixth street on his way to his
brothers where he boarded, be was struck
by Rock Island switch engine which
was backing down about that time, and
as it was quite dark he was not discov-
cred until sometime later. The first wit
ness examined at the irqIest was Mis-
chael BoltZ who testified that he was en-
gineer on c., R. l. & P. switch engine
No l, and that about $50 o'clock on the |
previous evening they had backed down
from Moline to Rock Island He saw no |
one on or near the tracks, and did not |
know that his engine had passed over |
anyone. He further testified that they |
had three cars ahead of and one behind |
the engine, and that there was man on
the head car with light and also one on |
the rear car. Witness testified further |
that when at Sixth street Moline they met |
an east bound freight, which he thought |
was No. 90. He had examined the en-
CINE and cars, but found nothing to indi>
cate that man had been run over.
Thomas Fender, foreman of the switch
crew was also on the engine with witness.
Boltz slso testified to hlving seen the
dead man, but that he had never to his
knowledge seen him alive.
The next.witness examined was Peter
Jensen, a switchmsn, who testified to be-
ing on the car ahead when the
switch engine backed down to Rock Isl>
and, but saw no man on or near the track
and had no knowledge of the accident.
He further stated that the bell on the en-.
CINE was ringing and that they were runs
ming at the rate OF about six miles an
hour.
Thomas Kiliila, another switchmsn
being next examined, tod substantially
the same story as the other train men and
also stated that he felt slight jar when
they passed Sixth street, but paid no
further attention to it. He also corrobo.
rated the first witness in regard to the ex>
animation of the engine.
Thomas Fender, the foreman of the
switch crew, was next ex AHMED and his
| testimony was corroborative of the pre-
ceeding witnesses, and IN his opinion the
man might have been struck by the east
bound freight which was passing a; the
| time.
William Setching, Of Peru. H..
stonemasoR in the employ of the e.. R /.
& P, was then examined and testified to
his discovering the body when going from
Rock Island to Moline on a hand car in
company with companion, James
Whalen, and to remaining with the body
while Whalsn notified the authorities.
The man was dead when first found by
witness. James Whslen corroborated the
testimony OF the witness Just examined
after which Otto Ardren was placed upon
tire stand and testified that the dead man
was his brother. Claus Andren. and aged
20 years, single man, and had been in
this count try about IS months He last
saw his brother alive Wednesday morning
at 10 o'clock. but knew nothing as to how
he came to his death.
The jury retired and shortly after re-
| turned u verdict as follows
We, the undersigned jurors, sworn to
| inquire into the death of Claus Andrep
on oath do find that he came to his death
by being run over by train of three cars
attached ahead of switch engine No. l.
of the c.. r. i 81 P. railway which
train was being backed westward toward
Rock Island at about $50 p m. We'd
nesdsy. Nov 25, 1891, the deceased being