West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1891-06-04
KILLED ON TIE RAIL.
Ex-State Mine Inspector Henry Gun
ningham Meets Terrible Death.

Last Oaturuay evening, May 3Oth,
Henry Cunningham, well known
throughout the State as Mine In.
spector for this district, appointed
by Gov. Wilson, was returning from
Frostburg, Md, on No. 8 and got
of at Tunnelton. lie lived at Iron
dale, where he has been employed
for some time in the mines there as
Mine Boss, but as No. did not
stop this side Of Grafton after leav-
ing Tunnelton, he got off, or was
put off, at Tunnclton, being under
the influence of liquor and having
had a fight with the news-boy on
the train. His little boy, about IL
years old, accompanied him and
was trying to take cave OF him.
They started over Tunnel Hill, ex-
pecting to get on freight train at
the West End and ride to Indepen-
dence and walk over to Irondale
from there. On Tunnel Hill he
wanted to lie down and 60 to sleep,
being overcome by the heavy jag on
board, but the boy pulled and wor-
ried him along to the track at the
other end. Between there and Aus
ten they tried to board q freight
train, and it seems the boy got
tired OF trying to get his father
home and gave it up and got ON
himself and went on home, arriving
safely. Nothing more was seen of
Cunningham till next morning,
when the first train after daylight
found his mangled remains by the
track. The pieces were collected
and brought up to Tunnelton on a
truck and placed in the waiting
room, the trunk of the body on
some boards, and the limbs, cut in
pieces, had been collected in a store
box. A number of Kingwood peo-
pie, the writer included, was there,
returning from Decoration Day at
Grafton. We examined the remains
and they presented shocking sight.
There was a severe cash in the fore
head between the eyes and one on
the side of the head, either enough
to prove fatal the forefinger of the
left hand was cut off and the legs
were severed from the body close mp
to the trunk, both feet were cut off
ut the ankle and the legs from there
up were ground into an unrecogni-
Fable mass. All this had been col
lected and placed in small box.
There were numerous small bruises
about the body and death must
have been instantaneous. A bottle
was found broken to pieces in his
pocket and one dollar i'm money. A
fine gold watch that he carried was
found uninjured and was still run
ming, while a pocket compass in
another pocket was smashed. His
wife was notified by telegram, and
the remains were prepared for bu-
rial by undertaken George Durr, OF
Tunnelton, and Sherman Wheeler.
of Rowlesburg. They were then
conveyed to his home at Irondale
by Sheriff ID. r. jackson and Roy
@. Some.
Tuesday the remains were brought
to Kingwood on the noon train.
ard after services in the NJ. z.
Church, were taken cut to the
graveyard in the Snyder Settlement
and inferred. The deceased was
about 35 years of age, and leaves a
wife and three children to mourn
his sudden and violent death. He
was a son Of "Jock" Cunningham
Of this place, and has been miner
all his life. He was something OF
a politician, and beng a practical
miner, was appointed one of the
State Mine Inspectors by Governor
Wilson, and held this Office about
four years. He then lived at Elk
Garden, but moved to Tnnnelton
when his time expired, and from
there to Irondale, where he has re-
sided till his death. He married a
daughter OF Samuel Martin. Of near
Kingwood.