The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-12-26
A FATAL NAP.
Shocking Death of James Murphy,
a Track-Walker.
He Falls Asleep on a Track, and 6
Flat-Car Crushes His Head
Himself to Blame.

Christmas Day brought sorrow to at
least one home in this city-that of James
Murphy, an employe of the Southern Pa
cific Company, on Third street, between
< ard l.. The sad tidings of a husbands
shocking death had to be borne to an
anxious wife who was awaiting his re-
turn to enjoy the Christmas dinner which
she had with her own hands prepared for
him and her.
James Murphy was employed as track
walker, his beat extending from this city
20 short distance this side of Arcade.
de had served the company in this ca
pacity for several years, and was we'll
known TO all the trainmen and yardmen.
He went home to his lunch yesterday at
o'clock, and shortly afterward left to
perform his afternoons task of inspect
ing the railroad track. Several of the
employees noticed him walking along the
track with his tools on his shoulder.
At half-past o'clock two boys, named
Arson and Yorke, who happened to be
taking a walk in the uptown switch
yards, noticed the body of man lying
beneath tiat-car on the northernmost
spur in the yards between Eighth and
Ninth streets. On closer observation
they saw that one of the wheels had
crushed his head, and that the man was
quite dead.
They Immediately informed some of
the switchmen, who hurried to the spot
and were shocked to discover that the
mangled body was that of James Murphy,
the track-walker.
Chief of Police Drew was next in
formed, and he in turn notified Coroner
Clark. While the latter was preparing to
80 after the body, the Chief drove out to
where ii lay and made a close exalnina-
ton of the surroundings. He learned
that the car of rock which was over
Murphy's body had been switched down
ON the spur at $50 o'clock by engine No.
"O2, showing that Murphy was killed at
that hour.
The car was let down easily, and the
theory is that Murphy had fallen asleep
in the edge of the brush thicket at that
spot, and laid his head on the rail. The
fact that his hat was found between the
rails, and his pipe close by his side, leads
10 the belief that possibly he might have
laid down there to enjoy quiet smoke
and had fallen asleep.
His tools were found on the ground on
the opposite, or south side, of the car.
Those who were in the vicinity of the
accident at the time Of the discovery of
the body say they could easily under
stand how a man could be lying on the
north side Of the track and not be OBJ
served. The brush is quite thick, and
there are cars standing on the track
nearly all the time.
The car which killed Murphy would
have come to halt against another fiat
car if it had gone few yards farther. AS
IL was, the engine gave the car shove
and shot it down alone upon the
switch, and this is undoubtedly the rea-
son why so little noise was made.
The wheel crushed into the left side of
the mans face, breaking the jaw-bone
and skull lacerating the flesh horribly
and breaking the collar bone.
The deceased leaves a wife, but no
children. The inquest on the remains
viii probably be held this evening by
Coroner Clark. Murphy's fellow-em-
ployes say he never drank to excess, and
so far as known he was sober when he
met his death.