The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-29
ACCIDENTOR MURDER
Unknown Man Mangled by a
Narrow Gauge Train.
WAS HIS THROAT CUT FIRST?
Lying Apparently LifeIess on the Track,
He Is MutiIated by the Train
An Open Verdict.

The body of an unknown man, which was
mangied beyond recognition by a narrow gauge
train near Cardmoor yesterday morning, lies az
Bonney d Stewards undertaking rooms. Some
circumstances about the accident indicate that
the mans throat had been cut before the train
struck him.
As extra west bound freight train No. 9, on the
Columbia & Puget Sound railroad, with forty
loaded cars, run by N. Cade, engineer, and d. J.
Mckinney, conductor, was rounding the curve
on the east side of the long trestle about one
mile west OF Cardmoor abut 1879 O'Clock yester-
day morning, man was seen lying motionless,
face downward, between the narrow gauge and
standard gauge rails on the joint right-of-way,
about fifty feet ahead. The engineer immedi-
ately whistled for brakes, but before the train
could be stopped three or four loaded cars had
passed over the man. The outside of the pilot
struck him on the head and started him rolling
and the trucks OF the cars picked him up and
rolled him along as they came TO him. When
first seen the man appeared to be either dead or
dead drunk and he made no outcry as the train
approached. The body was dragged twelve feet
altogether and then fell from the trestle to the
ground twenty feet below.
When the train was stopped the crew went
back and found the mutilated body. The head
was crushed from the left side. The vertebra of
the neck was pulp and only skin held the head
to the body. The jawbone and teeth were
crushed and the back of the head was laid open
and the brains were oozing out The face was
bruised in various places and the nose turned to
one side. The lett arm was crushed above the
elbow, and the right leg gone from seven inches
below the knee. Blood was smesred along the
trestie, and at the point where the body was
struck the woodwork was dyed in gore, and large
pool had gathered under the place where the
body lay. The little group gathered around, but
none of them recognized the crushed and bleed
ing mass.
The train came on to the city, aud the crew
informed Coroner Horton, who at once started
with L. w. Bonney for the scene of the accident.
On their arrival at the spot they found the body
almost naked. The remains were put in an OIL
cloth, together with the remnants OF the cloth
ing, sewed up and brought to the city.
The dead mans clothes consisted of red under
wear, blue flannel shirt. overalls and black sack
cutaway coat. The neck had been severed
either by the fange of the wheel or by some
sharp instrument Nothing could be discovered
by which the dead mans identity could be estab-
Hshed. His pockets contained nothing, and the
only mark on his body was a figure tattoed upon
his left arm. 1t represented a boy and girl
surrounded by scroll of flowers.
At the base of the design were two hearts, and
underneath them the word sLove." The man
was about five feet ten inches in height aud
very powerfully built His head was covered
with brown nair, slightly curly. A light brown
mustache covered his upper lip.
The inquest was held at , O'Clock, and the
trainmen related the circumstances of the acct
dent Us told above, but said that the fog was too
dense for clear view to be obtained.
Mr.. E. /. Smith was summoned an expert,
and testified that he believed the cut from ear TO
ear to have been made with a sharp instrument.
w. L. Bonney testified to the condition Of the
body and the pool of blood at the spot where the
man originally lay.
The jury brought in the following verdict:
We, the jury impaneled to inquire into the
cause of the death of man found dead on the
Columbia d Puget sound railroad, about seven
miles from Seattle, do find that death would
certainly result from being run over by the
train, but believe that death had taken place
previous to the collision. His name to this
jury is unknown. J. i. BYRON,
JAMES L. Clancy,
FRANK CRAWFORD,
ROBERT GooDBURN,
GEORGE A. TEMPLEToN.