Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-08-06
ToDDLED TO HER DEATH.
The Little Daughter of Chris Hahn Killed
by the Cars--A Deplorable
Accident.

Ella Elizabeth, the twenty months
old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Chris
Hahn, was killed alta private crossing
over the Northwestern tracks at
point two miles north of Audubon,
last Saturday, by south-bound train.
The little one had been asleep most of
the afternoon, but awakening about
four o'clock, was given lunch and
wandered out to play. Only the child
and mother were at the house, and the
mother being busy with household
cares, the child wandered unseen out
through the open gate to the railroad
track. 1t is presumed that she had
been there but u very short time when
the train came along. Engineer Mum
son, Mt distance of quarter of a
mile, saw something upon the track, but
believed it to be rag or q chicken, as
it appeared small and indistinguish-
able, AS the engine approached quito
near to the place of this uncertain object
the child rose to her feet, to the horror
of the men in the cab The engine
was reversed SO quickly that passengers
in the coach were unseated but the
train was not stopped until the child
was ground beneath the pilot and
under the wheels. The train ran to
the next house to get help, and when
it returned the mother had taken up
the corpse of her dead child. Little
could be done to ameliorate the grief
that was MUTUAL in the presence OF
such a direful accident. The parents
were grief,stricken and unconsolable.
Mr.. Munson, who did all that could be-
done to avert the calamity after the
danger appeared to him, was much
moved for he has little ones at his
home in Carroll, whittier his thoughts
flew and aroused the deepest sympathy.
The facial features of the dead child
were marrcd only by a scar on the fore
head, and In death smile rested upon
the face as though she had been infatu.
ated in the presence of the coming
train, for she could not appreciate the
danger.
An inquest was held mt the ONCE of
Coroner Brooks Monday morning, with
Geo. Ellis, ID. Il. Soar and Thco. +.
Myers as jurors.
Charlotte Hahn, mother of the child,
testified: Child slept from 1890 until
4 o'clock August LIST. DO not know
how she got on track, The gate was
open. Child left the house about quar-
ter of an hour before the train came.
Did not see child before train struck II.
Engine was on bridge when first heard
IL whistle. Child was on our private
crossing. Had never been on track be-
fore. Other children are not in tho
habit Of playing on track.
Walter H. Munson, engineer testi-
fed When first saw child was about
eighty rods away. Could see nothing
but child's head as IL was between ties
and between rails; looked like chick.
en-. Child was carried six or eight feet.
Used all appliances ut command to
stop train. Were running twenty
miles an hour Frequently see chick
ems, turkeys, etc, on track at same
place. Gates to crossing were open.
The testimony of Simon Rogers, fire.
man, and Dan1 Lynch, passenger, was
taken also, but II only corroborated the
foregoing.
The jury returned the following ver'
Dict
"We do find that said deceased came
to her death by being run over by the
cars and engine of the G. Il N. W.
train, at about i:20 p, m, August |,
1884,,
The funeral was held Mt tho Presby-
terrain church, Sunday afternoon, the
services being conducted by the Ger
man Luthern minister from Atlantic,
and was attended by a large congrega-
ton of sympathizing friends.