Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-10-31
THE coRoNeR.s INQUEST.


yesterday, composed of, S. w. Searle,
foreman; J. w. Day. T. B. Reidy. F.
W. Kinck. Ira H. Peck and L. K.
Wheelan. to inquire into the death of
Mrs. A. +. Harrison, the lady book
agent killed near the waterworks
Yesterday morning. held the inquest
in the coroncr's Office during the day.
+. j. Bronson. business manager of
the American Blade. was the first
witness put upon the stand, and his
testimony was TO the effect that Mrs.
Harrison had of late been employed
rs solicitor for the American Blade.
Nothing was known of her former
history. except that witness thought
he once heard her say that she came
from Des Moines. ID. Seymour. the
editor of the Blade, testified in whole
to the same. with the exception of
her former residence. which he
thought was Minneapolis.
John Fender. switch foreman. tes-
| titled that some cars were being
thrown in upon the Peoria transfer
track about lilo yesterday morning.
The ears numbering IL were being
backed in slowly to enable switch
man To make coupling which was
about 200 yards west of the space
between the cars where the accident
occurred. He knew nothing of the
accident until informed by Harry
Laux, one of the .switchmcn. He
went to where the body was lying
and saw it under the west trucks Of
the car. The woman had been drag
ged about 60 or 20 feet. 4. X. Raw.
assistant yardmaster of the c.. X. 1.
4 +. railway, testified that at about
11:10 he was notified that lady had
been killed near the water works.
and he took switch engine and
went down ut once. He found the
body under the west trucks of box
car GOA: that she had evidently
been standing in front OF the car
and had been dragged some distance,
one shoe being found about 60 feet
from tho body.
CauslItlon Of the Rem,ins.
DIR. $. c. rlummer told that he was
called to the scene of the accident
and found the dead body living on the
south rail ON her back. and between
the wheels Of the rear truck of the
car with one leg on each side of the
rail. The shoe and stocking were of
the right leg. and the leg and foot
badly torn and mangled. Her head
seemed To- he under the rear wheel of
the truck. and the other wheel up to
. the trunk of the body. so that the car
could not be moved without running
. over the entire body. and according.
. ~ was lacked up. In his opinion the
, woman was facing the ear probably
WRITING memorandum. and mus,
. have fallen backwards.
i Harry I.anx was called and his tcs-
2 timOny corrOborated with that of the
: other trainmcn. Mr.. Lanx was prob
: ably the last to see deceased alive
2 He left the waterworks iirerOon
Z about 11:1O. and nj that time he saw
e the woman coming west on the Wagon
: road just south Of the waterwork.
2 and lying between the latter and tn,
tracks. Witness crossed to the soutl
side of the tracks and nj that time
e the woman had stopped nj the end o
2 car 694i and looked around. Wit
. ness had climbed between two car!
p further west. and Mrs. Harrison
I probably attempted to cross in tn,
space between 6944 and the othel
/. cars standing on the track and wa
I knocked down. Witness heard tn
p switchman call after the engine hat
: hit car 6944. and looking around h
I saw the body under the wheels.
p The Verdict.
:, After the testimony was all in tn.
l jury brought in the following yer
= dict:
v Mrs. A. T. Harrison came to he
1 death by being run down by c.. Il.
A ,P. box car, number GOA. ut 11:1O a
: M. Monday. Oct. 30. 1898. Will
e crossing the track near the water
b. works.
II Where Was Her Home:
Deputy Coroner Eckhart has sough
n TODAY to learn some informa
II ton rs to the unfortunate woman
= home. 1t was ascertained late thi
V afternoon from business man wit
: whom she had conversed. that he
Il son-in-l:,w was formerly librarian q
e the city of Milwaukee,. and that sh
If came from a prominent family. Thi
r gentleman was also inclined to be
licve that the woman had change
Il her name in order that her tamil
5 would not know that she was can
|. Ivassinc for books. and he ais
e thought her right name was Hitch
d cock. At the American Express Of
r flee. though, she signed for pack
age Oct. % as IA. +. Harrison.
Deputy Coroner Eckhart found thi
afternoon that the woman fOrmcrl
y resided in Minneapolis. and tina
= she was an unmarried woman. whic
C conflicts with the story Of rela