The Red Cloud chief., 1894-03-02
Death OF Charley Boynton.

VINO ueslre 70 KNOW Iully now nc Wet
his death.-EDrToR.1
Charles Boynton, a we'll known and
popular fireman 10 the employ Of the
Illinois Central, met death In a shock
ing manner shortly after noon ycster.
day.
About the noon hour an extra
freight train, ia charge Of Conductor
j. B. Cornelius and Engineer Robert
Petrie pulled out Of the Frceport
yards bound for Dubuque. Charles
Boynton started on the trip as Petrie's
fireman. His wife and child accom-
panied him to the round house, and
stood on the crossing waving their
hands - the train pulled out Of the
yards. The next time the poor wife
gazed upon her husbands form 1t was
in death. The engine which pulled
the train was No. 44s, one Of the new
Rogers moguls which had just been
sent cut from the shop, and it was the
engineers first trip west. Engineer
Petrie, one Of the most careful engi-
neers in the employ Of the company,
waS very proud Of his new engine and
% was his fireman. As tho train ap-
preached Preston's bridge the fireman
leaned out Of the gangway to get q
good view Of the engine in motion.
He was so delighted with tho move
ment Of the ponderous wheels that he
forgot al about the bridge. AZ the
engine shot across the bridge the FIRE.
mans head came in contact with the
side Of the bridge and he was knocked
from the engiue. Head Brakeman +.
G. Leo was riding in the engine At
the time and he saw Bo9nton fall,
and At once informed the engineer
who quickly stopped the train. The
traipman went to the assistance OF
their wounded companion and carried
him back to the caboose. He was
alive when picked up but unconscious.
The train was at once backed to Free
port, but Boyuton died before the city
was reached. Coroner DIETRICH was
informed Of the accident and ut once
held an inquest 10 the caboose where
the unfortunate yousg man had died.
The FIRST witness to testify was head
breakman, Y. F. Lee. He said that
he was riding in the engine at the
time Of the accident ana was looking
out Of the cab window Us the train was
approaching the bridge Gro Pres.
tons creek. At that time Fireman
Boynton was leaning out to the gang
way, holding onto the railing with
both hands. The bridge struck the
fireman and he was thrown from the
engine, his body striking one Of the
rods Of the bridge and then fell down
on the ties. Lee Immediately inform
ed the engineer, who stopped the en-
CINE. They ran back to Boynton and
found him laying just as no had fell,
gaspiug for breath. They took him
off the track, then backed up the
caboose, placed the wounded man on
board aAd backed the traia to Free.
port.
j. B. Cornelius, the conductor oil
the train, said that the first he knew
Of tho accident was when Breaknar
Lee came running back to thu eaboose
and reported that the fireman had beer
killed on the bridge. He assisted in
carrying him to the cabooss. Boyn'
ton was still aliye, but died at l:Os
before the train reached Freeport.
Engineer Pstris testified that b,
knew nothing Of the accident unit
Lee helloed 10 him that the fireman
had been killed. He stopped tn.
train and backed up to the body ant
helped place it in tho caboose. Mr.
Pctrie further testified that Mr.. Boyn
ton had been his fireman for q periot
OF about two years. Hs thought tn
bridge was a standard bridge an,
thought the engine was wider thar
others. 1t was a new engine and i
was the FIRST time either himself o
his fireman had been in it. The en-
CINE was a little over nine feet wide
while the ordinary Hickey freight i
eight feet and eight and one.hal
> inches.
: Kirk Walters, the hind breakman