Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-27
A FRIGHTFULFATE.
Alfred E. Flanagan Ground I'm.
der the Wheels.
DRAGGED TWO HUNDRED YARDS

Falls to Eternity While Pursuing His Du
ties Is Brakemsn for the Chicago. Rock
Island & Pacific - Parts of His Body
strewn Along the Track.
Thirty five cars passed over the
body of Alfred Flanagan, CT this city.
on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
railway at Davenport early yesterday
morning and reduced it to an unrec-
ognizable mass of flesh.
flanagan was a brakeman and ran
between Rock Island and Brooklyn,
Iowa. He resided with his brother,
Daniel A. Flanagan, 1921 Fourth ave-
nue., also q brakeman in the employ
of the Rock Island road. The unfortu-
nate young man was summoned to his
death run Saturday night, and was
due 10 leave Sunday morning about
4 o'clock on an extra freight. Flan-
igan babe the folk at his boarding
place good bye in his usual cheerful
mood at o'clock Saturday night, and
that was the last they saw or heard
of him until the shocking informa-
ton of his death was delivered by the
call boy about Z o'clock yesterday
morning.
The extra freight departed from
Rock Island in charge of Conductor
Matt Archer and Engineer John
Kane. 1t was an unusually heavy
load for western travel, there being
80 cars in the string. necessitating
a double header part of the way.
Flanagan was head end brakeman,
and of course his post of duty was
close behind the engine.
Flanagan aIissing.
The train logged along without
any of the crew noticing anything un-
usual until Farnam was reached.
Then they failed to get an answer
from Head Brakeman Flanagan.
They investigated further and found
that he was missing. The balance
was conjectured, but not such hor-
rifying spectacle as fell to the gaze
of the unfortunately fellow workmen
as they walked along the track just
inside the limits at the western end
of Davenport. Farnam is about two
miles from Davenport. The train
was backed up slowly until evidence
of what was expected had been dis
covered. Portions Of flesh were
found strewn along the rail for a
considerable distance, and for a cou-
pie of hundred yards from where
Flanagan is supposed to have fallen
to his death the track was painted
with his life blood. In what man
ner the accident occurred is not pcs
itively known. but it is believed that
Flanagan attempted to cross from the
front car on to the tender, intending
to get into the engine cab and ride
awhile-as is customary for the head
brakeman. In stepping from the cal
to the tender it is supposed he
missed his footing and fell beneath
the merciless wheels.
Dragged Two Hundred Yards.
Flanagan fell on the south rail and
was dragged about two hundred
yards before the 35 cars had finished
grinding and dragging his body
Old railroad men say it was the most
frightful butchery that has occurred
in this vicinity for many years.
Undertaken Halligan was sum.
moned to the scene of the accident
and with the assistance of a sheet
gathered what little bits of flesh
could be found along the rail. The
unfortunate man was completely dis
emboweled and decapitated. The
heart, too, was found near the side
| of the track.
There is a sad coincidence con.
nected with this tragedy. MIR. Elan.
igan was on the extra brakeman
list for about a year. when Grant
Mounts was killed the 18th of last
December and made an opening fol
him. Now he meets his fate in the
same position and with the same
caboose. the 1910. And it is only
several days since that Elmer Brigg:
had couple of fingers crushed while
breaking with the same crew.
An inquest was he'd over the re
mains this ing at Davenport
and tonight they will be shipped tt
Wheeling, w. Va, where the de
ceased leaves a brother and sister
while his father lives at Cambridge
Ohio.