The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-17

Fatal.
Yesterday afternoon about $50 O'Clock
an old man, "a years of age, was rur
over in the Rock Island yards. the
wheels passing over his legs below tbs
knees. Owing TO his extreme age his
recovery is not looked for.
As is usual at this hour, the engine
was switching in the yards. The old
man had been in the habit of going to
the yards every day for a long time, to
pick up coal which is scattered about
and which would otherwise go to waste.
IIe has come to be a familiar figure and
caused the men no trouble, never getting
in the !yay either of the moving cars or
the men. The mans name is Cyrus No
Ian, and he has been residing with his
daughter. Mrs. Fash, on Washington
avenue just south of the Stewart iron
works and upon the same side of the
street
He had bene picking up coal along the
tracks south of the water tanks and
persons who saw the accident said that
when the cars approached he did not
appear to see them or hear them. The
engine was backing at the time and the
in such a manner that his legs lay across
the rails, and the wheels passed over
them, crushing them. No one had time
to warn him or TO take him off the track
and he seemed to have always either
heard or seen the trains before. It was
learned afterwards that he was quite
deaf and subject to dizzy attacks, but
whether he felt a momentary dizziness
or simply did not see or hear the ap-
nroaching train, may never be known.
He was picked up and carried to his
home as quickly as possible, and Drs.
Oldham and Purdue summoned who
placed the sufferer under the influence
of an anesthetic as speedily as possible.
The patrol wagon was summoned and
it quickly responded, accompanied by
Officers Remspere and Horner. The
stretcher which always accompanies the
wagon was taken into the house and the
man placed upon it, carried out and
placed in the wagon and driven as care
fully as possible to the City Hospital,
where the attendants were waiting
He was carried UP stairs and placed
upon the operating table and Drs Old
ham and Purdue did all they could do
under the circumstances. The patient
was in too critical condition to permit
of but little being done. Amputation
would have resulted in speedy dissolu-
tion and so of course was not attempted
An Eagle reporter went to the hosDi-
tai with the patrol which bore the in
jured man. There he witnessed the work
ing of the attendants when a case of this
kind is taken there. The matron ap-
peared and quietly designated the point
where the man was to be taken and fol-
lowed up stairs Immediately afterward.
At the top of the stairs one of the nurses
stood waiting and led the way quietly to
the room. The quickness and precision
was indeed noticeable, so totally differ
ent from the usual excitement which
follows an accident Several of the nur-
ses were about, however, and they GER
tainly are fine looking class of young
ladies. White capped and aproned they
stood ready to do anything necessary
None Of the fainting kind, but all of
the noblest specimens Of young woman
hood.
When the patient was laid upon the
operating table three of them set 10
work Immediately to remove the mans
clothing, and to replace them with more
comfortable ones. They went at the
work with readiness and skill which
was surprising, assisting the physicians
with gentleness and speed which was
to one not accustomed 10
witnessing such things. In less time
than II would take TO tell it they had
performed their task, and there was no
hlanching of cheeks or quivering of eye
even at sight of the mangled limbs and
bloody clothing, but they went straight
to work and soon had it completed
The last report received from the hos
pital last night was that the patient was
very low, and might not survive the
night. The shock was too much for a
man Of his age, and the physicians said
at the outset that there was not one
chance in ten OF his surviving The
shock . the mans daughter, Mr.. Fash.
was indeed a severe one, and some at
tention was necessary for her, which
was tenderiy attended to by her neigh
bors.