Evening journal., 1897-10-04
KILLED, BUT HOW I?
Peter O'Neil, of Clayton, Met
an Awful Death.
HE WAS A PROSPEROUS FARMER

HE WAS A PROSPEROUS FARMER
HIS BODY FOUND ALONG THE
ROAD NEAR BOHEMIA MANOR
BY A COLORED MAMIE WAS
TERRIBLY CRUsHED-sUPPOSED
HE WAS KILLED BY FAILING
INTO A DRILL-PLOW.
Clayton, October 2.
A gloom has been cast over this little
town by the mysterious death yes
terday afternoon of Peter O'Neil, |
who was at one time one of THE
best and trusted engineers Of the Penn
sylvania railroad, but who, from old
age, had been retired.
FARMER O'NEIL'S HOME.
Behind cluster of large chestnut
and poplar trees stands the home of the
O'Neils. II was a happy home this
morning, but the grim reaper which
commands us all to cross that dark
river where the dark ferryman in Char
ons boat propels us on to that dark
ethereal space wrought gloom
and sorrow to the happy household.
| Peter ONeil Pete as he was known
among his friends was one Of the best
i liked men in Clayton He was about 66
years OF age and had been an engineer
on the Pennsylvania railroad until he
had reached the age which rendered
him incapable for duty. After his re-
p tirement from the railroad Mr.. O'Neil
- purchased a small farm near Clayton
and his knowledge OF farming was
e. manifested by the excellence of the
crops and the general keeping Of the
farm.
{ HIS MYSTERIOUS DEATH.
Sometime between the hours of and
3 o'clock Mr. O'Nei took one of the farm
wagons from the stable, presumably to
10 20 the lower end Of the farm. lie
reached his destination but whether he
went 90 return with load of hay is not
known. lie did not return at the usual
n0ur but his absence Occasioned no
- surprise from the members OF his
r family, who were also at work In thC
farm house. AT the end of the farm
d, house is a gate, which is only used
when the teams are taken from the sta
ble
Whether Mr. CNcil, after his return
from the lower end of the farm, return
ed and went down the road leadin.
+ from h.s home SIS the question which
pcrpiexcs the minds OF the citizens, Wh,
y are now discussing the death cf Mr.
= O'Neil.
T. HORSES WERE MAD.
y Just as the sun mad cast its dying
!, shadows Gu the western horizon, Coz
:, ored man whose name could not b
" learned,was returning in awagon
n .e.nen BOueAlla AidnOl mad been fvdCh
~ ed the CUiCred man was startled b.
- seeing team coming pell-mell dOwl
the road.
The way In some places is just wild
- enough to admit one team to pass, AM
~ the man, knowing that an acciden
i' could not be averted, ran his team int
a hedge No sooner had that been don
when the team, with lightning rapidity
brushed passed him. He made no et
II fort to catch the fleeing animals, as
\, was an impossibility.
FINDING THE BODY.
The colored man, thinking that tn
III team belonged to some of the farmer
on the road, thought nothing of tn
"a matter until Bohemia had been reacf
es ed, when the PROSTATE body of ma
q was found lying on the road. II
% stopped his team and, going up
~ where the body lay, he was Mortified
. find the body of Peter O'Neil. The co
y. ored man gently lifted the body into n
- wagon, which was standing near, an
n' made all possible haste to the neare;
farm house, which was about mi
y away. When the farm house had bee
0i reached the colored man summOnC
= help and the body was carried into Il
~ house and placed on a couch. Rem
i' dies, such as are always kept on har
at a country home, were applied ar
rc given him, but the angel of death he
beckoned, and Pete" O'Neils soul hS
b., winged its flight.
IL After Mr.. O'Neil had died the boo
TO was put in a wagon and taken to /
n late home. An examination of the boo
IN was then made, and it showed that Sc
ere eral bones in the body had been brok'
hs and his skull fractured. Other mar
as on the body were found and foul pli
was then suspected Some advance Il
idea that Mr.. O'Neil had been stru'
by train, but that theory is not ge
orally believed.
~, Had the team been struck by an G
'N gine the horses would have been kill
TX, and the wagon demolished, but bo
lis the horses and wagon escaped injui
1t was learned late last night that A
s O'Neil had been ileeced out of sever
thousand dollars by bunco men, b
sC when the family was seen il was
,,a MED
"' Mr.. O'Nail died with closed lips, b
q. coronera jury viii endeavor to d
5 cover the cause of his death.
on,