Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-09-24
KILLED BY TIE TRAIN

- Il u L. "
John Heckinger Meets Death sunday
Evening 10y Jumping in Front
of a Moving Train.
When the Burlington passenger rtrain
was returning from Minnekahta Sun.
day evening, and was short distance
west of the Springer ranch, Il man very
suddenly jumped upon the track, about
twenty feet ahead of the engine, and
began waving his hands. Although it
was rather dark Engineer Brundage
managed to see him and endeavored to
stop, but before the train was brought
to standstill the man had been struck.
1t proved to be John iieckinger, a
member of the Soldiers Home, better
known about here as "Johny Come
Lately" Ills jaw was terribly broken,
deep hole penetrated the side of his
face, and his left leg was cut off just
above the ankle He was picked up
and brought to the city, but only lived
short time.
On Monday Coroner Joyce empanel-
led u jury consisting of w. A. Wagner,
foreman, j. j. McCurdy and J. j. Jones,
who, after Il careful Investigation, re-
turned the following verdict:
I'VE, the jury, find that John Heck
niger met his death by being
struck by the locomotive pulling
train No. 2l3 of the B. n M. II.
II. on the evening of Sunday,
September 10, at about 40 o'clock;
that said stroke was not caused by
negligence or carelessness of the raj
road employees. We further find that
John Heckinger was not under. the
influence of liquor at all, but that he
was of unsound mind.'
Poor Johny had gotten it into his
weak mind, probably through the ad
vice of some one incapable of even SO
exalted thoughts as the victim, that
there was dance hall out towards
Minnekahta, and he told Harry Gay
hart, who met him walking along the
track, that he was going out to the
dance hall to hear the music. Mr..
Gayhart urged him to turn back or he
would not get to the Home before dark
but he said he just wanted to hear the
music a little while, and went on.
John Heckinger became member
of the Soldiers Home on Feb. Is, 1894,
and has been here almost continuous
ly since. He was quiet, peaceable
citizen, but his mind has been gradu-
ally growing weaker for several years,
until it had almost wholly gone. Yet
he was capable of caring for himself
and burdened no one. He was born in
Cincinnati, Ohio, about 81 years ago;
enlisted in the 6Sth Ind lnft., Co. i, in
August, 1862, serving until June, 1865.
OF his army life Mr.. NJ. Pendergast, of
the Home, is quite familiar, and in an
interview with the STAR said:
"Yes, knew John very we'll in the
army. I was in Co. B. of the same reg
iment, and first sargeant; John being
short was at the foot of his company,
and they were just in advance of my
company; being at the head of my
company. and John at the foot of his,
we were thrown together, and he and
lay side by side OH the battle ground
of Chickamauga just 81 years ago on
the night that John was killed. We
were under ire all day Sept. 10, 1868,
and at night we were ordered to lay
down just as we were i'll ranks, which
placed John and l side by side. l
never knew him to drink liquor while
in service; he was then bright, active
and strong. didn't know he was in
this part of the country until l came
here, but recognized him at once, but
the poor fellow had become SO weak
minded that he could not remember
me or his army experiences. On Sat
urday l asked him if he remembered
the day "a years ago, but he could not.
John was universally liked, .ovial and
happy in his army life
He leaves Il wife and five children,
Mrs. Heckinger and four children liv
ing near Manhattan, Wyo.. and IL mar
ried daughter, Mrs j. l.. Jordan, living
at Lead City. The latter and her hus.
band came down from Lead Monday
night and were present ut the, funeral
which was held at the Home chapel on
Tuesday afternoon at o'clock, Rev
Pearson officiating.
Mrs. tIeckinger arrived Tuesday
evening, too late for the funeral.