Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-27
DEATH ON THE RAIL.
Switchman Deloss r. Holmes
MORALLY Injured While
at Work.
CHRISTMAS NIGHT ACCIDENT.


Rock Island a Peoria, Falls Between
Two Cars, and His Limbs Are Terribly
MangIed. Death Ensuing n Few Hours
Afterward-An Inquest.
Deloss +. Holmes, a switchman for
the Rock Island & Peoria Railway COM
pany, was run over by train while
at work Sunday night, and received
mortal injuries, which caused his
death a few hours after the accident,
the end coming while he was at St.
Anthony's hospital under the care of
surgeons, who realized that it would
be useless to attempt the operation
which would be necessary, as his weak
ened condition would not permit the
attendant shock.
Holmes left his family, who reside
on Ninth street and First avenue, early
Christmas night. At O'Clock lie
was engaged with his fellow-switch-
men and engine, with Andrew Blumer
at the throttle and Fireman Thomas,
in making up train of freight cars.
At Nineteenth street he stepped be-
tween two cars, after giving the sig
nal to 60 ahead, to uncouple them.
The engineer obeyed the signal, and
on reaching the point where he eX-
pected to receive another order from
Holmes, looked in vain for the famil-
lar twinkle of the lantern. He feared
something had happened, and began
to slack up his locomotive.
Suddenly he was startled by some
one crying his name The engine
coming to standstil, the terrible
discovery was made. But the victim
was wholly conscious, and with his
limbs under the wheels and his body
partially beneath the ash pan of the
heaving steed, calmly requested the
engineer to back up way in order
that he could be gotten out. The I'M
fortunate, his limbs frightfully man
gled, was tenderly picked up and car
ried into the switchman's room at the
depot, where Drs. S. C.. Plummer and
Joseph De Silva, who had been i'm
mediately summoned, arrived within
10 minutes. They did what they
could for the in jured man. and in
accordance with their orders the am
bulance was called and he was con-
veyed to St. Anthony's hospital. The
physicians safd Holmes could not
stand the required surgical treatment
and concluded all that could be done
for him for the present was to allevi-
ate his pain. At O'Clock Holmes
began to sink, and death ensued an
hour later.
NoOne Sees the Accident.
Just how the accident occurred no
one seems able to explain. Holmes
told Engineer Banner that he got his
foot caught in n frog. 1t is supposed |
he also grappled hold of something
when he realized his fate and was
dragged several car lengths, as his |
shoe and sock were founS consider |
able distance from the body. Holmes
left leg was crushed air st off about |
six inches above the ankle Joint; the |
tissues of the right leg were |
torn from the inner side leg bone
from the ankle to the knee. and the |
right arm was crushed just below the
shoulder joint.
An inquest was held over the re-
mains yesterday afternoon, at Knox's
rooms, by Coroner L. V.
Eckhart and a jury composed of w. |
L. Ludolph, j. w. Qulilan, c. n. Nc
Donald, II. \. Clevenstine, +. A. |
Smith and c. A. johnson. The tes-l
timony of Mrs. Grace Holmes, de-
5 wife. Engineer Andrew Baum
er, Fireman Thomas, Switchman Jerry
and DIR. De Silva was heard.
after which a verdict was returned
that Holmes met his death from inju-
ries received while in the discharge of
his duties in the employ of the Rock
Island IL Peoria Railway company.
Holmes was % years of age, and is
survived by his wife and mother. The
funeral was held ut O'Clock this after
noon, in Milan, the native home of the
deceased, services being held in the
Methodist church.