The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-08
ANACONDA news.
RUN OVER AND KILLED
Joseph Sibila Meets Death in the
East Anaconda Yards.
He WAS A SECTION HAND
He and His Companions Were on a hand
Car Coming to Town When Over
taken by a Freight Train.
Killed Instantly.

Joseph Sibila. a native of Finland,
about 43 years of age, and who was
employed as a section hand on the
Butte. Anaconda & Pacific railway, was
instantly killed in the East Anaconda
yards yesterday evening a few minutes
before 6 o'clock. The section crew in
charge of Foreman John j. Kelly were
riding through the East Anaconda
yards on their way to the section house
in his city. when they were overtaken
by freight train No. So. an extra, in
charge of Engineer Johnson and Con-
ductor Gates. The hand car contained
nine men, including the foreman, and
was going the same way as the freight
train, viz, towards this city. Sibila
was helping to pump the car and stood
facing the approaching train. The sec
ton foreman noticed hat the train was
overtaking them N he ordered the
men to stop the car. so as to remove IL
from the track and let the freight train
pass them. Before the car was stopped
Sibila jumped off backwards and missed
his footing. He fell on the track and
the car passed over him and went sew
eral car lengths beyond him before ii
could be stopped.
Before Sibila's companions could
reach him and remove him from the
track, the rapidly approaching freight
train struck the unfortunate man. The
engine rolled him over and over, crush
ing all the life out of him. When the
train was stopped he was pulled out
from under the train three or four cars
distant from the engine. Although no
time was lost in going to his assist
ance when the train stopped, the man
was almost dead when reached. He
gasped a few times and was dead. The
evening passenger train from Butte
came along a few minute later n the
body was placed or that n brought
to Anaconda.
The remains were taken to Ehret's
morgue, an examination there showed
that the unfortunate man was almost
scalped and that nan of the bones of
his body had cen crushed in. and that
death u have been almost instan-
taneous 1t is possible that he was
dead before the engine struck him, and
his companions believe hat he was at
least made unconscious by the hand car
passing over him. 1t will probably
never be known whether the car or the
train caused his death.
Conductor Gates was seen at his
home last night. He said he was in the
caboose of the freight train at the time
the accident occurred. He did not see
the engine strike Sibila, but when the
train stopped he instinctively looked at
HIS WdlC4l LII HOlICGu II was just O.f@
o'clock.
The Standard reporter accompanied
Coroner Ha~rdenbrook to the section
house last evening for the purpose of
learning what. IL any effects. the dead
man a left there. The section fore
man said that Sibila went to work for
the railroad company Jun 20 last.
Neither the foreman nor the other sec
ton men knew anything about the dead
man. They said they thought he was
about 43 years of age, but could only
take their own Judgment for that. as
they had heard Sibila mention his
age or anything about his relatives, If
he had any.
The coroner took charge of and re-
moved the dead man effects to Judge
Williams court o His belongings
consisted of a black coat and vest, and
a gunny sack full of underclothes of
different kinds and descriptions. In the
vest was found a new pocketbook. IL
contained some accounts, and among
other things an empty envelope adj
dressed to Mrs. Sofia Perkola, 525 South
Montana street. Butte. There was also
a small slip of paper in the book con-
tanning the following address,: Nellie
Poranen. Box "a. Philipsburg. Mont"
Folded up in a pocket of the book was
found a final citizenship paper issued
to Joseph Sibila by Judge Brantly Sept.
81. 1894. This paper also showed that
Sibila was originally a native of Fin
land. The witnesses to his signature
were N. A. Strand and Mat Pankari.
On the back of the paper there was a
registration agents certificate, show
ing that Sibila had registered to vote
in Missoula county in 1896. These were
all the papers found.
Coroner Hardenbrook will hold an in
quest in Judge Williams court at IL
o'clock this morning. All the section
men and those on the train will be
called to testify at that time. No ar
rangements regarding the funeral will