The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-31
INSTANTLY KILLED
Elias Lytle Struck Down by a
Northern Pacific Train.
CAUGHT ON A TREsTLt
He Tried to Save himself by Dropping
Between tbs Ties = His Hea Was
Split Open He Came to
Montana In 1895

Another old-timer of Montana was
stricken from the list of Butte citizens
yesterday morning when Elias Lyle
was instantly killed by a Northern Pa
cifc train. Mr.. Lytle. who was "a years
old. had lived since the beginning Of
this year with Colonel H.. c. Worthing-
ton. who lives in East Butte. Mr..
Lyle arose abou; 1880 o'clock this morn
ing. had breakfact. and decided to come
10 town to witness the Decoration day
parade IL there should be any.
The weather looked threatening. but
nevertheless ne concluded to go TO town.
AS II was muddy I'm the street, he start
ed for town OF the Northern Pacific
track.
The Whitehall special, which leaves
the Butte depot at s o'clock, approached
h trestle bridge near the Silver Bow
mill before Mr.. Lyle had crossed IL. He
was about; 40 feet from the eastern end
when the engineer saw the old man. The
whistle was und and the bell rung.
hut according to the men on the engine,
Mr.. Lyle gave no sign. and apparently
did not hear the train. The engine
was reversed, but this was not sufficient
TO stop the train in time. The engine
struck Mr.. Lyle and killed him in
stantly.
The body of the Head nan was
brought TO the depot. and from there to
Sherman's undertaking room. An ex-
animation of the body showed the head
had been split open. the blow evidently
striking at the center of the frontal
bone. The fact that there was no in
jury to the arms. legs or body has led
many who examined the remains yes
terday to believe thai Mr.. Lyle had
heard the approaching train and had
tried to ave himself by lowering HING
self through the ~trestle. Apparently
he had succeeded in getting all of him
self through the trestle except his head,
which had alone received the blow from
the engine. The skull was split square
in two.
Mr.. Lyle, in his third of a century
which he has lived in Butte. had the
reputation of being a singularly cool
and collected man. He was seldom ex-
cited, never lost his head. and his
friends are inclined to believe that he
heard the train all right and tried to
save himself I'm the way suggested.
Mr.. Lyle was born In Seneca county.
Ohio. a little more mar "A years g
He early removed to the West. and has
been a conspicuous figure in the Rocky
mountain region since the early sixties.
He first came to Bear gulch in 1865. and
"a W. nv Ft'hN ~, -
10 years mining and prospecting all
through Montana. most of his time be-
ing spent in Deer Lodge county, OF
which Butte was then a part. He was
elected assessor of Deer Lodge county
In 1873. He was a deputy sheriff in
Phiiipsburg. and also In Deer Lodge.
He removed to Butte to remain perma-
nently in 1850. and has frequently been
In the police service. and has served as
constable several terms. He was for
over six years a deputy sheriff in this
county. and. in fact. the first deputy
sheriff Silver Bow county ever had.
Many Butte people had an idea that Mr..
Lyle served I'm the war of the rebellion.
but this s not believed. He did serve
with the oregon troops against an out
break in that state before he came to
Montana.
Mr.. Lyle was never married. n
leaves no relatives in Montana as far
as known. He is believed to have rela-
tives in Ohio and Missouri. He was a
gentle. kind. homes man. respected and
esteemed by every one i'm Butte.
Coroner Tremblay will hold an inquest
this afternoon.