Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-27

the C0R0NER'S INQUEST
lJuon the Death Of the Late Frank
Kicker, Killed, tuesday Morning.
r;nds He Was Killed BY N. c. r. R. Train
NO Blame Attaches to Company.

d,v forenoon in the office of w. II. Fish
or CITY Marshal Morse was the first wit
macs called. He stated that early Wednes-
aav morning he was notified that a man
had been run over netween Bridge street
and the railway bridge. He made an in
yestggation and found remains scattered
along between the first frog on the north
side of Bridge street crossing and the
min mill Did not recognize the remains.
willard A. Porter was called and testi-
fed that he was putting potatoes into
barrels in a car when Kicker came along
and looked into the car and said "Hello
Porter" and went on. That was all that
uas said This was about o'clock Mon
day night. | had the key to the car and
locked it when | Went away. ! had been
ACQUAINTED with Kicker for some time.
While employed in the car some one
came along and made rafting sound. /
asked them what they wanted. They
made no reply and went on. Ny car was
located on the siding back of George Rey-
nolds' house near the west end of the
bridge. ] was alone in the work starting
in at about or $50, and remained in the
car until about eleven O'Clock. The next
morning one of the locks on the doors
was gone. | had put it on the previous
Thursday. Think l would know the lock
If / should see 1T. 1t was a small one
had used on my stable.
Thomas r. McRae, who resides at s
Murray street testified that he was for
merly employed in pulp mill. Worked with
Kicker about TWO years. Hadn't seen him
for some time. Saw his remains on the
track Tuesday morning at about six
o'clock Went to bed the previous eve
ming at nine o'clock. ! do not recall hav-
ing seen Kicker during that evening. I
had been drinking, but was alone. Do not
recall having seen Kicker for a month
prior to Tuesday morning.
Mrs. Mary j. Smith testified that Rick
or boarded at her house near Whitney
brook Had made his home with her off
and on for twenty years. Had been work
ing the day before he was killed. Came
home to dinner, but did not come home
to supper. Had seen him under the in
fuence of liquor. i don't know where he
went Monday evening. Mr.. Kicker never
brought home any vegetables or provis-
ions to my house. / bought my potatoes
of Mr. Folsom. Coroner Bean here exhlb-
tied the bags found on the track, but wit
ness declared she had never seen any OF
them before The lock found in Kicker :
pocket was shown tAe witness. She said
she had seen it before at her house
Don't know who brought it there. I saw
it there and said to Mr.. Nickless, there
was something in the paper about a
lock-" He said, Il gave that lock tc
Frank 1t was one fellow gave me q
year ago"
Couldn't tell just when she bought hei
last potatoes. Thought it was about a
week ago; got d peck at that time
Didn't use many potatoes I'm her home
There were four i'm the family. l never
knew of Ricker's bringing home potatoes
He didn't care enough for them to bring
them home. He couldn't have brough
them there without my knowing it. Rick
er was at home Sunday might. Came II
about six o'clock and went to bed early.
Walter NJ. Wood said he lived at Whit
ney brook within a stones throw O.
where Kicker boarded. Was well ac
auainted with Kicker. Had known hin
about Il years. Was at home Monda,
night and in bed at nine o'clock. Ha,
been down on Water street lin the earl,
part of the evening. l was alone. and d!(
llol see INChtl. hVti'iiiS "'iS''
came down to work for Mr.. Getchell OF
the ice l heard of the accident to Kicker
Our relations had been friendly. but / dc
not recall to have been on the street witt
him in the past four months.
Ben w. Lapham of Watervlle. testilet
that he was an engineer on the Main'
Central; run trains No. 26 and 81; % soe;
West We leave Waterville at 1l.3o, du'
at Augusta at 1916 and in Portland a
sis. 26 is a freight train. Was on tn
train Monday night. The engine came OF
to the bridge at 12.4i; went by the depo
at l241 | always watch across the bridge
and mad my head out of the window.
did not see any one on the East side o
the river. We We're going slowly; Wer'
right on time by Granite siding. At tn
time we came on to the East side OF tn
bridge We might have been going iron
three to four miles an hour | didn't no
tce any shock. If We had run over
body l should have thought we woul'
have felt the jar. or that it would haV'
left some marks under tAe engine. W.
found a few traces of blood on the lef
hand slot of the pilot.
Henry S. Mardeu testified he resided il
Watervlle; was Il fireman on the Main
Central on trains Number 26 and 81. Wa
watching out of the window when the en-
CINE approached the east end of tn
bridge. | did not see any thing whateVe
on the iron between that place and tn
Augusta station.
Undertaken Henry w. Plummer. testi
lied that he went with the coroner an
gathered up the remains. We commence
to find pieces of the body in the frog a
the switch about 100 feet above the BridG
street crossing. There were some small
pieces on THE bridge. The lntestines wen
through the bridge on TO the sidewalk
The kidneys were found about 20 fee
from the first span hat goes over IN
street at the west era of the bridge. Thel
going along the track from the first abut
ment of the bridge where the overhead
work begins, we began finding cloth.n
and small bits of flesh. Everything indi
eating that the body hau been carrie
toward the east side of the river. TIL
largest parts of the body were found nea
the pulp mill. Remains were found i
small bits for a mile and half up tn
track. to within sight of the Two Mil