The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-10-27

couples walking down the track and
saw the Northwestern train approach
ing. Did not pay any particular atten
ton to them, but as he looked up saw
the young lady thrown several feet
from the car, The train was about
block from the couple coming out of
cut when he noticed it. When the train
stopped the deceased was on the track
between caboose and engine. Did not
go to the track after the accident. There
was box car and caboose ahead of en-
CINE. Could not say whether the en-
CINE whistled or not. Did not notice it,
as there were two engines on Omaha
train and in going up grade they make
-agreat deal of noise. The train which
struck deceased was not running at
high rate of speed.
Geo. W. Barker next testified. Said
he was about 300 feet this side of the
young couple toward the city, about
forty feet from track, on pile of stone
Saw the train when it struck deceased.
Saw it some thirty or forty feet before
it struck deceased. The whistle sound
ed and the brakeman was shouting to
get deceased to leave the track. Heard
the whistle, which attracted his atten-
ton. The train was then about thirty
feet away. Called and signalled to the
young man, but he did not see nor hear
nor did he pay any attention to the
whistle. Saw him struck by the box
car and knocked down on the track,
when the trucks struck him and rolled
him along some, and the caboose then
passed over him. Thought the train
could be seen little over block away
from where the deceased stood, There
was car and caboose at ached to the
engine which was backing in Did not
think the engineer could have seen the
deceased, as his view was probably OBJ
structed by the car and caboose. Said
there was more or less travel along the
trac ok, principally by the quarrymen
Did not think deceased saw the train
that struck him.
Conductor Richardson, who had
charge of the Northwestern train, was
next called. He was in caboose. The
whistle of his engine sounded, as also
that Of the Omaha engine. Must have
blown eight or ten times. Looked out
toward Omaha train, but saw nothing.
Then looked out of window on the other
side and saw the young lady rolling
down the bank. When I got out of ca
boose I.picked 'up the young lady and
carried her down the track forty OF
fifty yards to where the other couple
were, then came back and found the
young man was alive and he was picked
up and put into the caboose. Thought
he was dead when first saw him.
Eric Erickson, the brakeman, who
was on the box car, was called, Said
he first saw the deceased about five
or six car lengths ahead of the train
That was as far as could be seen ahead
in the cut. Called to them to get of
the track and signalled to engineer t.
stop and then set the brake of car
Deceased did not look back. Whistle
was blown as soon as signal was given
Usually had ears back of engine push
ing into city and engine was backed in
but with passenger train always ha6
engine ahead of cars.
Alex Thompson, the other brakeman
on the train, was next called, he had NJ
new evidence to offer as he did not SEE
the accident. Heard the whistle an6
set brake of caboose.
| VIM. F. Carroll, the engineer
on the Northwestern engine at the
time of accident next testified. Said
he saw both the deceased and the young
lady as soon as he came through the
cut. Blew the whistle several times as
soon as he saw them. Then reversed his
engine which went several car lengths
and stopped. Deceased was about 200
feet ahead of train when first seen. Did
not see anybody signal him. Was
watching the young couple and trying
to get them off the track. When he
saw that they were not going to step
off. blew the whistle. 1t was not usual
to blow the whistle until it was seen
that whoever was on the track was not
ooino tn opt off
Frank Chambers, the fireman on the
engine, was next called, but did not add
anything, as he was on the outside of
the curve and the cars ahead INSTRUCTED
his view. Had there been no cars ahead
could have seen them. Thought they
ran five or six car lengths after the
whistle sounded. Rang the bell from
time the whistle first sounded. Did not
know whether train could have been
stopped before it struck deceased had
engine been ahead of cars.
The jury returned verdict, in sub
stance, that the deceased came to his
death by reason of his own carelessness,
while walking on the G. & N. w. track.
by being struck by train. etc.
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