Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-11-06
ONE MAN LOSES LIFE.
Street Car and Wagon Come
Together on Fifth
Avenue.
JULIUS BANKER Is THE VICTIM

i
Accident Occurs Last Night-Outcome
of the Coroner's Inquest.
| One person was killed and two in
| iured last night in a collision on Fifth
avenue between a street car and a
| wagon. Dead:
| JULIUS BANKER.
The injured:
LOUIS MOUGIN; hand and face
| cut; not serious.
| JAMES MCGEE; head bruised; not
serious.
| The accident occurred at 6:52 in
front cfJoseph Huber's saloon at 1856
Fifth avenue. Banker, Mougin, Nc
Gee and Charles Huber were riding in
a wagon drawn by one horse and were
en- route for Huber's home. They
| stopped at the saloon at the invitation
| of Banker to have a drink. The horse
| was left standing at the watering
trough facing east. Returning from
the saloon, where Huber separated
from his companions, Banker and
Mougin joined McGee, who re-
NAMED outside in the wagon, Mou-
gin taking the reins. Just as he
turned around to drive west motor
car No. q, eastbound, of the
Fourth avenue line, with a trailer
and in charge of Motorman William
Beckwith and Conductor Frank Fir
Inau, which, as near as can be learned,
was moving at a rate of five miles
an hour, struck the rear of the
wagon, throwing the occupants
out. Mougin was hurled through
the vestibule window of the
car, landing in the arms of the mo-
torman. Banker was thrown in front
of the wagon. which slid over him.
The wagon wheel having raised the
fender, Banker was caught under the
brakebeam of the motor and his life
crushed out. In order to extricate him
it was necessary to raise the car with
jackscrews, which were procured at
the car barn. Banker was carried
into Huber's saloon, but death had
been instantaneous. Drs. j. p. Co.
megys and j. r. Hollowb bush were
summoned and cared for the
injured men. Mougin escaped
with a cut in the left hand and a cash
in the face, while MCGEE alighted on
his head and sustained bruises just
above the forehead. Several years
ago he was run over by switch en-
=
necessary to remove a portion of the
bone. Had he alighted on that tender
spot last night doctors say he would
have been killed.
The remains of Banker were after
ward taken toundertaker Knox's rooms
and prepared for burial. He was 80
years of age and married. He was
employed as driver for the Gipps
Brewing company.
Inquest Over Bankers Remains.
An inquest was conducted this
morning by Coroner l.. V. Eckhart
over the body of Banker. The follow
ing jury was impanelled: w. l..
LudolPh, foreman, and John S. Brun-
er, G. w. Henry, j. K. Johnston,
John Shelly and John Condor. The
story of Motorman Beckwith was as
follows: 81 had made a stop so
feet east of the Rock Island depot
We started east with the power up to
five notches on the controller.
then threw the power off when about
opposite the Brewing company's office.
When $50 feet east of the place |
started from, and when in front of
Huber's saloon, sawa wagon outside
at the watering trough, which is a
little east of the saloon. Just as l |
reached the saloon the horse was
started and turned in front of the
car. The horse had cleared the track |
and reached the north side of the east |
track. We struck the rear wheel of |
the wagon. As soon as l saw they
had turned, dropped the fender and |
reversed the car. The wagon was
SiI
wheel of the wagon came under tie |
fender and raised the latter. Louis |
Mougin was thrown through the yes
tibule window. The boy was thrown
between the double tracks and |
of the wagon. The wagon slid |
raised the fender, he was caught I'M
der the break beam of the car. l |
stopped the car and took him out.
He appeared to be dead. When we
were approaching the place of the
going down grade (coasting). was
started from the depot, and at the |
time of the accident. L first saw the
wagon when about twenty feet from
the saloon The wagon was facing |
east. The back part of it was in the
light from the front of the saloon.
was running five miles an hour at the
time of the accident" The motorman
said the car was in good condition
and the brakes working perfectly
Conductor Frank Firman did not
see the accident, but corroborated the
as to the speed of the car
and the precautions that are always
observed to avert accidents.
Mougin's story.
Mougin said he did not hear the
gong ringing and did not see the car
until it struck the wagon. He claimed
be and his COMPANIONS Were sober. al