The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-03
FELL UNDER THE WHEEL
Little Samords Rodlln Was Rid.
ing on the Brakebeam.
HIS LIFE CRUSHED OUT
Mr.. and Mrs. Kobacewich Saw the Hor-
rifying Spectacle-A Little Girl Was
With Him, but She Jumped
in Time.

coroner Julien held an inquest at
Sherman's undertaking rooms last
evening to investigate the accident on
the butte, Anaconda & Pacific railroad
tuesday afternoon in which the 6-year-
Old son of Jacob Rodlin was killed by
being run over by a car From the tes-
timony taken it appeared that the de-
scriptlon of the manner in which the
boy was killed as given by alleged eve
witnesses Tuesday was not correct, and
that the boy was not struck while
crossing the railroad track, but was
riding on the brakebeam of the car and
fell under the wheels.
The details of the accident were re-
lated by Mr.. and Mrs. Michael Kobace-
wich who live but few yards from
tse scene where it occurred, at the
intersection of North Wyoming street
with the single track of the b., A. & p.
Mr.. and Mrs. kobacewich We're on their
way down town and arrived at the
track just as the switch engine with
two cars ahead of it started to back
over the crossing They saw the boy
with little girl standing on the brake
beam of the first car, holding onto the
platform. AS the engine started the
girl jumped and got clear of the track,
but the boy fell and went under che
wheels. They were forced to witness
the horrifying spectacle of seeing his
life crushed out.
Patrick O'Shea, foreman of the switch
engine, was next called. He said he
came down from the hill with a train
of cars to be disposed of in the yards.
1t became necessary to cross Wyoming
street in switching. The engine was
backing out with a couple of cars and
ct tp
switch he noticed the engine stop. He
was surprised to see the engine stop,
and knew something must have hap
pened. Running forward to see what
could be the trouble, he learned of the
accident. The boy was lying between
the rails, close to the north rail. The
right side of the head and body We're
terribly crushed. Witness stated that
the trainmen experience great annoy
ance from the children living near the
crossing and it was utterly impossible
to keep them off the cars. 1t was
wonder more children were not killed.
Martin McManuS. SWitChman, was
called but knew nothing of the circum-
stances of the accident. He stated that
the children of the locality were eX-
cessively annoying about climbing on
cars and, if they We're made to get off,
they would hide and pelt the trainmen
with rocks.
u.
testimony corroborative of the state
ments of the other witnesses.
Amasa Matthews, the fireman, said
ne was looking back as the engine
started to back. He saw woman (Mrs.
Kobacewich) put her hands UP to her
face as though Mortified and then saw
a hat roll out from under the first car
He knew something had happened and
told the engineer to stop, which he did
p. Carmody, the engineer, was called,
but knew nothing of the circumstances
of the accident except that his fire.
man called to him to stop, and he did
so in going about three feet. He, also,
said the children of the locality gave
vast amount of trouble to the railroad
men and their parents did not appear to
make any effort to prevent it, Witness
stated that his train did not move more
than 20 feet all told.
The jury found verdict which re-
cited the facts absolved the railway
company from any blame and to which
was appended this clause:
I'VE further find that much blame at
taches to parents who permit children
to play upon the railroad tracks en-
dangering their lives by jumping On
and off cars"