The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-26
FACTS OF f0LEY'S DEATH |
Unfortunate Man Received Fatal
Injury to His Head.
LEG COMPLETELY SEVERED
Witnesses Relate the Circumstances At
tending the Sad Accident on Sol
diers' Day-Railroad Alb
solved From Blame.

! Coroner Julien held an inquest at
shermans undertaking rooms yester-
day afternoon to investigate the death
of Jerry Foley, who lost his life Mon
day by being struck by train on the
Northern Pacific. DR.. P. ]. Sheeran,
the county physician, who was called
as the first witness, testified that ne
was called Monday afternoon at 2:So
to the Northern Pacific round house
to attend Foley. He found him with
his head crushed SO badly that brain
matter was oozing out. One leg was
terribly crushed and was nearly cut
off. Witness ordered him taken to
the county hospital for the reason that
he could not get the st. Paul hospi-
tai ambulance. Everything was done
for Foley that possibly could be, af-
ter he reached the hospital, but there
was no hope from the first and he died
about o'clock that evening.
DR.. Donald Campbell. the Northern
Pacific surgeon, was also called to at
tend Foley. His description Of the
Sheeran's and he said death was I'M
doubtedly due to the injury of the
brain. The man could not possibly
have lived with such injuries.
Thomas Smith, an acquaintance of
Foley's, was about 100 yards away
when the accident occurred. He did
not see Foley jump the caboose of the
train, but saw him when he fell. He
fell striking on the back OF his head
and rolled, one leg going under the
wheels. Foley had a companion who
saw him fall and ran to save him,
but was too late. The train was run
ming pretty fast, coming into Butte
from the east. The train did not stop
and switch engine which came along
moment later paid no attention to
the man on the track and would have
run over the injured mans leg also,
had not a bystander picked up the
severed limb and laid it off the track.
Foley jumped the train, his companion
told the witness, to ride toward town.
Coroner Julien read the deposition
of Henry Loiselle, who was with Fo-
ley when he received his fatal injury.
1t was to the effect that he and Foley
were waiting near the Northern Pa
cific round house for the arrival of the
soldiers train. They got cold and
concluding it would be long time
before the train got in, they decided
to come up town. The freight train
came along just then and Foley pro-
posed to jump it. Loiselle said it was
going too fast. Foley, however, made
the attempt. He caught hold of the
handle bars on a car and the train
was going SO fast that he received
violent jerk, which threw him on his
head and he turned a sort of somer-
sault, one leg coming down across the
track. Loiselle ran to his assistance
and tried to pull him from under the
car, but was not in time to save the
limb Loiselle called assistance and
the injured man was removed to the
round house.
William Gallagher, conductor of the
freight; Pat Kelly, trainmaster. who
was aboard, and Charles e. Cross,
brakeman on the train, and c. E. Red
man, Northern Pacific station agent,
were called, but their testimony added
nothing to the inquiry. The train
men and tranmaster testified
with considerable reluctance, pro-
fessed to know absolutely moth
ing about the accident, and said
it was no part of their duty to pay
any attention to it. Mr.. Redman re-
lated the circumstances as he learned
them from witnesses, his testimony
conforming with that of the preceding
Witnesses.
The jury returned verdict simply
reciting the facts and absolving the
railroad company from blame.