Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-24
KILLED AT BATAVIA
Lee r. Hamilton Meets Instant
Death While Switching.
BRAKEMAN RESIDING At GALESBURC.
Engineer Frank Knox Breaks Record
for Fast Running ON the Burling.
ton-Special Train of Omcials
Enroute to Des Moines.

From Wednesdays Daily.
Lee r. Hamilton,a Burlington brake
man, was instantly killed while
He was coming west on AN extra
switching at Batavia this morning.
which had stopped at Batavia to set
out car. Hamilton stepped between
the cars to uncouple them, and in
some manner, it is not known just
ers. The accident occurred about 1880
o'clock and there were number of
people standing near when it happen
ed. They saw Hamilton go between
the cars but did not watch his further
movements. When he failed to appear
some one looked between the cars and
there saw his body pinioned between
the huge bars which had instantly
crushed out his life. His limp form
remained on one of the draw-bars
when the other was pulled away. His
body was crushed in horrible man
ner, and death was almost instanta-
neous. The remains were brought to
Ottumwa on No. 8. DR.. S. L. Houck,
the company physician, made an eX-
animation of the injuries, after which
the remains were removed to the I'M
.dertaking parlors of McIntire & Sulli-
van where they were prepared for bu-
rial.
There was slight grade where the
train was standing, and the only theo-
ry advanced for the accident is that
after the cars had been uncoupled the
rear part of the train started to run
down hill. The engineer had had a
signal that is usually given when nee
essary to slack the train for the pur-
pose of pulling pin and had not re-
ceived the go ahead signal nor any 9TH
er sign from Hamilton after he went
between the cars. The supposition is
that when the rear part of the train
started back Hamilton stepped be-
tween the bumpers for the purpose of
reaching lever to put on the air,
and while thus engaged was caught
by the front part of the train which
he had just signaled back for the pur-
pose of giving the slack i'll the train.
The train was in charge of Conduc-
tor j. B. Benbow, the other brakeman
being Hugh Beck. The engine, No.
1880, was in charge of Engineer r. C..
Carroll and Fireman George Gabriel,
all of Galesburg.
Lee r. Hamilton, the deceased, was a
young man and single. He had not
been in the employ of the Burlington
company a great while, having been
previously engaged with the street rail-
road company at Galesburg. His
father resides at Wheeling, West Nir-
ginia, and he is said to have relatives
at Abingdon, Ill. His remains will be
taken TO Galesburg for interment this
afternoon.
Creston Advertiser: Fast mail rec
ords for ive-car train with a stop at
Villisca, went to pieces yesterday
morning when Engineer Frank Knox
stopped the 1850 at the U. P. transfer.
The complete time consumed during
the trip was 113 minutes, but ten
minutes were lost in delay, making
the actual running time 1O3 minutes
for run of 104 miles. Fast mail train
No. Is came into Creston AZ minutes
late and left for the final run at 6:O7.
At s o'clock Knox was at the trans
fer, having recovered all the delay but
five minutes. It was a terrific run and
gave two of the old mail clerks sea-
sickness. The way that old Worlds
Fair machine bored hole in the at
mosphere was marvel. Engineer
Knox started after the delay in a
manner that indicated that he intend
ed to get a good slice of it before the
terminus was reached. He went to
Villisca, 36 miles, in 80 minutes; Red
Oak, fifty-two miles west, was reached
in 81 minutes, and in SO minutes from
the time the train left Creston, Knox
stopped at Pacific Junction. One min
ute was lost at Villisca, four at Red
Oak and five at Pacific Junction. Fire
man Ed Hosier kept the steam at the
proper figure and Conductor Mike
Farrell and Flagman Newt Grub
were sticking to the side walls of the
Mail car. 1t was a great run, but Just
such run as Engineer Knox is capa-
BILE of making. The speed down the
some instances equaling ninety miles
an hour. When it comes to making UP
lost time the west division boys can be
depended upon.
A Burlington special, comprising the
special coaches of General Manager w.
C. Brown, General Superintendent j.
D. Besler, and Superintendent C. NJ.
Levy, passed thru the city this morn
ing enroute for tour Of inspection
of western Iowa lines. From here
they were going to Des Moines, and
were joined by o. E. Stewart, super
of the East Iowa division,
and w. j. Calvin. The other members
Of the party besides Messrs. Brown,
iBesler and Levy, were George B. Har-
ris, first vice president; P. S. Eustis,
general MANAGER and ticket agent. T
NJ. Bechtel, division freight and pas
senger agent, and Superintendent J..
f. Deems.
Free of Charge.