The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-22
GROUND TO DEATH
Jay kendriCk Instantly Killed
in Santa Fe Yards.
HIS BODY WAS Sc VERED
Knocked Off Freight Train and
Run Over While Switching.


jay Kendrick, an inexperienced switch
man. was ground to death under the
wheels Of freight train in the Santa
Fe yards at $50 o'clock last night.
Death was instantaneous.
Although horrible to even contemplate
death came to him easy, coming. as il
did without warning, he never knew
what happened after the first wheels OF
three heavily laden freight cars passed
over his body. which was completely sew
cred. The unfortunate man was SO hor-
risly mangled that his remains viii hard
" bear inspection at the undertaking
rooms
The accident was a peculiar one and
vas witnessed by w. A. Tobin, night
yardmaster They were doing some
switching in the yards. which, in that
portion, was almost blocked with freight
cars, and had just completed cutting a
train in two. Young Kendrick was
hanging on the side OF one of the cars
and Mr. Tobin was hanging on the rear
Of IT, In the yards the tracks are so
the side Of a car can not clear the cars
on the opposite track. knowing that he
was unacquainted with the yards Mr..
Tobn called TO him TO get up on top.
The warning was Needed out he allowed
MS feet 70 hang over and the only theory
to present is that they struck the end
Of the freight car on the other track and
knocked him off. The other part Of the
train, which had been cut in two, was
coming toward him about ten feet in the
rear but the force of the fall stunned
the unfortunate man and ne was power
less to release himself from the pedlous
position that meant certain and instant
death.
VIXEN he was knocked from the car he
fell over Mr. Tohin, who was still clutch
ing 10 the coupling lever, but before he
realized what had happened the wheels
Of the fast approaching freight cars were
upon the doomed man. Mr.. Tobin
jumped off the car and made a daring at
tempt to drag the PROSTATE form from off
the track but he was too late and he
vas compelled to stand there and see
the wheels Of three freight cars pass over
his body.
Eendrick fell across the last rail of the
track face downward with his head and
the larger portion of the body on the out
side of the rail and the wheels passed
over his body at the thighs, crushing the
flesh and bones 10 a pulp. His right arm
near the elbow was a mass Of ground
p flesh and when picked up only his clothes
held the body. intact. In his left temple
there was a deep cash caused by the fall
and 1t is the superstition that this caused
his immediate death and that the wheels
only passed over his dead body
After the accident Mr.. Tobin at once
notified the Santa Fe officers and Chief
Of Police Cubbon was also notified. Cor
oner McColnster was also notified and
after considerable delay the body was re-
moved to Dunbar's undertaking rooms,
where a better examination was obtained
after the clothing was removed. A watch
Kendrick wore was ground as il run
through a rock crusher. Two silver dol
lars were in his trousers pocket and were
crushed fat
To a reporter for the Eagle the yard
master had the following to say with re-
gard 70 the accident:
after I warned Jay to get Up on top
to keep the car on the opposite side
from crushing him. 1 paid but little at
tention TO his position and felt assured
that lie was safe. ! have seen so many
Inexperienced people killed in these yards
that l am always cautioning new men.
But after getting on top he must have
let his feet hang over on the side. His
lantern fell first and I thought it was
alone knocked off, and although he was
directly over me I did not know that he
had fallen until looked around and saw
his lantern on the ground. I jumped
of as hurriedly as possible to rescue
him but / was too late as the other part
OF the train was fast approaching and
assistance was out Of the question Had
l been only a few seconds closer could
have pulled him off the track and saved
h's life, unless that wound in the temple
prccgced death before the wheels touched
hin"
Jay Kendrick was about % years old
AMI came here TWO weeks ago from Ar
kansas City and was given 4 position as
saitcbnan in the yards. He was an ex-
ira brakeman for the same company out
Of Arkansas City. and although he had
followed railroading al intervals for about
five yta}s he was not regarded as an ex-
pertnced man in that line Of business
HIS Parents are farmers and reside near
SetsTick. They We're telephoned last
night buI they could not be reached and
the news of the horrible death Of their
son Will not reach their ears until to-
da r, Mr.. Ken9rick also has brother
Who is station agent for The Santa Fe
ar Spiyey. He was notified iast night ana
WI b here today to assume charge OF
the remains. An uncle of the deceased
man lives in this city lie runs q shoe
maker shop on the West Side but he
could not De found last night
The deceased was "a faithful employe.
mao Of more than ordinary ambition
ard 50ok a great interest IN his work.
Ee vas Of quiet and reserved DISPOSE
Ion. bvt nevertheless popular among hts
scTceintSnccs ana his friends who knew
him and worked Nth him in Arkansas
city fled him fer his congenial ways
ana ac-ommodatius manner. Last even
Tag ne o5s in good spirits and before the
a'eiGeut be was EoinE about his work
"nistlias. Five minutes later he was
nansled corpse.
Hot WEATHER HERE