The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-03-16
A HEROIC DEED.
Peter POOs Saves the Life of a
Lady.
The Brave Rock Street Fiagman Did His
Duty, bu, Had a Narrow
Escape Himself.

Heroes are not always created during
war, but men, even in the humber
walks of life. often show the
qualities that command admiration on
the field of battle when the opportuni-
ties offer in peaceful vocations. So it
is with Peter Poos. He might never
have gained distinction had he not done
his duty last evening, even at the risk
of his own life.
Peter Poos for the last three year
has been night fagman for the
Chicago & Northwestern road at the
Rock street crossing. Previous to that
he was section hand for the Omaha
road for six years He lives at 400
North Fifth street, with his wife and
two fat. rosy checked children. His
duty as night fagman is to stand on
the west side of the Chicago & North
western tracks and warn drivers of
teams and pedestrians of the approach
of trains, and thus prevent accidents.
as the crossing is dangerous one
Tuesday evening when the stub train
pulled in from the Junction after hav.
ing met the through train, Peter was
en- duty as usual AS the train was
rafting around the curve, in charge of
Conductor G. A. Richardson and En-
gineer John Burt, Miss Lizzie Klauges
approached the crossing from the east,
going toward her home on the west
side of the track. Miss Klauges, who
is sister of Peter Klauges, was we'll
muffied up to protect her face from the
biting northwest wind She did not
appear to see or hear the rapidly APP
preaching train, and before she reached
the track, Mr.. Poos called to her to
stay where she was until the train had
passed. She stopped for moment,
and then started ahead, still apparently
ignorant of the near approach of the
train, which was now only few feet
from her. Mr.. Poos shouted to her
again, but it was too late to stop her,
for she was more than half way across
the track before she noticed the train,
now not six feet from her. She hest
tated again, and in another instant
might have been ground under the
wheels of the engine had not Mr.. Poos
leaped to her side and pushed her
across to the west side of the track.
While he had just time to do this, he
bod ,of fD lzn hic
The engine struck him and the cow
catcher caught and hurled him twenty
feet to the west. where he fell on the
Omaha track. The train was stopped
as soon as possible, and brave Peter
Poos was carried into his little shanty
by the track.
DR.. L. F. Schmauss was summoned
and found Mr.. Poos suffering from
three Commissions or severe bruises. A
small one was located on the back of
his head, and one between his
shoulders. little to the right of the
spine, and another at the small of his
back, little to the left of his spine.
4NO1O VI LILO Jul1Oo WOlO VI % SOI1Ooo
nature. Mr.. Poos was removed to his
home, and will probably be confined to
his bed for week or two.
Mr. Poos was seen at his home this
morning by Free Press reporter, and
he gave an account of the affair, SUBJ
stantially as stated above He said
that if he had not done as he had the
lady would probably have been killed.
He considered that he had merely done
his duty by the railroad company, and
thought himself fortunate to escape as
lightly as he had done.
A bystander who saw the entire pro-
ceeding corroborates Mr. Poos' state
ment. The train was running at its
usual speed.
Mr.. Poos is thirty three years of age,
and carried $1,000 of life insurance
with the Catholic Order of Foresters.
He is a rather short and feshy man, and
was suffering much pain today from
his bruises,