Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-08-27
SINGULAR DEATH
or A Well known b. & o. Engineer
Near Connellssiile.
Connellsville News,

Seated in the cab, with his hand
on the throttle, Samuel Swarner,
one Of the most trusted engineers or
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
was instantly killed near Indian
! Creek on Friday evening. A boulder
falling from the side of the steep
mountain, struck the unfortunate
man and dashed his brains against
the side of the cab. The accident
one Of the strangest in the history
of railroad tragedies, was peculiarly
sad and distressing.
Swarner was at Garrett on Friday
afternoon. His wife and little child
who gladdened his Highland avenue
home, had been there visiting rela.
tives. They were waiting for tht
evening train to come to Connells
vile. His wife went to the siding
where her husbands engine stood
and chatted with him while waiting
for the passenger. He helped her
on the train saying, Goodbye, I'll
be home in time for supper If we
have no bad luek.n His train was
scheduled to follow the west bound
passenger, close on it's wake, as the
Duquesne would soon after claim
| the right Of way.
/ The train was running at a good
rate of speed and had just passed
the bridge at Indian Creek when the
engine was shaken by a sudden jar
The fireman, George Brand, called
to Swarner. but was not answered
and found him living over the arm
rail of the cab, still and bleeding,
Without telling the other trainmen
Brand took the throttle and raced
the heavy train toward Connellsville
in the hope of saving the life OF the
injured man The engine, with
twenty two heavy loads, plunged
| down the mountain grade. When
halfway down, the train parted I'M.
der the strain and the rear cars stop.
ped by the air brakes, laid on the
tracks. The train pulled up at the
yards here and Dr. NJ. j. Shupe huri
ried to the injured man. He
found him dead. From marks on
the engine it is thought that the
| boulder was not large one. After
striking Swarner on the head il
broke the side OF the cab.
At his home on Highland avenue
Mrs Swarner prepared supper and
waited. Sooner than she expected,
she heard some one coming and won
| dered who was with her husband
Like cloud, sadness fell over the
home when several railroaders, in
their blackened working clothes
told her of her husbands death
He had met with bad luck.
ANOTHER VERSION.
While the second section Of train
No. 81 was coming west huge
boulder rolled down the cliff at In
dian Greek and struck Engineer
Jacob Swarner on the head He was
leaning far ont OF the cab window at
the time. When the death blow re.
leased his hold upon the throttle
the engine leaped forward at in
creased speed. Fireman George
Brand realized at once that some
thing was wrong and crossed the
cab to find Swarner with blood gush-
ing from a great wound at the base
of the skull and in dying condi-
ton
/ Brand determined to get his en-
gineer into Connellsville for surgi.
cal attention If possible. He seized
the throttle and threw it wide open
The train of % heavily loaded cars
sped on at a terrific rate. Only IL
minutes were given to travel eight
miles to Connellsville and at the
same time escape last passenger
train No. IL, going East. When the
Journey was half done the train
parted under the strain, and the
airbrakes closed down and stopped
the cars dead still. No 12was flag
ged and sidetracked, and Brand with
Swarner hanging from the window
pulled into Connellsville, but too
late. The engineer died just as he
was coming into the yards.
mo Longer Secret.
Everybody in and about Morgan
fxa r%onr Is ta1Ixipn about fha West