Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-12-26
MYSTERIOUS ACCIDENT
Engineer johnny Norton, OF the
Central. Has His Skull
Fractured.
When Riding in His Engine, He
is Struck With Some Heavy
instrument.
Lies at Eldora in a Critical
Condition--=Aiiair a Deep
Mystery.
Lies at Eldora in a Critical
the queersst and most mys

One of the queersst and most lnys-
ferrous accidents that has ever oc-
CURED in railroad circles in the vicinity
OF Marshatitown and probably the most
sensational that has eyer taken Place
on tis iowa Central railroad, happened
carly Christinas mpfnins at $50 q,eAock
at i point between tas town OF E!dora,
in Hardin county, ailts the G., L. & ID
crossing, Immediately north If Fedora.
As a result of the accident Enstneer
John r. Norton, az the Central, whose
hone Is in this city at No. 5ol south
Second street, lies in the emergency
hospital at Eldors II a precautions CON-
ditipn with "a fractured sku!l and may
die.
Epginses Nosysn Mas in charge / en-
CINE No. 43, pulling passenSer 10. 3
NORTH. The train "sa.s hate out of This
city, not g~ettingsatts Of las station until
3 O'clock. Owing to The heavy Christi
mas traffic but littge tins cousl be
made ,ip and at flil@na. where the train
Vas ais, late. the ing iieas WAS moving
jalong as quickls as ls9sslole batweeN
stations and was ocssnpysIg his seat Oh
the right side or IT, a5.s utterly uacon-
lons 81 any Impeding anger.
Opposite him III tie cab Wa HIS fire.
man. Frank Grown, Of this city BROWN
hid us haad oui Of the cab MindoW as
the tfainS was pulling s,t Of Elaora
ard! MAS trying to aiSee IN whether OF
not tfc q, /. & %. crossing MAS @lear.
Ills glanced sttst Just 4 FEW moments and
turned 10 inform his engineer that cv-
asytfing was clear ine adj. When he
glanced around 10 speak to Norton he
Nsss d~umbfpuntieq s9 see linn ilangiisS
he'd Downward ard nslHlg touching
fsanr, ana snsisnesE. by one Ag THAI
wis thrown oyer tia reverse eysra
Brow.ls FIRST thuughf vas that Norton.
, had tssen afflicted WITH haSss disease
and his first lnove WIS te stop tbs en-
gins. He shut on the steam and ait-
pl.cSs tho air and as span as pessfpis
had tho locomotive 81 a stars!stlg4- "
J. lifteil Norton fran fhe y sssti7n I which
ne Mas lying 20 ore more contoftioie
land t,len for the hrs tiine ~dasf9vsrsd
:. t8aa the sagineel haai Was IN
by a blpw from sornewllafs-ae klew
!. not Mhere.
) Conductor Garter ard the members
!. u the train crew wsase hastily SIM
!. nsonsa and the fireman back q the tram
( u EldGr,a ana expert asssla1er Was
!. summoned. The co-npanN surgeon got
I 10 MIR. Nertan's sitta rs quickly as POS
[ ssbie at that time of the i2prlsAs Alin
i. had him at once removed TO tha smer-
!. ge1sry hospital. The DOCTOR found M
: Soi.ts}n i, eur!itien u be q esallseHaEs
ors.at Il glance. and upon exantinatioA
saseeifafnesI tia the frontal bone lias
b5en Sraeturea ~ q pioW that was
as.it him III about the csnte, u the
forehead. slightly ii the left side.
The engineer Of coufse vas u;2ccn-
scious and remained 80 al q Calristnias
da y9and until about 4~o.eaociS this morn;
Sing. Men he became rational for mo-
metlts at ID stims. Mrs. Norton wss y.
formed ol The accident ind ws,lt % ~
dora Christmas morning al $50.
Al 80 This morning the T.-ls.s cor
~Yespondent at Eldota sent information
that Mr. Norton was somewhat bette
end that the doctor is hopeful OF his re
cavery. altho IN caadidly states that III
lnjIiy is a fysGangerous one ineiee,
During his rational moments the engi
l;t.r stated thar the blew was receive
While he was looking cut Of the cab win
COW but how, or by wn,,il. or IN wha
n,anner, he is ranhle to stete.
After tbs accident 10 the enginee
Fireman Brown took charge of the en-
g1na and ran it To hampton, Where h
was ieleived ty Engineer Roynce. 9
Mason City, who was sent south 70, tina
purpose.
TIE FIREMAN STORY.
Fireman Brown was seen this mornin
q. a T,-R. man concerning the aeeldeni
cut he was unable 10 state anythin
that will clear up the mystery surround
ing the manner in which MIR. Noito
MAS hurt. In fact any one may hay
iteas concerning IT,. but no enc kfow.
and perhaps never viii, just hovg III
man WAS hurt. Al Fldora. so the T.-is.
correspondent states in a dispatch Til
l.orning. ii Is Thought thai the blow VA
dealt by some one thru the windov
ard that a coupling hin was used. III
corrcspondent also states that the Fl
dora police think they hfve a slight clu
Mr.. Brown, the fireman. says tht
both side windows of the cab We're ope
a, the time Of the accident, and ths
the enginee, was glaneing ont. as /
was. at the time Of the accident. II
says that after the engineer was hu,
be made a careful examination of II
cab, and found no trace ef anything Thu
:. ~ A&tailQ u lux W w II H. Il iiCi
was nothing in the cab that could ha,
caused he blow and if something W.
thrown at Ncrton's head it must ha,
fallen outside. There could have bes
! othing suspended in the air that cou
have struck the engineer. or at lea
!. iothing can be found or has ever bes
noticed along the right-os-way befor
Z here could " nothing entered fro
1.-the front window of the cab. for it W;
oolsed and the glass was not broken.
The accident Is a mystery of the dee
est sort at present. altho it is sincere
Hoped by all of the engineers frien,
that II will be cleared up. Claim Age
Marquis Barr, of Oskaloosa, Is invest
eating the case personally and is
hopes of finding something, tangible
work on.
Engineer Norton Is one of the mo
popular men on the Central and is q jr
~ n ~good-natured man. Ii would
lard to think that any one who mig
possibly have a grudge against hi
would Vent his wrath in this name
yet stranger things have happened.
Is also possible hat whoever did deliy
the blow. II 1t were delivered by a h