Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-04
WAS BADLY INJURED
Harry Booth, a Burlington Brake
man, Assaulted by Tramps.
HIS SKULL IS BADLY FRACTURED
Removed to ottumwa Hospital Where
Injury Was Trephined-Search for
Tramps Is UnsuccessfuI-Men Be-
lieved to Have Come to This City.


From Tuesdays Daily.]
Harry Booth, we'll known Burling-
ton brakeman, whose home Is in this
city, was brutally assaulted at s:25
o'clock last night, at Shocks siding,
six miles west of this city by three
| tramps. AS a result he is lying in the
Ottumwa hospital with a fractured
skull, which the attending physicians
pronounce serious. Booth was at
tempting to eject the tramps from the
train, when they turned upon him
and began fighting him. One of the
men finally picked up a piece of bal
last and hurting it with all his force
at the unfortunate brakeman, the
stone landed true. Booth dropped as If
shot, and the tramps broke and ran
in three directions. Conductor w. H.
Howard, who was with Booth and who
was also fighting the other two men,
picked the young man off the track
where he had fallen and he was
brought into this city. DIR. Williams
was called to the station where he
gave Booth first aid and the latter
was removed to the hospital. A
searching party with a light engine
was at once formed and it examined
every piece of track between this city
were not found. A close search was
kept up in this city also during the
night, but up to this morning no traces
of the men have yet been discovered,
Chief Gray has sent out descriptions
/ of the men to all surrounding towns
and it is hoped to be able to catch
them Booth was somewhat revived
this morning, but his condition is still
! serious.
An Eastbound Extra.
| Extra East Engine 1886 reached
! Shocks siding about dusk last even
ing, and stopped and begun switching.
The train was in charge of Conductor
w. H. Howard. with Brakemen F. e.
| Davis and Harry Booth. Engineer
John Smith was at the throttle, and
Fireman Frank House did service on
the opposite side of the engine. The
men had set out about twenty empty
box cars on the siding and were all
ready to come on into Ottumwa when
Booth discovered three tramps in an
empty car. He told them they would
have to get out, which they did,
grumbling, however, all the time. AT.
! ter they had gotten out upon the
| ground, Booth signalied all aboard and
| the train pulled out for this city. It
1 had hardly gotten started until the
three men climbed on board again
Booth stopped the train again and put
them off. The train started up again
and the men climbed back on board.
Began. to Fight.
The third time the train was
stopped Brakeman Booth and
Conductor Howard went up to
where the men were and put
them off the third time and told
them to keep off. The men were very
abusive and began using obscene Ian
guage. Finally one of the strangers
| struck at Booth and the other two
jumped onto Howard. When Booth
was first hit, the force of the blow
partly turned him around and as he
fell through the air, the burly tramp
let drive with a piece of burned bal
last he was carrying in his hand, ant
the missile struck Booth alongside the
left of his head. Booth fell to the
ground and Howard ran toward him
to get the man who struck him. The
stranger was too quick, however, ant
before Howard could get hold of him
all three men had run down the EN-
| bankment along the track and disap
peared in the woods lining the tracI
on the east, scattering as they wen
and when last seen Were running il
three different directions.
/ Wounded Man Assisted.
Conductor Howard then gave his at
tention to the wounded brakeman, anl
with the assistance of the other brake
man, Davis, who had just reached thu
/ scene of the trouble, after having beer
called in from tagging, distance tx
the rear of the train, Booth was placed
in the caboose and the train brought
into this city. DR.. Williams was call
ed at the Union depot and he dressed
the wound as best he could aftel
which the patrol wagon was called ant
Booth removed to the hospital.
4 Light Engine Ordered.
Trainmaster Geo. w. Fabens, al
soon as he heard of the outrage. hal
an engine taken up to the depot and ;
searching party was organized to q
back along the track and look for tn,
men who had wantonly assaulted
Booth. The engine of the extra OF
which Booth was injured pulled it,
train down to the yards, when it wa.
cut off,and backed up town picking w
the hunting party at the depot
The Searching Party.
This party consisted, besides Mr.