The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1902-06-05
THOS. MEEK KILLED.
Sudden End of Employe of Mil
waukee Ditching Gang.

FATALLY injured IN the Iowa Centrai
yards Friday evening about 1910
o'clock and the sufferer died at five
minutes past three O'Clock Saturday
morning.
The man was Jared from freight
car where he had climbed by the
switch engine that coupled on to the
string to move it. The man fell
across the track and was caught 30
that the right leg was severed from
the trunk quite close to the body and
the left foot was so badly mashed
that amputation would have been me-
cessary.
Doctors Clark and Barringer were
summoned as soon as poss BILE and
responded Immediately and stayed
at the side of the man until death
ensued. Coroner Chas. Foehlinger
was called. and took charge of the
case.
Meek it seems has been working in
the vicinity of Hedrick with a gang
of trackmen on the Milwaukee road.
He came to the city in company
with five or six fellow laborers at
three O'Clock, the party having laid
off on account of holiday. The fell
low had worked several hours in the
morning, but along with the others
cameIto this city to celebrate the
day. The party was at the Central
station at the time of the evening
trains. They would have to wait
until 2:30 next morning before being
able to get passenger train back to
Hedrick and this fact was not relish
ed by the company. They scattered
through the yard thinking to catch
an east bound freight. Meek had
climbed upon a string of cars that
understanding upon the siding a
short distance south of the First ave-
nue. crossing. He is said to have
been under the influence of liquor
and hardly able to control himself.
The humping of the switch engine
into the cars caused the fellow to fall
and he went beneath the wheels. He
was picked up and carried to the
baggage.room of the passenger sta
ton by the yard and trainmen with
the switch engine and physicians
called waited upon the poor fellow
here. There was nowhere else to
move the unfortunate man. He seem
ed quite strong Immediately after the
accident and suffered no great pain
There was no reaction from the
shock to the nervous system and it
was seen from the first that the man
could not live many hours. He grad
ually fell asleep after lapsing into a
semi. delirium and was unconscious
an hour or more before he died.
A pocket note book found upon the
clothes of the dead man gave an ad-
dress, Marshalltown, Chase county,
Mo-, where the deceased is supposed
to have lived. In another place was
written Marshalltown, Iowa. One of
the fellows companions stated that
the man had wife and three chill
dren living some place in Missouri.
The companions who were with
the man stated that although he had
been working with them for some
time that he was stranger to them.
He was communicative and
would not talk concerning himself or
his family. Neither would the fell
low divulge to the physicians his
place of residence or family connec-
tions. He was told that he was
fatally hurt and was asked questions
concerning his home. He persistent
ly avoided the questions or refused
to answer altogether. When asked
if he had any folks the man replied
that he had. When asked where
they lived he said SAT home.n But
where the home was could not be
drawn from him, and the man passed
away without further knowledge con-
corning his identity having been
secured.
Coroner Chas. Fehlinger found
nothing on the mans clothing that
will identity him. The name in the
note book has the address, West AL
ton, Saint Charles County, Missouri.
in place of Marshall, Missouri, as was
at first supposed. A telegram to that
place fails to bring response and in
case some one does not file a claim
for the remains to-day the corpse will
be inferred in the potters field in
Forest cemetery Sunday morning
No inquest was held.
The deceased was in the mayor,s
Office Friday evening. Pat Brown
had come up from Hedrick to have
his brother John Brown, who was in
Jail upon punishment for intoxica-
ton, released. The Browns seemed
to know the man, but they left the
city Friday evening and could give
no direct information.
Not Known.
In response to a query, Coroner
Fehlinger received telegram this
afternoon stating that Thomas Meek
Is not known in Marshalltown. Mo
Unless his identity is axed the re-
mains will be buried by the county.
the funeral to occur from Fohlinger,s
morgue at4 o'clock Sunday afternoon.
REcovERER SPEECH AND HEAR.
ING.