Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-29
JURY FAILS TO FIX BLAME
Inquest Over N. ]. stureoks Brings Out
Little Concerning Accident.
TRAlNMEN DENY KICKING HIM OFF
Brakeman Who WAS Present said He
simply Told Him to Get on, and
in Doing So sturecks Fell
on thu Rail.

The inquest Tuesday afternoon over NJ.
J.. sturecks Of Columbus. Neb., who claimed
to have been thrown from a Rock Island
freight train near Minden. Ia, Saturday,
receiving injuries which ended in his death,
resulted in the coroner's jury returning
this verdict: Deceased came to his death
by reason Of an accident received on the
Rock Island train known as No. IS, the
cause of which this Jury cannot determine"
H. Baird, B. A. Bonham and T. A. Eaton
comprised the Jury.
@. w. Taylor, conductor Of freight train
No. 56. was the first witness examined.
He testified that before leaving Minden he
gave orders to the crew to put of all the
buns found on the train. When the acct
dent occurred the train was passing over
a piece Of track being repaired and was
running not to exceed three miles an hour.
He saw the brakeman on the top Of the
train and knew that he did not 60 down TO
kick sturecks OF the position he was oc-
cupying on the bumpers. The other brake
man. he said, was In the caboose with him.
William Miller, the brakeman whom
Sturecks alleged had kicked him of the
train testified that before leaving Minden
he had helped put the "bums" off the
train and that he stood by them in order
" pItNbhl tuom CllAuOlu6 Ou again uuJll Iub
signal to go was given. He climbed on the
car next the caboose and started forward
to ascertain If any OF the tramps had sue
ceeded in jumping the train. He came
across one fellow Ave cars ahead Of the
caboose, whom he ordered off and the fell
low at once complied. The train at this
time was running not to exceed three miles
an hour, the witness said, and a man could
have walked as fast as IL was going. Seven
cars from the caboose he found a man who
proved to be Sturecks sitting on the bump
ers. The witness said he told him that
II he stayed there he would surely get hurt
and told him to jump OF, as they could
not carry him. Miller said the fellow got
off in a most awkward manner, as IL he
was somewhat under the influence Of
liquor. Sturecks, he said, stumbled n
fell with his arms extended, one being
partially on the rail and the wheels of at
least two cars went over It. Miller said
he at once ~signaIed the engineer to stop and
the train was pulled up in a cars length
after the engineer got the signal.
Made No Complaint.
The witness then testified to sturecks'
being taken back to Minden and at that
time he made no complaint of being thrown
from the train. He was taken to the office
Of a local doctor, who declined to amputate
the arm, and DR.. Doyle, the company's
surgeon at Nicola, was sent for. DR.. Doyle
on arrival dressed the injured arm tenn
p~orarily and ordered Sturecks sent to Coun-
ell Bluffs.
Fred Williams and George Caskey, two
other members Of the train crew. did not
witness the accident, but helped take
Sturecks back to Minden. They testified that
he made no complaint about being thrown
from the train.
Thomas Thomson, keeper OF a boarding
car. with whom Sturecks had boarded for
two weeks, testified he was In the doctors
ONCE when Sturecks was brought In. He
said Sturecks asked him as a friend to see
that they did not cut of his arm. Sturecks
he said, made a statement TO the doctor,
but everyone was ordered out OF the once
while he was making 1t. The witness. how
ever, said he heard part of 1t and that
sturecks said a brakeman had told him to
get of the train or he would kick him OF
and that he had jumped on to keep from
being kicked of.
ode Parmley, a lad employed to carry
water for a section gang, witnessed the ac-
cident and saw sturecks roll out from un-
der the train. He testified that he heard
sturecks say that a brakeman had kicked
him on. On cross examination young Parm-
ley testified that he had later heard stur-
ecks say that a brakeman had told him tc
get of or he would kick him of.
Clyde Pitman, who was riding on a fiat
car in the train, testified that he did mo-
witness the accident, but saw sturecks roll
out from between the cars and assisted ir
taking him back to Minden- He said that
Sturecks stated that a brakeman had or
dered him to jump on, otherwise he would
be kicked on.
The statement made by sturecks to the
doctor at Minden was not introduced IL
evidence. sturecks shortly before his dealt
in the Woman's Christian Association hos.
pitsl in this city made a statement to his
brother In which be charged that he hat
been thrown from the train.
l.