New Ulm review., 1903-05-20
SKULL CRUSHED BY TRAIN.
John Edler Struck by st. Louis
Passenger Monday Noon.
Hurled Into Right Of Way and
Death Results Instantly.
Aged Man Has Five Ribs Broken
and His Skull Badly Crushed.

Death came to John Edler, an aged
herdsman, in horrible form between
II and O'Clock Monday. He was
struck by a south-bound Minneapolis
& st. Louis passenger train near the
North Western viaduct, his skull was
crushed and five of his ribs fractured.
Hurled with sickening force into the
right of way, he was absolutely un-
conscious of the fate which had over
taken him and was quite dead when
picked up.
An odd feature of the accident, the
first of its kind at this place for sew
eral years. was that Elder partially
faced the train at the time he was
killed. That he did not see it APP
preaching seems incredible and it is
also strange that the frantic signals of
1.-The engineer did not apprise him OF
his danger. In any event it must be
stated that the train crew took the
usual precautions and should be exon
Grated from all responsibility.
Elder, the victim, resides with his
wife near the Lutheran church and is
an old man who for years has done
odd jobs about the city, herding cat
tie during the summer months. He
cared for the herds from the northern
part of town and made a practice OF
allowing the animals to Craze between
the St. Louis and North Western
tracks. It was his custom to eat his
midday meal in German park, where
he would be met by his wife, and then
remain with the cattle until evening.
Monday he made the trip to the park
and was returning to the herd. AS
was his custom he walked back along
the ST. Louis tracks and about block
north of the bridge over which the
North Western crosses he paused to
look at the cattle. At this moment,
1927 as registered by the watches of
the train crew, passenger No.. 32 on
the St. Louis, Conductor J. Deving
and Engineer Frank Peabody, came
in from the north.
Engineer Peabody noticed the man
between the rails and thrice whistled
the warning. When it passed unheed-
ed he applied the air but before the
train could be brought to stop Elder
was struck with terrific force He was
hurled through the air for full thirty
feet, striking upon grass plot beside
a ditch in the right Of way.
Before the North-W estern bridge
was reached Engineer Peabody had
succeeded in bringing his train to a
standstill and he at once backed down
to the scene of the tragedy. Elder was
found in a quivering heap as he had
fallen and life was quite extinct.
Upon ascertaining this the trainmen
lifted the corpse into the baggage car
and it was brought to the st. Louis
station, when Coroner L. A. Fritsche,
was notified of the occurrence
That physician viewed the remains
and made an examin nation to ascer-
tain the extent and nature of Elders
injuries. He found that the man. S
skull had been crushed like an egg
shell, the fracture extending completely
across the base of the head. Broken
splinters Of bone were forced into the
brain and this, one injury brought
instantaneous death. In addition to
the hurts upon the back of his head
he had five of the ribs in his right
side broken. Sharp ends of these
pierced his lungs and the resultant
internal hemorrhage was sufficient to
have proven fatal.
Strangely enough his clothing was
not torn nor was his face scratched.
From the force of the blow upon his
head blood had oozed from his nose,
ears and mouth, giving to his features
revolving appearance, but he was
not mangled, as might have been ex-
pected. When run down he was
thrown clear Of the train, his hurts
being contusions inflicted by the loco
motive. After looking up all the cir
fcumstances connected with the affair
Coroner Fritsche decided that an in
questWould not be necessary
There were number Of eye witnesses
of the accident. Little Irma Sauer,
an 8-year-old child, was going home.
from school and walked behind Edler7
down the st. Louis track. When she
emerged from beneath the Northwest
ern bridge she noticed that Elder had
stopped walking and was peering In.
tently toward the cattle west of the
track At the same moment she sight
ed the train but the man paid not the
slightest attention to its approach, all
though he was turned partially toward
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