Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-09-16
Tragic Death of Umpire
Ollie Conn at Decatur

| The Decatur Review, telling of the
death Of Umpire Ollie NJ. Conn, says:
Ollie NJ. Conn, umpire in the Three
| Eve league, met with an, accident
shortly before 3 o'clock Sunday after
noon and died from his wounds at IL
O'Clock that night. He was run over
| by a street car on North Water street
and WAS badly mangied.
The car that ran OYER him was the
first trailer attached to motor car No.
"a. The motor car was in charge of
Motorman w. r. BANTER and Conduc-
tor George Neyhard. The first trailer
was in charge of Conductor l.. ii.
Borchert and the second trailer was
in charge of Conductor Pete Brilley.
This train was going south on Wa
ter street and was being followed by
another motor car without any trail
er attached. The rule that has always
prevailed here when cars are run in
relays is for the first section to go
straight through without stopping.
leaving the second section to pick up
any passengers, the object being to
prevent the possibility of accident by
reason of the second section humping
into the first
Mr.. Conn was on the west side of
Water street short distance south of
the Eldorado street crossing. 1t was
evident that he wanted on the car. but
Motorman BANTER mctioned him to
take the second section, which was
coming but short distance behind
From the nature of the accident it
seems evident he tried to catch the
I F.ll
it and the first trailer.
The only person on the first section
besides the employees of the street
railway company we're Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Ruehl, of 242 West William
street. Not one person on the train
saw just how the accident occurred.
1t was all done like a flash. Conduc-
tor Neyhard could only say that he
saw two hands thrown up and Their
there was the shock of the trailei
leaving the track.
Motorman BANTER had turned to
the right to motion Conn to take the
second section and didn't see Conn
make a jump for the ear. Banter had
swung his body round to the left and
glanced back over his Shoulder Just
as the trailer left the track. and his
own conductor at they same instant
gave him the signal to stop. Neithe;
of the other street car men on board
saw the accident.
Motorman BANTER stopped the car
as quickly as possible, probably with
in sixty feet
The street car men uncoupled the
motor car and the rear trailer from
the one that left the track with the
assistance of several men who hap
pcned to be near they tipped the trail
err over on its side and removed the
Unfortunate man. While they were
getting him out some one telephoned
for the, patrol wagon, and it ar
rived about ) minutes after Mr.. Conn
was taken from the car.
The position of the body showed
that Conn had made a heroic effort
to save himself by grabbing the axle
of the car. His left arm was wrap
ped around the trent axle and his
head and shoulders were wedged in
between the end Of the axle and the
bottom of the car and between the
outside of the wheel and the journal
box, so that he was under the edge of
the car ana not DeIWeen the GdllS. Inc
ends of the aXles stick out foot or
more past the wheels before entering
the journals, so that there is a space
between the bed of the car and the
axle. The body was wedged in SO
tight that it was with considerable
difficulty that he could be removed.
The car was tilted till the outside was
three of four feet above the rail and
was held there until the mangled
form could be removed.
Mr.. Conn was carried to the lawn
in front of the st. Johns flats. lie
talked wildly, but without reason. He
thought some one was trying to kill
him. and he shouted "Murder!" and
"Police!" The patrol wagon arrived
almost Immediately and he was placed
on stretcher and taken to st. Mary's
hospital. where Drs. f. NJ. Anderson
and VIII Chenoweth attended him.
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