Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-12-09

"A gruesome discovery was made by
the section crew between Willmar and
Pennock yesterday when the remains
of Olof 81. Bergstrom, a resident of
Hector, Mimi, were found lying near
the track few miles from this city.
The body revealed several bad cuts
and bruises and clots of blood on the
face made it at drst impossible to rec.
ognize the dead. An investigation
later led to the Identification and it
was found to be none other than Mr.
Bergstrom, who had arrived in this
city the previous night from his home
at Hector. Two ugly cuts in the fore
head and also one on the back of the
head revealed the extent of his injuries
on the upper part of the body. The
right shoulder had also been fractured
aud there were more or less bruises
about his body. When picked up life
was extinct, although the condition
of the body showed that he had not
been dead long.
The finding OF the body was re-
ported to the proper authorities and
the remains were brought to Willmar
on the afternoon train from the west
which ia due here at 1870, and which
arrived here in charge OF Conductor
Sheridan. The body was taken to the
undertaking rooms of Andrew Peter.
son, where the remains were viewed
by Coroner Frost, and where the
corpse awaited further Identification.
Among the personal effects found on
the dead man were newspaper bear
ing the address of O H Bergstrom
and receipt made out in favor Of
Ole Bergstrom. Several cash fare
slips were also found in his pockets.
When picked up a grip was found
near him, and this contained three
TASKS of spirits, the same being rolled
up in a newspaper. In pocket a
fourth bottle was found, the contents
of which had been partly used. The
mans purse was found to contain
some oyer six dollars in cash, besides
several papers, ard the watch and
chain we're also found upon his per-
son, which would indicate that he had
not met with foul play at the hands OF
hold.up artists.
It was later learned that Bergstrom
had boarded a freight train out OF
this city, and the supposition is that
he had fallen of the train while it was
in motion. The fact that his grip was
found near would indicate that he had
been climbing on the cars with the
grip in his hand when he was sudden
ly thrown of. The theory is borne
out by reports to the effect that man
had been seen on top of the train
which pulled out of Willmar about II
O'Clock q. M, and who answered to
the description of the dead man.
Conflicting reports have been circu-
lated and the exact cause of death will
probably never be known. The most
plausible theory, however, is that he
must have fallen of the moving train
and struck on his head.
Bergstrom came to Willmar from
Hector about II O'Clock on Monday
night, arriving by way of the Will
mar and Sioux Falls line. He was
on his way to Pennock to attend the
funeral of his brothers. child. His
brother at Pennook is Ed Bergstrom,
who is in the blaoksmithinE business,
and he expected to make visit with
him as we'll as other relatives in that
community. Upon his arrival in this
city he went to the home of his
brother-in.law, Ed Ostlund, and staid
there short time. He told the family
that he would walk to Pennock. Ost
lund told him. to stay and take the
morning wayfreight, but Bergstrom