The Oskaloosa herald., 1903-07-23
GROUND UNDER TRAIN
Edward Keuetz Killed and Mutilated
at New Sharon.


2S years was instantly killed at New
Sharon Sunday morning about 4:40
o'clock by south bound Iowa Central
passenger No. g. Keuetz had been
drinking heavily. He had seated him
self on a bank at the side of the track.
The approach of the train probably
reused him. AS the engine was al
most at his side he sprang to his feet
and fell acros the rail. The wheels
Of the engine ground the body to a.
shapeless mass of flesh and Edward
Keuetz had paid his life as the price
of a spree.
Young Keuetz was employed with
the Cook Construction Company and
has been working with the concrete
gang engaged in building culverts
| some two miles north of New Sharon
where the men have camp. He was
a skilled laborer and was well thought
of by every one who knew him and es-
pecially by those with whom and for
whom he worked. He was a hard
worker and thoroughly reliable and
was said by the superintendent to be
one of the best men they had ever had.
4 He was addicted to the use of intoxi-
cants, more or less, and this was his
only failing.
Saturday was pay day and Keuetz
drew $24.50 and came to Oskaloosa on
the evening train after his days work
had been completed. He started out
with a number of companions but 1t
is not known Just how much the man
j had been drinking. He made his way
to the station all right and left for
New Sharon on the eleven O'Clock
passenger No. 8 north bound. One OF
his companions did not fare so well
and was arrested for drunkenness by
the police and was confined in jail
Keuetz had evidently left the train at
: New Sharon and had started to walk
: to the camp Of the gang two miles
north of the town. He had walked
north of the station to :. point oppo
site from where the old station house.
: stood. He was most likely over
come here and sat or laid down by the
side of the track on little bank OF
earth back a foot or so from the rail
Here he had rested and probably
slept until the approach of the passen
ger from the north. Engineer Will
ford was at the throttle. The man
was seen as the engine approached
and it was not thought that he would
be touched but just as the engine was
} all but upon him he was evidently sud
!. denly aroused. He sprang up without
possible chance of getting away from
the danger into which he had plunged
He staggered and fell forward across
the rail and the wheels of the heavy
: engine ground the body to pieces.
The train was not running at very
high rate of speed for the engine was
coming to a stop for the New Sharon
station. The engine was reversed, the
emergency air applied and the train
brought to a stop within a compare
lively short distance. Keuetz was
found under the trucks, but the poor
boy was in terrible shape. DEATH
> must nave COLuS luS CduLly' 1hO uouJ
was completely decapitated and the
right arm and leg cut off. The head
was crushed and the face cut in two
from top to bottom. The left leg was
crushed and the only member left in
tact was the left arm. The body was
all ground and cut to pieces, disem
boweled and the several vital organs
torn away and scattered about. The
accident was one of the most distress
ing that has occurred on the road II
many years.
The scraps of the body were picked
up and gathered together as best they
could be and and taken to the under
taking rooms Of Tracy Osborn, in New
Sharon. Coroner Chas. Foehlins 81
was summoned from Oskaloosa ant
came to the scene of the accident as
early as possible. After making in
quiry into the particulars of the al
fair he decided that no inquest was
necessary. He assisted Undertaken
Osborn in preparing the remains o.
the boy. Word was sent to the par
ents at Minneapolis and the body was
shipped to their home Sunday night
on the north-bound midnight train.