The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-01-09
KILLED BY A TRAIN.
Jay Drake, a Louisa Boy, Crushed
Between Cars.

On last Friday morning the
shocking news reached here OF the
sudden death of Jay Northup
Drake, which occurred the night
before In Logan county, w. Va.
He was working as brakeman on a
freight train on the Norfolk &
Western railroad and was Instant
~ killed while coupling cars near
Dlngess.
The accident occurred about
seven O'Clock Thursday evening.
Jay was trent brakeman. The
train broke in two near the front
end and Jay got down to couple II.
After signalling the engineer to
"back" he stepped in between the
two sections OF the train for the
purpose, 1t is supposed, OF adjust
ing the automatic coupler. That
was the last any one saw OF him
alive. After the cars came togeth-
er the engineer waited Tor a signal
from him and then whistled for
signal. Receiving no response the
awful result was surmlsed, and the
train men went to the spot to inyes-
tigate. The young mans lifeless
and mangled body was found on
the track between the cars. Death
had come to him instantaneously.
He had been caught squarcly be.
tween the bumpers or the coup.
ling and his body crushed almost
In two. The suppositlon is that he
either slipped and fell between the
cars just as they were coming to-
gether, or that he had some diff
Guilty In adjusting the "knuckle"
Il
OF one OF the cars, and that the
other portion Of the train reached
him before he expected it.
About two hours previous to this,
the train had been on siding at
Breeding, whore jays brother Leo
runs a store for Congressman Jas.
A. Hughes. Leo urged his brother
then, as he had often done before,
to quit the railroad, saying that
he would get killed. Leo was no.
titled OF the accident Immediately
after 1t occurred and took charge
OF the remains, bringing them TO
Louisa for burial. Another broth
err, Alva, had just come TO Louisa
from Plttsburg for few days Wis
II. The four other brothers and
zone sister were all a. Pittsburg,
Lon and Henry tried to reach here
In time for the funeral, but got
only to Catlettsburg,
4 The body was taken 10 the resi-,
dence OF He. Sullivan upon its ar.
rival Friday evening. The funeral
services were held Saturday morn
ing at 1890 from the Me. Church
Rev.J John Cheap, the pastor,preach
ed the sermon, and Rev. c. G. Hill
conducted the service at the grave
The interment was made in Pin,
; Hin Cemetery.
The unfortunate young man wa
In his twenty-third year. He en-
listed in the army three years ag,
and was sent to the Philippines
Last August he returned to thi
country and secured his discharge
Soon afterward he went to worl
on the Norfolk Il Western. Abou
month ago he fell from a ca
D and was slightly injured. II
then secured an accident policy 70
500, payable to his sister, and thi
was in force at his death. llewa
a sober, industrious young mar
with no habits of dissipation.
Jay was next to the youngest {
the family Of Matthew Drake an
wife, both Of whom died befor
= any of The children had reache
maturity, and when the younge:
was mere tot. Leonard no
holds q position on a sleumbui
!. running between Plttsburg an
3 Morgantown. Lon is a steamboi
n captain and pilot. Alva is runnin
# a restaurant in Pittsburg. Tho
.. only sister married an iudustriol
0. and prosperous Young man al
r. they live in Pittsburg, Leo is
r. county official of Mingc county al
ID is in charge OF a store and limb
Of business for Congressman Hught
IN Henry is at Plttsburg.
IS Mrs. James A. Hughes came /
n. from Huntington to assist in L
n. funeral arrangements.