Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-12-16

WILLMAI
ing to Pennock. Both testified that
the man was in q sober condition
when they saw him at midnight.
Ole Nelson testified as to seeing him
| on the freight train when it pulled out
OF the city. This was about noon and
when the train was passing the stock
yards.
John Anderson, janitor and bag
nageman at the depot, saw Bergstrom
10 the morning waiting for q train.
| He testified as to his sobriety and
said that the man was in q sober state
when he saw him. He was one of the
last to see Bergstrom before he met
with the tragedy.
Harold E. Frost, deputy coroner,
testified as to the examination of the
body, the nature of the wounds and
how they could be received.
O. E. Ostlund, q brother in.law OF
the deceased, corroborated the evil
derce OF others Ia regard to the So
| briefly OF Bergstrom. He had left the
Ostlund home in this city towards mid
night.
Peter Bonde. chief of police, testi
| led as to the condition of the body
after its arrival here aud as to the
belongings found upon the person of
the dead man. He had assisted in the
removal of the body from the depot.
AT the adjourned session on Thurs
day Conductor Geo. Monk, Jr., and
Brakeman Oscar 0 Hussey were
heard. Frank Gilshannon was the
rear end brakeman, but was unable
| to be present on account of illness,
which had detained him at Brecken.
| ridge. The train crew had been sum.
moned here by the G.. N. officials in
response to the urgent call for their
presence as witnesses.
Conductor Monk testified that he
had been approached by Bergstrom
just before the train left Willmar and
was asked for ride, which was re-
fused. Monk replied that he was not
allowed to take passengers except
with special permission from the sup
eriptendent. This was the last seen
OF Bergstrom, he said, until he viewed
the remains at the undertaker's that
morning, and he identified him at
once. He further testified as to the
speed of the train about the time of
the accident, which was about twenty
miles per hour.
brakeman Hussey was on the front
end OF the train and testified that he
had seen no one riding on the train.
BE had not seen Bergstrom. After
leaving the top OF the car he had gone
into the cab, where further view of the
top of the train was shut off.
Peter Hanson, laborer in this city,
corroborated the testimony of Ole
Nelson as to seeing Bergstrom on top
| OF the train. He saw him on top OF
| the third or fourth car from the en-.
gine.
j. j. Downs, the liverymsn, had
been out to the scene of the accident
with Deputy Coroner Frost and both
had examined the ground. No tracks
we're found leading to the place ex-
cept those of the passengers on train
No. %, which had been stopped to
take the remains on board, and also
the tracks of the section men. From
all appearances the body had re-
manned in the same place where il fell,
NJ blood was found except where the
body lay.
Norln's testimony was in regard to
the condition of the body when it was
brought into the Willmar depot and
also as to the wounds.
Altogether much evidence was taken
that would in any manner bear upon
the matter, but nothing developed that
would throw any light upon the mys-
terry beyond the theory that BergstrOm
met his death as the result of fall
from the train. The verdict as given
above was the only conclusion which
could be arrived at by the jury.
The exact cause of Bergstrom'
death will forever remain mystery
unless something develops later. The
relatives will do all in their power to
make further investigation.
Sheriff Lundquist went to Brecken-
ridge Thursday night to investigate
the matter relative to the illness Of
Brakeman Gilshannon. He found
him confined to his room with fever
Gilshannon could throw no light up
on the unfortunate affair. He had not
seen Bergstrom and his sworn testi-
mony given the sheriff failed TO un.
earth anything. Sheriff Lundquist re-
turned to Willmar Saturday morning
after finishing his investigation at
Breckenridge.
The widow and children of the de.
ceased arrived in Willmar Thursday
morning from Hector, accompanied
by the father OF the deceased, Boiler
Inspector Bergstrom, Lars Ostluud
and Miss Lydia Ostlund, q brother
and sister Of the grief-stricken widow,
the three relatives who had gone to
the Hector home to break the sad
news to the family. The family left
on the afternoon train for Pennock,
accompanied by relatives, and prepsr.
ations were made for the funeral to
take place at the old farm home in the
town of Mamre. The remains were
also forwarded the same day.
The funeral took. place yesterday
noon from the family residence of o.
| 0. BerqstrOm, and the interment WAS