Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-11
KILLED By TRAIN,
D[AD BODY FOUND
John Larsen, Tailor OF This
City, Meets Death Near Quar-
ry Sunday Night
CIRCUMSTANCES NOT KNOWN
CIRCUMSTANCES NOT KNOWN
Body Was Found This Morning, With
Skull Crushed, by West Bound Pas
senger Train-Larsen Left for Boone
y Saturday Night, and How He Came
to be Killed Near Quarry Will Prob
ably Never be Known.

O0ty tNVVSu 00 tNuSSsss
With the skull crushed the body OF
3ohn Larsen, a tailor, 2O4 South Sew
e1lth avenue, was found lying on ohe
Northwestern right-of-way, one and
three quarters r1iles west OF quarry
1T o'clock this, morning by the crew
Of the first section of the west-bound
passenger, No. 8. What caused death,
and the circumss lance Of it, will prob
ably never be known, but the most
reasonable supposition is that Larsen
was either struck by, or thrown from,
q fast moving train. 1t is presumed ne
was killed early this morning, for
when he was found his watch showed
1t had stopped at 1885. When taken
from the pocket, and shaken, 1t started
running.
There is an element of mystery
surrounding the death, in view OF the
purposes ofsathe man, when last seen
alive. which may never be cleared upa
He left home early Saturday evening,
telling his wife that he intended going
to Boone, where the family formerly
lived. to rems-f until Sunday. 1t is
supposed that he went. but how he
came to he near Quarry, when killed,
has not developed. It is not Thought
that while drunk he was beating his
/ way home. From those who know him
and from neigtubors of the family 1t Is
learned that The was not drinking
man. In one OF. the pockets of his coac
was found a bottle, which contained
q liquor OF the appearance Of black
berry brandy, but this furnishes no
clue to his condition, as its contents
were untouched.
Was Struck or Jumped.
The appearance of the body indicates
Larsen was either struck or jumped
frorn train, and received ire
mendous blow on the head which
crushed large part of the top OF
the skull. Death must have been arl-
Simultaneous. The right shoe was torn,
but the rip and the split sole seems to
point to its having caught and was
split in being forced loose. The left
hand was cut, and the trousers We're
torn, but there was no mark about the
body which would indicate that wheels
had passed over 1t. The engineer of
the train which brought the body to
this city, saw an object which looked
like a human form lying a short dis
tahoe west OF the highway crossing,
about twenty five feet north of the
north track. After being brought here
the police took charge until Coroner
Nichols arrived. and the body was
later removed to the Wilbur & Sons
undertaking parlors.
Wife FIorrified by News.
At the poor, little home on South
Seventh avenue, which, despite its
evidences of poverty, was neat and
clean, the wife was found. She had
Just finished her frugal morning meal
and the dishes were still on the table
from which she arose to answer the
knock of those who brought the news
Of her husbands tragic death. When
her mind fully grasped the dreadful
facts she stot,d speeches.. and for q
time unable to do aught but stare In
stricken horror at those who had come
to tell her. Then the tears rushed to-
her eyes and, overcome with sobbing,
she sank into a chair. In an adjoin-
ing room .taby son, five weeks old,
slept peacefully, unconscious OF the
sorrow without. Mrs. Larsen said her
husband had been working for Fred
Hopkins, since they moved to thiss
city from Boone about three months
ago. She said neither he nor she had
any relatives living here, and were
without money or friends. Her hus-
band, she said, had left Saturday eve
ming, saying he was going to Boone,
but would return Sunday. He did not
return, hut she thought The might have
stayed day longer. Mrs. Larsen, has
q brother, Charles Burkstrand, living
In Boone.
Officers Will Investigate.
What developments the next few
days may bring forth Is not known, but
In the hope that some light will be
thrown on tire mans death Coroner
Nichols has empanelled jury,
Evans and John Coburn. In case cir
cumstances appear later which war;
rant an inquest one will be held.
The body will be kept at the UNI
dertaking parlors until Mrs. Larsen |
makes arrangements for the burial.
Get on Train at Boone.
Mr.. Charles Bergstrand, brother-in- |
law Of the unfortunate man, who lives
at Boone, arrived in the city this after
noon, and says that Larsen had been
to Boone, and got on the Northwestern
brain there, bound for Mashalltown,
1t l0.10 Sunday night. This is the
train that reacehd here 11:15. The
bottle he carried in his pocket was Of
home made wine, sent by a former
aeighbor, Mrs. Alverson, to Mrs. Lar
zen, who had been i'll.
There is 81 possibility that Larsen
VAS carried by here and was allowed
% get off the train at Quarry and
started to walk back to this city when
struck by some train.
CHICKEN SHOW CLOSES. /