Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-01
William C. Robb Meets Death in
AIighting From Burling>
ton Train.
SAYS FAREWELL TO FRIEND
Was Leatherworker at Arsenai-Son
and Daughter Live in Detroit
Been Here Three Years.

RODb, a leatherWOrker, aged nearly
60, fell under the wheels, and was
crushed to death. He was on the train
to see Andrew Jackson, fellow work
man in the harness shop of the Rock
Island arsenal, off on his vacation trip
to Winchester, Ill. The train had
started, and was moving at about five
miles an hour and had reached TWEEN
lty-second street, before Robb jumped
off He aIighted from the train back
wards, and retained his hold on the
handrail moment too long. He lost
his balance, and was thrown back
wards to the ground, falling toward
the track. He raised his feet little
above the ground after he fell They
were struck by the boxing and the
frame of the chair car, turning the
fallen man around nearer the track
and the moving train. He succeeded
in raising himself. and just as he rails
ed his head he was struck by a pro-
ton of the smoker, the third car of the
train, which included seven coaches.
| Assistance From MIR. Mcmillan.
The blow from the tubing prostra-
ted Robb. but in an instant he had
again raised himself to a sitting pos
ture Just as he was struck by the
car, William T. Mcmillan, the night
operator of the c., b. & Q. at the
Twentieth street depot, a witness of
his fall, caught his arm. AS the vic
tim of the accident was struck on the
head, Mcmillan partly lost his hold and
was drawn to his knees near the track
When Robb raised himself again he
6 Al. fIN., nd No
MILAN lost his hold.
The two trucks of the smoker and
one truck of the chair car passed over
the body. 1t was caught in one of the
| trucks, and slid along the track for a
distance of about % feet from where
| it was first struck by the wheels. All
| three of the rear coaches passed over
the man, and when the train was stop
ped one wheel was directly over the
body. He was killed almost instantly.
His left arm was ground to pulp and
the organs above the lower rib torn
from the body. The heart, liver and
other organs were picked up 25 feet
from where the body finally stopped.
skull Fractured.
The blow from the projection which
sent Robb under the wheels caused a
fracture of the skull and tore cash
of several inches in the scalp. By
Islanders, including a physician and a
policeman, had the train moved a few
| inches, and the body removed and
taken to the Wheelan undertaking es-
Establishment. Coroner Eckhart was no.
titled, and conducted an inquest at the
undertaking parlors at 10 o'clock. The
| jury returned a verdict that w. c..
Robb came to his death by being acct
dentally run over by train No. 49, of
the c., B. & Q. railway. at $50 this
morning in the c.. B. & Q. yards near
| Twenty-second street
Louis Allars, proprietor of a restaur-
ant at 1902 Second avenue, where
Robb boarded testified that Robb
| Andrew Jackson off on his vacation
trip. He said Mr.. Robb was nearly 60
years of age.
Geer Tells story.
w. II. Geer, 1916 Fifth avenue, a
switchman on the c., B. & @, was an
eyewitness of the entire accident, and
Testified before the cOrOner's. jury as
follows: Il was standing near switch
engine No. 1903, about fifty feet from
the scene of the accident We were
waiting for the passenger, No. As, to
pass. | saw man leaning from the
steps of the smoker, but could not tell
whether he was attempting to get on
or off the train. He let loose of the
| handrail, and jumped backwards,
aliShting on his feet. The manner in
which he jumped caused him to lose
his balance, and he was turned partly
around. falling with his feet toward the
south rail. He raised his feet. and
they were struck by the framework
under the car, turning the man partIy
around toward the track. AS he rails
ed himself again, facing the rear of
the train, he was struck on the head
and was thrown between the wheels
of the chair car w. T. Mcmillan had
caught hold of his arm, but when the
man was struck Mcmillan lost his
hold. When | saw that the man was
run over / signaled the brakeman to
pull the air. The train went Is feet
before 1t stopped after | gave the sig
nal"
Effort TO save.
Mr.. Mcmillan, the telegraph operat-
or who made a heroic effort to save
the unfortunate man from being pulled
under the wheels, was standing lust
opposite the steps of the car as Robb
jumped from the train. He saw him
ailght backwards, and said that Robb
held TO the handle too long. so that
he was turned around and thrown
backwards. Mcmillan ran toward him,
and caught one arm with both hands.
He had hold when Robb was struck
and was pulled down by the force of
the blow He retained his hold, how
ever. Mcmillan told of seeing Robb
caught in one of the trucks, and car
ried along the rail about 25 feet
Albert B. Schultz. 1929 Thirty eighth
street, workman at the power house