, 1906-05-31

One Of the saddest accidents in the
annals Of railroading in the state oc-
CURED wednesday evening, at Gas, in
the yards near the rolling mills, re-
sulting in the instant death of G. A.
Mueller and the death about four hours
late of Charles Van Dayton, each leav-
ing a family and each being mourned
by the whole city as good citizens and
enterprising workmen. Coroner Rob
inson held the inquest today, his jury
consisting of R. G. Fitch, John r. Cor
diner and Sam Wallis, with Harry
Hunt as the stenographer.
In Discharge of Duty.
Messrs. Mueller and Dayton were
members of a switch crew working in
the yards here, the engine being in
charge of Engineer James King and
Fireman Matthews. They had attach
ed their engine to a caboose on an in
coming freight train, known as the sec
ond section of No. So, and were in the
act of taking that caboose and a dam
aged box car from the train, that the
damaged car might be repaired here
and that the caboose of the conductor
to take the train to Cheyenne might
be put in the place of the one arriving
from the west. The whole end of the
box car had been damaged. and it was
necessary to chain it to the caboose in
order to remove it from the train.
One Killed Instantly.
Mr.. Mueller, from the evidence ad
duced at the inquest, was STOPPING ov-
err between the two cars, adjusting the
chain, Mr.. Dayton standing up between
the cars. The crossing at Fremont
street had been cut when the train ar
rived, and when the new engine was
attached to the front of the train the
crossing was closed. The forward
part of the train bumped against
the rearward part, driving it a
few feet against the end of the
caboose, catching the men between
the two cars. Mr.. Mueller was
killed instantly. He raised when
he heard the bump of the trains, and
placed one foot outside the rail before
the shock came. His chest was crush.
ed, the ribs being broken, and his eye.
balls were forced out by the rush OF
blood to his head. He probably did not
realize that he had been caught.
Died Four Hours Later.
Mr.. Dayton was not killed on the
spot. He was picked up and taken &c
the Union Pacific hotel, Drs. Stevens
and McCollum being hurried to his
side, and they did what they could fol
him until 10: So, when he passed away
He was conscious the most of the time
and for a time after he has been takeI
to the hotel it was thought he was
growing better. He talked with those
about him and seemed to be not so Sc
riously hurt as acknowledgements
went TO prove.
Lung Badly Damaged.
A post-mortem examination was held
this morning, at Stryker's undertaking
rooms, under the direction Of DR.. Ham.
ilton, where it was found that the right
lung had been split from top to bottom,
several ribs fractured and his chest
bruised. The marks on the outside
were not of a serious nature, but the
internal hemorrhage prevented the pos.
sibility of recovery. MI. Mueller was
so badly crushed that life left him the
moment the accident occurred.
Mrs. Mueller in the East.
Mrs. Mueller and daughter, Miss We
ra, We're at Brooklyn, n. Y, at the time
of the death of Mr.. Mueller, but were
telegraphed to by Charles F. Kuster
the brother of Mrs. Mueller, and are
probably now on their way west. The
son, Arthur Mueller, was at work a
the electric light plant at the time
only a short distance from the scene o
the accident, and hurried to his faith
er's side. Later he was sent home II
the care of friends. His heart was al
most broken. Other relatives hav'
been t~elegraphed the sad news of tn
death of Mr.. Mueller.
Leaves Wife and Babe.
Mr.. Dayton was the elder son OF MI
and Mrs. T. ]. Dayton. He was 2