The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1906-03-23
MYSTERIOUS DEATH
Oscar Sigman, a Young Man Of Nine.
teen, Found Dead Near Track Of
the Illinois Southern.

twe.yc o clock brakeman on an Iii.
nois Southern freight train discovered,
rs the train was passing, n dead body
lying on the north side OF the track at
the base of an embankmcut about
mile from Pennington junction in the
direction OF Flat River. The matter
was reported at the station, and the
agent at Bismarck was wired to in.
struct the crew of the east bound pas
senger train to stop and get the body,
which it did between three and four
O'Clock in the afternoon, taking it to
the junction station. 1t proved to be
that of Oscar Sigman, young man OF
nineteen years, son of Mr.. j. +. Sig.
man of Jaydee.
Sheriff Croke was notified, and
Squire ". II Young, acting as coro.
ncr, went out to the station with some
others and had the body brought to
Pennington and placed in Adam
Neiderts undertaking establishment.
On Tuesday jury was summoned and
an inquest held, the jury, after hear.
ing all the evidence, returning a YER
dict that deceased came to his death
from unknown causes.
There is considerable mystery sur.
rounding the case on account of the
location OF different articles of cloth
ing, which created doubt as to
whether deceased wa, struck by Il
train or was held up for purpose of
robbery There were apparently no
fatal injuric, about the body. His
lett wrist wa, di,IOcatad and there
was n compound fracture of the bones
just above the wrist; cut on the head
and one or two bruises, and some
other slight injuries about the body.
The body was found at the base of
the embankmeut: the coat had been
removed and was on the side of the
track where the body lay, one sleeve
being turned inside out, and the vest
was on the opposite side OF the track
folded or rolled up. II struck by Il
train II was evident that he was not
killed outright; and the position Of the
body and the articles of clothing sug-
gested probable foul play.
Oscar had been working at Flat
River for about two weeks and last
Sunday evening was visiting at j. Mac
Cunnngham's, about three-quarters of
a nile northwest OF Pennington June.
ton, and left there between eight and
nine O'Clock to 90 to the junction TO
take the train for Flat River that
passed shortly after that time. Mi.
Cunningham said when he left there
he didn't think he would have time to
reach the junction before train time.
One theory that has been advanced
Is, that the unfortunate young man,
not having time to reach the junction,
attempted to board the train as it was
! passing, or was struck by it, at or
near the point where his body was
found, in which he sustained the in.
jurles mentioned above; that in his
pain he removed his coat aud vest to
examine the injury to his arm, and
unloosed other parts of his clothing
to try to examine other portions OF his
body that were hurt; that he was
overcome with pain or faintness and
fell down the embankment, perhaps
unconscious or unable to move, and
was frozen to death, or died of heart
failure caused by his hurts and the
shock 20 his system Mr.. Cunningham
says he heard some one halloo about
nine O'Clock, but as there was a meet
ing at the school house near by, he
thought the halloOing was by some
one going from there and gave it little
affection. The other theory that he
had been assaulted and injured by the
assaul,ing parties is based upon the
nnaccountable position of his coat and
vest when found and the condition in
which they were found. 1t is mys.
terry that may never be cleared up,
and one can only conjecture as what
unfortunate combination OF clrcum-
stances caused his death,
Oscar was young man of excellent
moral character and department, was
well thought of by ell who knew him,
and his sad and untimely death is
terrible shock to his family, who have
the sincere sympathy of all who know
them in their direful bereavement.