The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-10-17
Coroner at Inquest Fails to Find
Any Trace OF the Money in
Joe Mayors Pocket
HAD No CHANCE TO ESCAPE
Trainmen Testify That the Train Which
Struck Pleasant Prairie Man Was
Running at the Rate of Sixty
five Miles an Hour

The inquest over the remains Of the
late Joseph A. Mayer, held on Thurs
day by Coroner Andre, brought out
the details in regard to the killing Of
the we'll known character and brought
out further The fact that the money
which Mayer had in his pocket when
he left the LANCER tavern is missing.
The jury found verdict Of accidental
death.
The most interesting point is in re
gard to the money and the coroner
could bring no evidence which would
show what became Of the roll of bills
which il IS alleged that Mayer had at
the time he reached the LANCER
tavern. Caspar LANCER, the owner of
the tavern, testified that Mayer left
his place just after eleven O'Clock and
that at that time he had a roll of bills
10 his pocket. He had no idea of the
amount Of money in the roll, but other
witnesses called for the inquest de-
ciared that the amount was not large.
Not a cent was found ia the pockets
of the dead man and the mem bers of
the jury seem to think that the money
was scattered along the track when
the body Of Mayer was carried by the
engine.
The testimony of Engineer Alfred
krumb and Conductor passenger,
who were in charge of the train which
hit the vehicle IN which Mayer was
riding, shows that Mayer nor any
other man would have had chance
to cross the tracks Of the railroad
company if the train had been any
where near. The conductor and en-
gineer testified that at that time of
the accident, the train was thirty-fve
minutes late and that it was running
at a speed of at least sixty-fve miles
an hour and possibly at higher rate
of speed. The engineer stated that he
did not see Mayer or his team until he
was right on top of them and that al
though he applied the air to the brakes
the train ran at least half mile be-
fore it could be stopped, The engi-
neer stated that the body of Mayer
never touched the ground, but that it
was struck with such force that the
conclusion broke the bones. The re-
mains were found on the pilot of the
engine, and one of the arms CT the
dead man was caught about a pipe
leading from the steam chest. He
was instantly killed. The fireman In
charge of the train was not present at
the inquest, but he stated to the other
officials Of the train that he saw Mayer
just before he was struck and that he
appeared to be asleep and that his
head was leaning forward and he was
making little effort to drive the
horses.
When the remains were found on
the pilot of the engine they were
wrapped round in the horse blanket
which had been in the wagon. The
trainmen testified that they went back
aud removed the wreckage from the
tracks and found one of the horses
dead in the ditch at the crossing while
the other was eating grass at the top
of the hill on the south side of the
crossing.
Caspar LANCER testified that Mayer
had been drinking at the tavern but
that he appeared to be perfectly sober
when he left the place just after II
O'Clock and that he had started for
home at his request.
Several other witnesses were exam
med but their testimony did not tend
to bring out any further details of the
death of the man.