, 1907-04-24
BODY OF ENGINEER OLE ERIck,
SON DISMEMBERED At THE
GRAND AVENUE CROSS
ING LAST NIGHT.
No One Saw Accident and 1t is Not
Known Whether Man Fell Under
Engine Or Was Trying to Climb
Between Cars Of Passing Train and
Was Caught BY the WheeIs-Fun'
eraI to Be Held Thursday.

X. Ole Erickson, an engineer on the
Laramie-Rawlins district Of the Wyo
ming division, and who resided with
his wife and daughter on Sixth street
between Sheridan and Park avenue
was run over by q train at the Grand
avenue crossing about 8 o'clock last
night and literally ground to pieces.
The catastrophe was one Of the saddest
that has occurred for some time. Mr.
Erickson's body was horribly mangled
The head had been were from the
body and ground to a mass of brain
and bone, pieces being scattered along
the track for several yards. One leg
was entirely severed and the other leg
and both arms were crushed almost off
each being left hanging by narrow
strips Of skin and muscles. Very little
Of the head vas found, q part of the
jaw and four g%old-hlled teeth having
been turned over to Coroner Ballard
and by him delivered to Undertaken
Stryker. An inquest 10 being held
this afternoon. The remains are in the
hands of the undertaken and will be
prepared for burial.
No One saw Accident.
No one saw the accident and there l.
some mystery surrounding the case
The theory most generally adhered to
however, is that Mr.. Erickson, who
had been to the west side on a bust
ness mission, leaving for home abou'
9 o'clock, had found q train MOVING
slowly across the Grand avenue cross
ing, and being an experienced railroax
man, he started to cross the train be
tween the cars, falling under the
wheels. His body a crushed ant
mangled, the trunk being dragged fol
a considerable distance. Railroad mer
believe that If he had fallen undel
the engine the enginemen would hav'
known it and stopped the train.
Shopman Makes Discovery.
The discovery was made by jane
Murphy, a night employe at the shops
who was passing at the time and VIII
saw portions of the mans body lynn
beside the rail. The train had gone OF
toward Cheyenne and the crossing
light revealed the ~dismembered pol
lions of the mans body. Mr. Murph,
gave the alarm and the coroner wa
soon on the scene, taking charge Q
affairs. Some hold to the belief tina
Mr.. Erickson started to cross tn
track in front of the egnine while tn
latter was in motion and was caugh
by the pilot.
Seen BY a Citizen.
Mr.. Kelly, the employment agent O
First street, met Mr.. Erickson jus
across the tracks. He says the passin
engine was blowing considerable stear
from it's cylinder cocks at the tim
and that the engineer, passing close
to the moving train, was enveloped /
the cloud and walked into the trail
and to his death. Mr.. Kelly did not Sc
the accident and did not know TO
some time afterward that there ha
been one. The fact that the enginee
and fireman knew nothing of the acc
dent is taken to mean that this theor
is incorrect, as even a mans body III
der the wheels could have been notice
in the movement Of the engine.
would have been possible, too, som
contend, that either the engineer G
fireman would have seen the man ia
Or could have heard him scream, an
he would not have been crushed unde
: the wheels at the first moment of tn
accident.
Belonged to Three Orders.
MI. Erickson was a member {
Black Hills lodge, Brotherhood Of L.
connective Firemen and Enginemen
Rocky Mountain division, Brotherhoo
;, of Locomotive Engineers, and Damo
lodge, knights of Pythias. 1t wa
i largely through a receipt LOT dues 1rol
this latter lodge that the remains
the engineer were identified by Cor
3 ner Ballard last night. His dues ha
been paid up to April l OF the preseI
year. The contents OF the man
pockets we're found scattered along tn
rails half way between Grand avenu
and the freight house, some of til
g coins from his pockets being twiste
and mashed where they had been ru
k over by the wheels of the train. P
v pers found among the mans effects b
sides the receipts for dues also helpe
to fix his identity.
Z Was Leaving the Service.
: Ole Erickson q few days ago We