Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-09-14
Well Known Boxer Fatally
Injured While at Work
Last Night.
BARBER ASPHALT PLANT
Had Quit Fighting Game
and Secured Position
as Brakeman.
LIVED ONLY FEW HOURS
Was Riding on Pilot Of
Engine and Attempted to
Couple Cars.
LIVED ONLY FEW HOURS

Johnnie Dwyer, the clever little
lightweight boxer who fought over
14O battles in the East and was
never knocked out, was fatally in
Jured at the Barber Asphalt Com
panys plant last night about
O'Clock by being crushed between a
locomotive and q car Two hours
later in the city hospital, surrounded
by his family and conscious until
the end, the plucky little fighter
died.
Both of Dwyer's legs were crushed
and almost severed above the knee.
So far gone was he when he reached
the hospital that DR.. W E. Ramsay
refused to amputate the limbs.
Dwyer was employed as a brake
man at the Barber Asphalt plant.
Last night about 7 o'clock he was
riding on the pilot of the company's
engine toward line of empty steel
freight cars. On nearing the cars
Dwyer sat down on the pilot ready
to make coupling, but he never
succeeded. The first car being
empty, 1t buckled up when struck by
the engine, wedging Dwyer between
the platform of the car and the en-
gine pilot.
AS he was caught Dwyer scream-
ed. Engineer Michael Mahoney ran
from the engine cab to the injured
man. Dennis Desmond, yard fore~
man, and a gang of helpers appeared
and assisted in removing Dwyer
from between the cars
DR.. w. e. Ramsay was summoned
and appeared at the plant as Dwyer
was being carried to the office on
stretcher He ordered the injured
man taken to the hospital, where be
was conveyed In the company's am
bulance, but nothing could be done
to save his life He talked and
moaned necessarily and about 8:45
O'Clock he died
Rev. Peter B. Corr, curate OF St
Mary's r. C. church, was at Dwyer's
bedside before he died and adminis@
tered the last rites of the church,
Thomas F. Burke was summoned
and removed the body. Funeral ar
rangements are now being made,
Employed As Brakeman.
Dwyer had been employed as
brakeman for six weeks. After his
last fight, four months ago, at the
Club Vendome, in Newark, an in
jured shoulder went back ON him
and he decided to quit the fighting
game and earn living where he
would receive a regular salary. Six
weeks ago he applied for and re-
ceived position as brakeman at the
Barber Asphalt plant.
1t was while favoring a friend
that the little boxer was killed He
was working overtime for his ac-
quaintance, who had gone home to
supper, and expected to leave the
yard a few minutes after o'clock.
Dryers Record.
Dwyer had the record of having
participated in 140 fights with not 8
knockout against him He defeated
Tommy Murphy, the pride of Har-
lem," but was not awarded the fight
because of an unfair decision. Such
good men as frankie Madden, Bat-
Ting Hurley, Rouse" O'Brien and
Tommy O'Toole faced him and went
down for the count. Johnnie Mario,
the clever New York scrapper, was
also beaten by Dwyer.
O'Toole was beaten twice by
Dwyer and fought one draw. "Unk"
Russell was defeated in Philadelphia
by the local boy About four months
ago he fought the star bout at the
opening snow or the new CluO VEN
dome, in Newark The last fight
disabled previously weakened
shoulder and Dwyer decided to quit
the game. Friends say, however. he
intended to go back when the in
juries healed and that he had Sc
cured the job as brakeman TO fill
in time. But Dwyer persisted he
was out OF the ring for good.
Since he was eighteen years old
Dwyer has been known in the box
ing world. He was twenty-five years
old, and lived with his parents, four
brothers and three sisters at 951
Elizabeth street.