The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-02-16
WALKED ON TIRE TRACK,
HIT BY ENGINE, KILLED
From Wednesdays Daily.

beloved husband and father, whose
life was taken away from them without
moments notice. While walking
on the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapo
lis and Omaha railway tracks from
Mankato to his home near Column
bia Park about four o'clock yester
day afternoon, Aaron Johnson, a
stonecutter, was instantly killed by
passenger train No. Is, due here at
4:10 p. m. The train was coming
from st. Paul at a rate of about
thirty miles an hour, when it struck
Johnson on the head and threw him
about ten or. twelve feet, killing
him instantly. The accident occur.
red near the sheepsheds. ......-
Was Walking Toward Home.
Johnson, who had spent the after
noon in the city, was walking on the
Northwestern tracks, which are pa.
rallel to the Omaha tracks for a
considerable distance, and but sew
eral yards away, when freight
train rounded the curve. At that
time, Johnson was looking toward
the ground, and did not seem to
hear the approaching train. Herman
Nigg, who was conductor on this
train, was seated in the cab with
the engineer. He observed Johnson
walking on the track and shouted
to him to get off the right of way.
Johnson looked up, jumped to one
side, and ran up the Omaha right
of-way instead. Conductor Nigg heard
the whistle of the passenger train
on the Omaha road and remarked to
the engineer that he was sure the
coming passenger train would catch
the pedestrian. Mr.. Nigg was con-
ductor of the Northwestern extra
freight train No. 1887 coming from
Waseca. --..
Stepped From One Track to Another.
When Johnson stepped off the
Northwestern tracks he ran up the
embankment to the Omaha tracks,
and continued his way toward home.
The engineer of the passenger train
saw the man and gave q warning
signal, but Johnson paid no heed
to, this, and before the engineer
could apply the air brakes the snow
pillow attached to the pilot struck
Johnson, killing him. =.
The train stopped and one Of the
passengers was detailed to remain
near the. dead body until the arrival
of the coroner. Johnson was thrown
about twelve feet from the track,
and in such a position that he lay
on his back, with his arms stretched
out and his head turned toward the
railway tracks. -..
Immediately upon the arrival OF
the passenger train at Mankato.
DapntyA CoranerAL--H.--Ma was
ri
BILE, the way.car Of extra freight
train No. SO from Kasota, which
pulled in to Mankato about i've
o'clock, was attached to a switch en-
CINE and Deputy Coroner Macbeth,
went to the scene of the accident.
There was small group OF men
gathered around the dead body, also
a woman and her two children were
looking on. It was indeed a sad
scene. Mr.. Macbeth took the body
into the way-car and the train then
returned to MankatO.
~ Skull Was Crushed.
Upon examination, it was found
that Johnson's right leg was broken,
his skull was crushed in at the tenn
pie, forming large round hole. This
was where the engine first struck
him. it is believed. Both his hands
and wrists were broken and cut.
The place where Johnson was kill
ed is about a mile from the union
depot. on curve of the tracks,
and in the vicinity of the North
western quarrles. Mr.. Johnson lived
in q small house about a quarter
OF a mile away, in what is called
Columbia Park. He was a stone
cutter by trade and was employed
by the Widell company. He was well
known as he had been in that en-
ploy for many years. .
Before leaving the scene OF the
accident Mr.. Macbeth tried to per-
suade one of the neighbors of the
dead man, to break the news OF the
accident to Mrs. Johnson, but this
the man refused to do. He, did not
have the heart to do it, he said
Man Seemed BewiIdered.
In an interview with The Free
Press. Fireman Andrew Halter OF
the engine that struck Johnson, stat
ed that he saw the man come
walking toward the train and when
the engineer whistled, Johnson look
ed ND hurriedly and in bewildered
manner. He turned his head around,
looking away from the train and
then turned toward the engine. Be
fore anything could be done to stop
the train, he saw the body OF the
pedestrian hurled through the air.
Charles III. Janisch was the engineer
on the train and ]. NJ. Worts was
conductor Of the train. The time OF
the accident was about five or ten
minutes after four o'clock.
There was small red clot OF
blood and hair on the top OF the
snowplow and 1t was about the size
of a mans finger. Had it. been the
pilot instead of the snowplow that
struck the man, it is believed john
son would have been crushed be-
meath the engine but the snowplow
had a tendency to brush any OBJ
stacle to the side at an upward
angle.
Aaron johnson was, about forty
five years old and is survived by
a wife and four small children.
Will Not Hold Inquest
Deputy Coroner ]. H. Macbeth
stated today that no inquest would
be. held. None is necessary as the
facts surrounding Johnson's death
show that he was made the victim
of his own carelessness.
DR.. J. w. Andrews made an ex-
animation for the railway company
I@1r 20 n