Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-20

did not see the signal until I was
right up against it..
II saw a flagman get off the train
and go back he continued. Il knew
the fast mail was following us. After
the crash came I stepped down from
4 the cab and said to my fireman, My
God, I'm afraid to 60 back
Investigation in La Grange has dis
closed that Mrs Wilcox has been con-
sidered queer" by her acquaintances
and relatives since the death of a
child Eunice, seven years ago. The
child was 4 years old at that time,
and, according to intimate acquaint-
|ances, since its death Mrs. Wilcox has
from delusions.
Mrs. M. Mervine, the present station
agent at Hollywood, told Of Mrs. Will
cox's actions at the meetings OF lit
tie social club which both were mem
bers.
Believes Daughter Came to Life.
'Mrs. Wilcox never has been the
same since little Eunice died." she
said "She has suffered from delu-
sions, and in many ways has con-
WINGED those who know her that she
| is deranged. At card parties given
by our little club she frequently for.
got what was in her hand and would
act at all times as If her mind was
on something else than what she was
doing"
In the court record Of the hearing
which Mrs. Wilcox was adjudged a
subject for confinement at Dunning
she told the court that she believed
her daughter had come back to life.
The hearing was held nearly four
years after the death of the child.
"Do you remember the death OF your
little grip she was asked by the
court.
YES" she replied.
"What about it,"
"I saw her grave robbed, or some
thing, the night the child was buried"
She than expressed the opinion that
the little girl had returned to life.
Mrs. Wilcox's commitment to Dun
ming was brought about by her hus-
band He testified that his wife be-
lieved people were watching her
through the windows, and frequently
expressed an opinion that she was be-
ing followed.
Official Admits Story Is True.
The woman was sent to the asylum
Dec. 81, 1908, and was released July
IA, 1909, just three years before the
fatal wreck at Western Springs.
| P. S. Eustis, passenger traffic man.
ager Of the Burlington system, adj
mitted that Mrs Wilcox had been an
inmate of Dunning, and that the en-
| ployment and dispatchers' depart
ments Of the road knew it a year ago.
+, He also declared the road was making
every effort to aid the press and
public in getting at the facts in the
case. and contradicted statement in
an afternoon newspaper that Mrs. Will
cox was surrounded by agents Of the
company to prevent newspaper men
from reaching her.
| Mrs. Wilcox was removed from her
home in La Grange early yesterday
morning in an automobile and, up un.
| til a late hour last night had not been
seen, either by neighbors or by news
paper men. who were watching the
house for her return.
Is Found Fit For Service.
The circumstances Of the employ
ment of Mrs. Wilcox by the Burling-
ton and of her retention in the roads
employ were told by Mr.. Eustis.
"Mrs. Julia A. Wilcox was in the
employ Of the company as ticket agent
at Hollywood from March, 1903, to
November, 1908, when she resigned"
he said. I'm December, 1910. Mrs.
Wilcox made application to the chief
dispatcher at Aurora for employment
as telephone operator. In accordance
with the custom she was directed to
the physician of the company for
| physical examination, who reported
her to be in good health and condition.
Her record while out Of our employ
was investigated and satisfactory
report received. The chief dispatcher.
acting upon our reports, assigned her
to work as a student operator, that is,
to learn the work of telephoning and
handling of signals"
Mistake in Identification.
It was disclosed yesterday that there
had been mistake in the identifi-
cation Of the body Of one Of the wom-
en- killed in the wreck, but this mis-
+, take was learned before the body had
been inferred. body identified by
Warren Upton of Oskaloosa, Ia. as
that of his sister, Mrs. G. w. Tudor Of
Lacey, a., had been sent to Oskaloosa,
but was brought back yesterday and
identified as that of Mrs E. C. Potter
lof Jackson, Mich. The body at La
Grange which had been thought to be