Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-30
ENGINEER IS
KILLED BY A
FALLFR0MCAB
George Zugschwerdt of
Kansas City Victim Of
Mysterious Accident as
Train Leaves Station.

George Zugschwerdt, of Kansas City
Mo-. engineer on Milwaukee passenger
train No. 8, met his death last evening
at 5:25 when he fell from his engine
cab to the bridge over the upper race
between Market and Court street as
the train was running from the Jeffer-
son street depot to the Ottumwa juno
tion.
A mystery surrounds the death OF
Mr.. Zugschwerdt that will probably
never be cleared up. An inquest was
held this morning in the Daggett un-
dertaking chapel and verdict was
returned that the deceased came 10
his death from cause unknown to the
Jury. Allan Lee of Chillicothe, Mo-,
was firing for Mr.. Zugschwerdt and he
was in the cab when the fatality oc-
Cured. Fireman Lee testified before
the coroners jury that just before the
accident occurred he and the engineer
had their attention drawn to freight
train on the Burlington tracks across
the race and that Zugschwerdt re.
marked that they had a good engine
on the train. Lee said that he got up
in the cab and in few minutes looked
over to speak to the engineer. Lee
says that he failed to notice Zugsch-
werdt and got down from his perch to
learn the whereabouts of the engineer.
Upon reaching the platform of the
engine Lee discovered that Zugsch-
werdt was missing. He Immediately
blew his whistle three times for the
trainmen to stop the train, but upon
their failing to do 50, he stopped 1t
himself. When the train came to
standstill Lee got out of the engine
and looking back saw two lads about
twelve years OF age standing down, on
the bridge and apparently excited. He
Immediately notified the trainmen and
backed the train to the spot, where the
two lads were standing, The en-
gineer's body was hanging to the
bridge by one arm. 1t was apparent
that he was dead. Lee Immediately
notified the conductor of the mishap
and in a few minutes twenty men and
boys had gathered to the scene.
Head Badly Bruised.
The dead man was picked up by
helpi- Z hands and removed to the un'
& taking parlors of Frank Daggett,
where an examination of his injuries
was made. The top of his head was
torn away and his skull was very bad
ly fractured, besides several other in
juries about the body. AS to ho-T he
came to fall on one will ever know.
Fireman Lee is of the opinion that
Zugschwerdt had his head and should
ers out Of the engine window and be-
came overbalanced and fell to his
death. Zugschwerdt very often would
get in this position according to the
statement Of other engineers and fire.
men who were acquainted with him.
Many are of the opinion that he was
in this position and was stricken with
heart trouble or apoplexy, while some
are Of the belief his head struck the
bridge while he was leaning out.
Was Veteran Of Road.
The deceased was born in Fairhaven.
Ill.,. May 3, 1865 and was AZ years 8
months and 25 days Of age at the time
of his death. When II years of age
he started to work on the railroad and
h.; been in that service ever since.
For more than twenty-five years he
has been connected with the Milwaukee
road. He was we'll known among the
railroad men and his untimely death
will come as a great shock to his
scores of friends. The deceased was
a member of the Brotherhood Of Lo-
comotive Engineers, the Knights Tenn
plar and the Masons Of Kansas City
law n
three sisters. They are John of
Clark, S. D., Henry of Chadwick, ILL.,,
Fred Of Fresno, Cal, and Frank Zug-
schwerdt of Chadwick, ILL.,, Mrs. Liz
zie Nelson Of Spokane, Wash. Mrs.
Annie Tripp of McCarroll, ILL.,, and Miss
Alice Zugschwerdt Of Chadwick.
Frank brother Of the deceased ar
rived in the city this morning and will
have charge of the remains which
leave this evening on the Milwaukee at
$50 for Chadwick, ILL.,, where burial
will be made.
lnquest Held This Morning.
An inquest was held this morning in
Daggett's chapel by Coroner J. w.
Elerick.' Chief Of Police Alva Fielder,
C. Chance, L. Lightner and several
others who witnessed the remains
shortly after the accident testified.
Inability to ascertain how he came to
fall made it impossible for the Jury to
determine how he met his death. The
jury's verdict is:
We tie jury upon our oath do say
that George Zugschwerdt came to his
deaf while employed as an engineer
on the Milwaukee road. The injuries
received being fracture Of the skull,
a broken arm and other injuries, the
actual cause of said injuries being
unknown to the jury.
j. W. Elerick,
Coroner.
Jerry Shea.
G. A. Crawley,