Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-02-25
INJURED UNDER
WHEELS and DIES
Switch Foreman John Kemp
Fatally Injured ---Chas. Smith
Arrested on Ugly Charge.

John H. Kemp, foreman of the
switching crew in the east end of the
Willmar yards, succumbed Friday
morning from injuries received when
he fell from the footboard Of a mov-
ing engine the night before, and pass.
ed away at 2:20 o'clock at the Beth
esda hospital.
About $3.50 o'clock Thursday night
Engine No. $50 came down on a side
track from the stockyards with a
string of cars in charge of Mr.. Kemp.
Upon arriving short distance on the
east side of the overhead bridge they
met switch engine No. 81, and the two
engines came to stop only about
three carlengths apart. Mr.. Kemp,
coming from his engine, No. $50, was
met by Chas. Smith, and there were
words as to which engine had the
right-of-way. Engine No. 54 started
to back up, however, and both men
got on the foot-board in front of the
tender. From evidence given at the
inquest, it appears that Smith struck
Kemp in the face whereupon the Ian
terms of the two men came forcibly
together and both lanterns were extin-
guished. 1t seems that no one knows
just how Kemp got off the foot-board,
but a few moments after the acci-
dent he was found short distance
from where he was seen with Smith,
by Conductor Fitzgerald, who heard
his cries for help. Both legs were
crushed, the wheels having severed
one below the knee and the other
above the knee. Engine No. 54 con-
tinued eastward for some distance,
and before it returned the unfortun-
ate man had been found and carried
into the cab of Engine No. $50 and
was brought to the baggage room of
the depot from which place he was
transferred to the Bethesda hospital
Both the severed limbs were ampu-
tated Immediately and he seemed to
get along as we'll as could be expect
ed, but in the morning a short time
after regaining consciousness he grew
suddenly worse and passed away
from the scenes of this world. ......z.....
In Mr.. Kemp's antf-mortem state
ment he said that Mr.. Smith struck
him, and that was the last he remem-
bered of what happened. Before he
passed away he said that he harbored
no illwill toward anyone, and freely
forgave anyone who had injured him.
An inquest was held at o'clock
Friday afternoon at the Andrew Pet
| erson undertaking rooms and the fol-
lowing jurors were drawn to serve:
Alton Crosby, H. S. Peterson, Chas.
Wallin, w. F. Gratz, J. V. Hyde,
and F. w. Larson. Coroner Branton
was out of town and Deputy Coroner
Foshager served in his place. A mum.
ber Of witnesses were at hand and
we're called upon. After a short de.
liberation the jury returned the yer.
dict that Mr.. Kemp was killed by be-
torney Bitterness proceeded immedi
ately after the inquest to issue the
papers for the arrest of Mr.. Smith
and he was given hearing at the
Municipal court rooms on Saturday
morning, on the charge Of manslaugh
ter in the second degree. He waived
examination and was bound over tc
the grand jury. Judge Qvale of the
District Court fixed his bonds al
$4,000, which were furnished. We un
derstand Mr. Smith has retained At
torney Ronken in his defense.
John H. Kemp was thirty years OLE
on Feb. 1st He was married to {
Miss Olson at Benson in 1905 and ha'
resided here since last fall. He al
so leaves to mourn him, his parent
in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and siste
at Wichita, Kansas. Funeral service
were held at the Synod church las
Sunday afternoon by Rev. J. N. An
dersen, and the remains we're take
to Fort Smith, Ark, for interment.