Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-08
Davis County Has Killing
and Fire Scare at and
Near Town of FlOris
M. E. SMOKE HOUSE is
TOTALLY DESTROYED
Blaze Thought to Have an
Incendiary Origin; Won't
Take Brothers Body

Floris, Aug. 7.-Special: The town
Of Floris had its full measure Of thrills
within the past forty-eight hours with
q disastrous fire Saturday night which
was followed by the news Sunday
morning Of a triple tragedy on the
Rock Island railroad in the vicinity OF
Belknap, near here, where the mangled
forms of three men were picked up
along the track.
The fire alarm sounded at midnight
Saturday and drew large crowd out
to see the blaze which was discovered
in the smoke house of the M. E.
church. The church bell was aug
mented by automobile sirens in giving
the alarm and the entire population
became bucket brigade. The smoke
house is located at the M. e. parson-
age and by the efforts Of the people
and a favorable wind, the loss of the
parsonage and other buildings nearby
was prevented. The smoke house and
it's contents however, were entirely
consumed by the fire which is believed
to have been Of incendiary origin.
Killed on Tracks.
Sunday morning the people of Floris
awakened to another shock when
trainlhen reported the body Of a man
lying along the Rock Island tracks,
three miles south Of here Investiga-
tion revealed that three instead of one,
had been killed The tragedy occurred
where the railroad cuts through the
J. r. Swinney farm north of his resi-
dence. It is believed that the men had
been walking along the track and be-
coming tired sat down and feff asleep
on the rails, meeting their death by
the first train which from appearances
was running east.
Coroner Heady, of Bloomfield, was
called and removed the bodies to an
undertaking establishment there.
Two Are Unidentified.
Bloomfield, Aug. Especial: The
mangled forms of three men we're
picked up on the Rock Island tracks
about three and one-half miles east Of
brought to this city where they are
being held by local undertaken await
ing Identification and directions for
disposal. One Of the trio, a young
man Of 18 years, who carried an iden-
tiflcation card giving the name Of
Aleck Dougard, of Joliet, ILL.,. was the
only one Of the dead men whose iden-
tity could be established.
The fireman on Rock Island train
No. 2 discovered body alongside the
track and when the train reached Belk-
nap notified the dispatcher there of the
discovery. Investigation was immed-
lately made and three bodies were
found. all Of which were considerably
mangled.
The verdict of the inquest does not
give the exact details Of the killing
beyond stating that the three men
came to their deaths by being run
over by Rock Island train No. 2, near
Belknap. sN
Refuses to Take Body.
The local authorities Immediately
following the finding Of the identif1ca-
tion card Of young Dougard, tried to
get in, touch with his mother, whom
the card requests to be notified in
case Of death, but was unable to locate
her. It was since learned that broth
er, John Dougard. lives in Mexico, Mo-,
and he was notified. but refused to
have anything to do with the body,
telling the authorities to do as they
saw fit with 1t.
Sheriff Osa Dunlavy left today for
Mexico, Mo-, to see the brother In
order to learn If any of the relatives
cared to take the body Thus far the
remains OF the other two men have not
been identified.