The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-06-09
SLAIN IN OMAHA YARDS
Identity Of the Man Remained
Unknown For Several Hours
Last Night
from Fridays Daily

John jacobson, twenty five years
old, car repair man for the Omaha
railroad, living at st. James, was
killed in Mankato last evening near
the Omaha freight depot at the foot
of Jackson street. The body was
found on one of the switching tracks
of the Omaha, a little to the south
of Jackson street. The head was
severed from the trunk, and lay on
the outside of the rails, while the
rest of the body lay between the two
rails.
Some switching had been going on
in the yards, and it looked as if he
had been killed by the switching en-
CINE.
Jack Klages, switchman; A. G.
Hughes, yardmaster, and others saw
the body, and the matter was at once
reported to the freight office. This
was about 9:15 p. m Word was sent
to Coroner Liedloff, and the body
was removed to the undertaking
rooms of Kelly, Harres & Gosewich
Identity Unknown For Some Time.
At first the identity of the dead
man was not known, but it was seen
at once from his clothing and gen.
eral appearance that he was a work
ing man. Late in the evening the
body was identified at the undertake
ing establishment by Fireman Oslund
of Omaha Passenger Train No. T. ia
cobson and Oslund were school
mates.
Jacobson came to Mankato yester-
day afternoon, and was on No. 4,
which was wrecked He leaves a
wife, living in st. James. He was a
member of the A. o. U. w.
His mother and several brothers
and sisters survive him. Two broth
ers are firemen on the Omaha rail-
road, and another brother is brake
man for the same road.
The victim was born at Mountain
Lake on August IS, 1890.
This morning his hat and coat
were found along the track on the
other side of Jackson street. 1t ap-
peared that the body had been
dragged about $50 feet.
Discovered BY Mr.. kIases.
Switchman Klages was the first
man to learn of the tragedy. He was
walking along the track, swinging
his lantern as signal to the train
to back up, when he stumbled on the
body. .y.. g..
Henry Jacobson of st. James, fore
man on the Omaha, brother of the
dead man, was in the city this morn
the death. He left with the body for
ing investigating the circumstance OF
st. James on the early afternoon
train. HB u+ oar
Opinion of Deputy Coroner.
DR.. G. A. Dahl, deputy coroner
made an investigation into the cir
cumstances of the death of Jacobson
last evening, as DR.. A. G. LledloH
the coroner wasobusy on another
case. f3g4c gI.sfs.
DR.. Dahl thought the victim was
crossing the track between some
freight cars, and had taken hold OF
the brake beam, when the cars were
hit by the switch engine: that the
man held to the brake beam and
was dragged quite a distance, until
he came to the guard rail, when
struck him, causing him, to lose his
hold on the brake beam and to fall
on the track, where his head was
cut off. DR.. Liedloff conceded witt
this idea.
DR.. Liedloff decided to hold no IN
quest. thinking nothing would thus
be gained
Fireman Oslund, who had known
Jacobson many years, spoke very
highly of the young mans CHARACTER
and record. :,
The death must be sad shocR
to the young wife, to whom Jacobson
was married last fall. The widow Ii
soon to become a mother