The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-01-24
THROW SSELF
NDRIVE WHEELS
OF LOCOMOTIVE
Barney Kelley, Resident of
County Farm, Committed
Suicide Thursday at the
Fruitmere Crossing, East
Canon, by Throwing Him.
self in Drive Wheels of
Engine on D. & r. G.
Train No. 2.

Train No. 2.
Barney Kelley. a native of ireland.
and sixtythree years of age. was in
stantly killed by east-bound Denver
q Rio Grande passenger train No. 2,
at the Fruitmere crossing In East
Canon at 3:45 o'clock Thursday after.
noon. by jumping into the drive wheels
of the locomotive. There were sew
eral witnesses 10 the occurrence and
there appears to be but little. IL any,
doubt that Kelly's act was one OF de-
liberate and premedi;ated suicide He
was seen standing on the railroad
grade before the arrival of the train,
apparently waiting for II TO come
along When the engine reached the
point where he was standing he
jumped head first into the wheels Of
the locomotive and was frightfully
mangled by them.
Both the engineer and fireman saw
Kelly run towards the locomotive as
II was approaching him and realized
the nature OF his intention. The train
was stopped and the flagman hasten
cd to the spot where Kelly had been
seen and found him dead there with
his skull crushed to a Jelly and his
left leg practically torn from his
body. ApprecIating the fact that
nothing could be done for the unfor-
tunafe man. The remains were placed
In the care of people who had gath
cred in the vicinity and the train pro-
ceeded on it's run TO Pueblo and Den
yer.
Wilson's undertaking establishment
was apprised by telephone of the af-
fsir and an ambulance was sent for
the body. which was brot TO town TO
be prepared for burial A message
was seut to Or. r. c. Atkinson of
Florence. the coroner. and he arrived
at the scene of the suicide before the
ambulance. as the undertaken had
been misinformed as to the place
where the suicide had occurred and
was delayed in reaching there in con-
sequence. The cause OF Kelly's death
and the motive prompting II was so
palpable that the coroner decided
tha; a formal inquest was unneces-
sary.
Kelly had been a resident of the
county farm since November. 1915.
and was well liked by his associates
there. altho for some time past Il
had been suspected tiRt he was ment.
ally unbalanced. He was of a very
industrious disposition and was al
ways at work about the farm when
able to do so. Kelly was 4 devout
Catholic in his religious convictions
and was strongly attached TO his
church and its teachings He lived
in Florence for a long period and
when he became a public dependent
1t was Father Edmund Butts. pastor
Of the Catholic church in that city.
who took compassion on him and had
him removed to the county hcspila,
for case and attention.
ne rhTtiS ever missed 4 service AT
81. MIchael's church here after COM
ing to the hospital and seemed to
derive great comfort from II. Recent
ly. however. his conduct became such
as to Incur the displeasure OF the
church and some three OF four weeks
ago he was communicated from its
communion. Kelly brooded over his
troubles from that time as never be
fore. and Il is believed resolved upon
suicide TO end il all. He kept his own
counsel. however. and so far as Is
known. gave no intimation to his as
sociates at the hospital of his plans
for self-destruction.
Kelly's only relative in this country
SO far as can be ascertained. is q
brother who was living at Crested
Butte when last heard from. No ar.
rGngements have yet been made for
the funeral.