Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-06-07
INQUEST IS HELD.
VICTIM OF.
C., 0. &P. ACCIDENT
JAMES O'BRlEN BELIEVED TO-
HAVE BEEN SUCKED UNDER
SPEEDING CAR AS HE STOOD
NEAR TRACKS.

! The inquest Of James O'Bricn Mar
settles blacksmith, who was struck
Thursday night by a wcst-bound in
terurban car receiving injuries which
later caused his death in Rybun Hos.
pital, was held at the Gladfelter un.
dertaking rooms at 2 O'CLOCK yesteI-
Iday afternoon.
DR. +. T. Hathaway, the attending
physician. was the first to testify.
! DR.. Hathaway said he was notified by
Inc dispatcher at the substatiOn of the
c. q, q +. Iiy hat a man had been
struck by an intcrurban ear between
Seneca ana Narseiles and was being
rushed here on the $50 car. He i'm.
mCdiately got into communication
with the police department and Sc
cured the city ambulance. The car
was met at the Sprnghorn corner, al
the junction of Main and Columbus
streets. where the injured man was
taken off the car. He was imme.
diately rushed to the hospital. an
after removing his clothing was placed
n the operating table fer eXamina-
ton The doctor reported coH.
pound fracture of the right limb be
low the knee and also of the left arm
below the elbow An incison was dis.
covered in the right side Of the upper
lip and at least a dozen scratches were
found on his face. In addition also
a laccration was found on his left
ankle bleeding artery was picked
up, bandaRed and the hemnrrhaso
stopped. The man. when arst attend
ed by the doctor, was conscious and
when asked if he was hurt answered
that he was not Again he was asked
il he knew he had been struck by an
interurban car and said that nobody
had struck him. He told the doctor
his name. and when asked about his
relatives replied that he had brother
in business across the street on the
corner, Dr. Hathaway inquired of him
If he knew where he was, and said
When his wounds were dressed
O'Brien was removed to the third floor
Of the memorial hospital and soon
after reaching the bed became unCOn
scious. For the first time he ra
marked shortly before lapsing into un-
consciousness that he was in pain.
An opiate was administered to the
suffering man to relieve the pain, bHt
he was unable to withstand the shock
and injuries and passed away about
1880.
The motorman, William Schmitt of
Princeton, then testified that he was
an emplOye Of the G., O. q p. Ry. and
was making a run from Joliet to
Princeton, and after pulling out Of the
station at Seneca and travelling at the
rate of about forty miles an hour, no
iced the figure Of a man about five
Get from the track quarter of
mile distant from the Spicer stop. The
man was in crouched position. When
the motOrman first saw him he was
about 100 feet way, and, thinking the
man might attempt to cross the tracks.
ne sounded the alarm signal and ap-
nlied the brakes. The door of the mo-
torman,s cab was open and he was
abIa to see that the man made no
move toward crossing the track, but
il of the opinion that he was so near
the 0n-rushing car that the suction
drew him toward it and he was struck
nv the rear step. He was standinS
on the south side of the track and was
hareheaded The motorman felt a jar
from the rear end Of the car shortly
fter annlying the brakes When the
car came to a standstll he gave the