The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-01-29
Veteran Wabash Railroad Man Falls
Dead as His Train Leaves Car
t,age Station, After Seem
Ing Good Health.
POPULAR RAILROAD MAN
Had Host Of Friends Made During
His Thirty-Eisht Years Of Rail-
road Service in This Sec
tIon Of Country.


on his Wabash passenger train just
after it left Carthage station yesterday
afternoon at SIS o'clock
r He. had been in good health lately
and left Keokuk on his run at 4:4l
o'clock seemingly In perfect health
and nothing unusual was noticed by
the station agent or the trainmen at
the Carthage stop. The train had moi
reached the city limits OF Carthage,
when the conductor expired.
The cause Of death Is not known
certainly. but is believed to be apo
piexy from ruptured blood vessel 10
the brain.
Conductor ByTne was nfty-six years
old and well known to many people In
this part OF the country He was rear
ed at Mt sSterling. Illinois, where the
funeral will be held
Devoted Wife Was on Train.
As soon as Nj Byrne died. the
brakeman storped the train and It ran
back to Carthage station where the
body was taken to an undertaken
and notice OF the occur ence was sent
railroad officials.
Mrs. Byrne was ON the train with
her husband, having started to Clayton
to visit her sisters, Mrs. Heaslip and
Mrs Glazer, overnight, with the inten-
ton of coming home to Keokuk this
morning SIZE is now Frustrated at the
tcme of her relatives In Clayton, but
hores to be able to go TO Mt Sterling
to the funeral.
They were married at Clayton thir-
ty-two years ago. and Mrs Byrne was
Miss Christina Rolfe. Their married
life was ideal, and Mr.. Byrne was a
most devoted husband for nearly a
third Of century. They have lived in
KeokHk about seven years, having
rooms at the home OF F. C. Overton,
602 Franklin street
Appreciated by Railroad Men.
Besides his wife, Mr.. Byrne is sur
vived by two sisters, one residing at
Mt. Sterling. and the other at Decatur
His mother and other members OF his
family are buried at Mt Sterling.
kilograms began coming In early
this morning for Mrs. Byrne from
many prominent railroad men all over
tie country who appreciated the vet
cram conductor and at some time or
ether worked In contact with him.
They all expressed the sorrow at his
RAISING. his friends feel and praise Of
his ability as railroad man
His acquaintance was very wide, be-
cause those who met him even a few
times were apt to remember him and
feel friendly toward him.
Long Popular with public.
On his train, his patience seemed
IimitIess as his kindliness. especially
to women and children unaccustomed
to travelling.
The old lady who was afraid she
would be carried past her station had
her fears allayed by his slow smile and
calm. soft voice. as he stopped long
enough to reassure her, and went sew
ersl times to tell her that she was
Kept in mind. He would loan woman
money to complete the amount OF
her fare, ie she had made a mis-
take about 1t and had not enough cash,
with all the grace Of a courtier.
But If some man tried to lessen his
own fare by dividing the difference
with the conductor. there came a Pc
culiar grimness into the face OF Con-
Cuctor Byrne as a very few words told
that he was not that kind
Mr.. Byrne was a devoted member OF
st. Francis ~ Sales Catholic church.
and member of the De la Sale coun-
Gil of the Knights of Columbus.