Imperial Valley press., 1926-07-21
5. ?. TRAIN
KILLS TWO
A I OG|[bY
Men Crushed to Death
While Sleeping on the
Railroad Track.
COMPANION ESCAPES
Identify One Victim AS
George GeorgeOlis Of
Nogales, Arizona.

Stretched out asleep on the tracks
of the Southern Pacific railroad at
Ogilby near the east county line,
two men, one of them partially iden-
tlfied as George Georgeolis of No
gales, the other unidentified as vet,
were crushed beneath the wheels of
estbound train No. l shortly after
midnight last night, while a COM
panion, Martin Balderrman of Ell
Paso slept within a few feet of
them, unaware of the tragedy.
Balderman, shaken by the shock
of discovering the mangled bodies of
his two friends when he awoke, Ia
horiously made his way back to Yu-
ma from where the trio had depart
ed on a hiking trip to FL Centr6
few hours bef>te and told of the
tragedy to county officials. The
Yuma officials Immediately notified
the local sheriff 3 office and Depu-
ty Sheriffs Underwood and Harold
Gillett and Deputy Coroner A. II.
Hens drove to the scene.
Balderrman told the Officers he
and his companions left Yuma about
$50 p. m. and walked until they
came to Ogilby. There they became
tired and thirsty and decided to re-
turn to Yuma. His two companions
Balderrman declares. insisted on
resting for few moments before
starting the return hike. Despite
his remonstrances they insisted on
sitting on the railroad tracks. He
stated that he went few feet away
on the embankment and fell asleep.
Train Awakens Him
The rumble of Train No. l woke
him up he stated. and on looking up
he saws the train disappearing to
the west. 1t took him a few sec
onds to realize he had last seen his
friends sitting on the track and just
as he was about to get up to inves-
tigate he discovered the body of one
of his companions lying within two
feet of him the face and head al
most torn away.
The other youth, believed to be
Georgeolis was lying few feet to
one side of the track. Both had been
Killed instantly.
The bodies of both men were
brought to Lemons funeral parlors
in FL Centre and coroner's inquest
was conducted this morning by Dep
uty Coroner Hens. Balderrman re-
peated his story to the coroners jury
men met death while sleeping on the
tracks and placed no blame ON the
railroad.
Balderrman stated he did not
know either of his companions, hav-
ing met them in Yuma yesterday
morning. They told him they were
enroute west and asked him to join
them. Partial Identification of one
of the men as GeOrgeolis was made
through discovery in his pocket of
two lodge membership cards bear.
ing that name. The straw hat he
was wearing had been purchased in
= NOgaIeS store.
Marks in the clothing of the other
victim bore the names of III Paso
firms, but there were no means Of
Identification. The bodies will be
held here pending completion of an
investigation by Coroner b. f. Lee
mons in the hope of completing
Identification.
Balderrman who was suffering
from the shock of the tragedy was
gwen temporary lodgings AT the
county Jail last night and this morn
ing. Members of Sheriff Gillett .
4,,oo o,1 rorouo. arnoo - nffica
were planning today to raise fund
to aid him in reaching Los Angeles
where he intends TO work.