Henry Archer

ARCHER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 9/1/2016 at 08:28:29

28 April 1911 - The Lowden News

Henry Archer, a young man of some twenty four years of age who resided in Mechanicsville, was struck by No. 12, an east bound passenger train on the track 1 1/2 miles west of Stanwood Saturday afternoon about 3:38 o'clock and instantly killed. It seems that young Archer who was in the employ of the Graham Nursery Co., of Mechanicsville decided to come to Tipton on that day and came to Stanwood on the noon train. When he arrived there he discovered that he had forgotten his pocketbook at home, having left it in his other trousers when he changed clothes. He tried to secure a loan of $5 from an old acquaintance but having failed, took the next train back home, arriving at about 2 o'clock. Having secured the money, he did not wait for he evening train, but for some unknown reason started to walk to Stanwood. When just east of the first crossing west of that place he was overtaken by No. 12, the through passenger that was running at the rate of fifty miles an hour. Archer was not on the track but was walking on the north side of the north track. He was noticed by both the engineer and fireman and a warning signal by whistling was given. He seemed to pay no attention and the fireman remarked to the engineer that he believed they were going to strike the man. The words were hardly out of his mouth when Archer was struck and thrown into a ditch to the side of the right of way.

The train was immediately stopped and the victim picked up but life was extinct. A freight train following was signaled and stopped and the body was brought back to Stanwood and his parents were notified and Coroner Andrew McCormick was called. No inquest was held, however, until Monday in order that the engineer and fireman on No. 12 might be called to testify. On Monday Coroner McCormick went to Stanwood where an inquest was held at the Town Hall at 9 o'clock a.m. with J. N. Boling, Alex Farquarhson and E. H. Anthony as jurors. The evidence was in substance as given above and the post mortem examination which was held showed that the unfortunate young man had suffered two fractures of the spinal column, one of the dorsal and the other in the lumbar vertebrae. No other injuries were found and it was evident that he was struck by the pilot of the engine. A verdict of accidental death by being struck by No. 12, a passenger train on the North Western, while walking along the track, was brought in.

It is more than likely that Archer thought he was far enough from the track to be safe. He could scarcely have helped noticing the approach of the train as there was no curve in the road and it could have been seen for considerable distance. The remains were taken to his late home at Mechanicsville on Monday where funeral services were held and the remains were buried in the local cemetery. He leaves a father and mother and two sisters. --Tipton Conservative