Death On The Rail
WEBER
Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 6/28/2009 at 01:20:19
Bellevue Leader, June 23, 1887.
DEATH ON THE RAIL.
Conductor A. W. Weber Run Over
As freight train No. 18 was running between the two McGregors, a little before noon, last Saturday, Conductor Weber wishing to switch some cars, climbed from the top of a coal car, down the car ladder to the narrow platform to pull the link pin so he could detach the hind part of the train without stopping. He pulled the pin all right but some how lost his balance and fell from the platform on the track, when fifteen cars ran over him. He was picked up and physicians sent for who found that his two legs and one arm were horribly mangled and crushed and almost severed from the body. They also found that he had suffered serious internal injuries. They, with one accord, pronounced his case a hopeless one from the first. The injured man was conscious, knew he must die, his thoughts naturally enough wandering towards his wife and children. His voice was full of tears when he expressed the dear wish to see them once more and for the last time. About 3 o’clock he became unconscious, and death came to his relief at half past four. His remains were placed on the passenger train that reaches Bellevue from the north at midnight. Messers Reiling, Murphy and Christ Weber, Father-in-law, brother-in-law and brother of the deceased went to Dubuque to receive the remains and escort them to Bellevue, where they arrived at midnight. The wife, children and other friends came down from Bellevue with the bereaved family. The remains were placed in the hearse at the depot, and the mournful midnight funeral procession slowly wended its way to the residence of Mr. A. Reiling, where the body was kept until Monday at 10 o’clock, when it was removed to St. Joseph’s Church, where the funeral obsequies took place under the direction of Rev. Father Bies, assisted by Fathers Knapstein of Springbrook, Knoepple of Spruce Creek and McCormack and Bauman of Dubuque. After the impressive ceremonies the remains were interred in the Catholic Cemetery.
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