BOYLE, Matthew

BOYLE, LONG, MACKIN, MADDEN

Posted By: Michael Kearney (email)
Date: 1/25/2002 at 13:50:24

The Clinton Herald Monday March 4, 1907; p. 1 News reached Clinton Sunday of a fatal accident in the Northwestern railroad yards in DeWitt, the victim of which was Matthew Boyle, an old resident of this county who was well known in this city, where he had many friends. The Herald's DeWitt correspondent thus trites of the fatality: "The C.&N.W. yards at this place was the scene of another fatal accident yesterday morning at about 6:30 o'clock, the victim being an old resident of this city and an employe of the Northwestern road in the capacity of section man, Matt Boyle. One of his duties was that of attending to a series of signal lights, in furtherance of which he was accustomed to using one of the railway velocipedes. Yesterday morning he took the velocipded or "jigger" and started eastward. He proceeded to the east end of the yeards when he discovered No. 3, which was late, bearing down upon him from the east, and as he was on the south track, he moved the velocipede over to the north or east bound track, not noting that second section of No. 6 a through passenger train was coming at the rate of 50 miles an hour. It is said the engineer of No. 6 made an heroic effort to avoid the catastrophe, but in vain. The mammoth engine strick the velocipede, utterly demolishing it. The body of Boyle was thrown over on the south track and No. 8 was stopped just in time to prevent the body of the unfortunate man being ground to pieces beneath the whole of the second train. The body was taken to the depot and later to the home just south of the track. It was almost battered to a pulp, and it is doubtful if the poor man ever knew that he was struck." Matthew Boyle was about 50 years of age, and was married. He had been employed by the Northwestern for many years. He was a member of the W.C.W. It was decided to hold the induistion into the death of the late Matthew Boyle in this city, so witnesses were brought here this morning, and the unquest was conducted in the city hall. The jurors impanelled by Coroner Kellogg were: W.P. Dennison, Ed Quigley and J.J. Connole. The following verdict was returned by the jury shortly before noon: "We the jurors on oath do say that said Matthew Boyle came to his death at about 6:30 o'clock on the morning of March 3, 1907, as a result of a fracture of the skull, and other injuries sustained by being struck by the engine of the second section of train No. 6 of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway company, while attending to his work as a yard man of said company and while attending to the company's signal lights int he yards." The verdict was signed by the jurors.

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