SAMUEL GILLILAND

GILLILAND

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 2/1/2002 at 21:23:41

Decatur County Journal
July 9, l9l4

Samuel Gilliland Killed by Rock Island
Freight Engine Last Thursday
Evening:

Before the community had recovered from the
shock of the death accident
has happened right in our midst. (NOTE:I
copied this as it was written,
and something was left out. Nancee)

The victim of this second accident is SAMUEL
GILLILAND, landlord of the
Merchants Hotel. The deatils of the accident
as related by eye
witnesses is as follows, says the Allerton
News:

MR. GILLILAND, as was his custom, went to the
depot to meet the 6:30
Kansas City, Des Moines train. There was
quite a crowd at the depot.
Some to take the train, others to meet
friends. All were waiting for
the train to pull in.

When the passenger pulled in it was on track
No. 2 and in order for
those leaving the train to get to the depot
they had to cross the main
line track and those desiring to leave on the
train had to cross the
same track. When the passenger pulled in MR.
GILLILAND and others
prepared to cross the main line track.

Before the passenger arrived, a through
freight, which was running ahead
of it, thundered through, and in order to get
in the clear didn't have
time to stop for water, but ran to the east
end of the yards,
sidetracked their train and with the engine
and tender came back after
water just at the time when the passenger was
stopping.

It was just at this time with the people in
the depot preparing to cross
the main line to take the train and the
people on the train preparing to
leave and cross over to the depot, that the
engine backed down, and it
was at this time that MR. GILLILAND started
to cross the track.

The tender struck him, knocked him down. One
leg was caught under the
wheels and nearly crushed off. His left
shoulder was broke and his
right arm below the shoulder crushed and he
was cut on the face.

He was conveyed to the hotel and Dr.
Williams, the company physician was
called. The injured leg amputated and he was
made as comfortable as
possible while coming out of the shock.
Saturday he
was moved to his home on South Central Avenue
where the uneven battle
for life was continued with a trained nurse
from Kansas City to aid.
All was done for him that could be, but his
injuries were too severe for
frail human nature to withstand, and he
passed away Monday morning.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
February l, 2002