Davenport, Wesley (died 1885)

DAVENPORT

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 3/7/2008 at 20:45:04

Jackson Sentinel, June 27, 1885.

The Inquest of Wesley Davenport

The accidental death of Wesley Davenport noted in Wednesday's Sentinel was passed upon by the Coroner's Jury Tuesday evening. Eugene Cain, John Klema, section boss, Lewis Ziegenfus, engineer, and Mike Tracy, fireman on the passenger engine, appeared as witnesses. Davenport was described as being 5 ft. 3 inches tall, thin and weighed about 100 pounds. Wore brown overalls, brown check shirt, cowhide boots, old straw hat. Wore full beard, unshaven, hair and beard dark. The engineer said: "When turned curve about half mile west of Maquoketa, I saw a man on the track about a eighth of a mile away when I saw him. He was walking toward the engine and continued until he was within about 100 yards of the engine. He then stepped off on north side of track. When we got within about 100 feet of him he stepped back on the track. He started toward the engine on a limping run and when he got within 25 or 30 feet of the engine, he made an effort to step off on south side of track when the engine struck him. When he ran toward engine I applied the brake and throttle. Was running about 30 miles an hour."
The Coroner's verdict was rendered as follows:
An inquisition holden at Maquoketa in Jackson Co. on the 23rd day of June A. D. 1885, before D. N. Loose Coroner of said county, upon the body of Wesley Davenport there lying dead by the jurors whose names are hereto subscribed.
The said jurors upon their oaths do say that the said Wesley Davenport came to his death by being struck by the engine of the morning passenger train going east on the C. & N. W. Ry., this day, about half mile west of Maquoketa, Iowa, and we the jury exonerate the said railway company from all blame.
D. N. Collamer
O. McCaffrey
E. Cain
Jurors
D. N. Loose, Coroner