Pentico, Jesse d. 1905

PENTICO

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 12/24/2004 at 11:20:04

Jesse Pentico, a young man 22 years of age, a resident of Colfax, was killed instantly by a streetcar in Des Moines last night. The young man and his father were visiting a sister, Mrs. H. E. Wiggins, at 110 Locust Street. The family was out in the yard after supper. Pentico got up and said he was going over to Second St. to see a young man about taking a room in his sister’s house. He turned around and said goodbye and started across the street. As he reached the crossing a Locust streetcar coming down the hill at a good speed, crashed into him, throwing him to the pavement and under the car killing him almost instantly.

He was in full view of his father and sister all the time. They ran immediately to the spot but the unfortunate man was dead. An ambulance was called and the body was taken to undertaking rooms as soon as possible.

The accident was witnessed by a great many people. Not one seems to understand just how it all happened; it was done so quickly. One would naturally think that Pentico would have seen the car approaching or heard the motorman as he shouted to him. The father is heart broken over the loss of his son. ~ The Newton Daily News, Wednesday, August 30, 1905, Page 1, Column 4
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Fair Visitor is Ground to Pieces

Jesse Pentico of Colfax is Struck by Street Car on Locust Street

Will Hold an Inquest

Crushed and mangled under the forward trucks of a fair grounds car Jesse Pentico, a resident of Colfax, 22 years of age, died on Locust Street near East Second, half an hour after he was knocked down and ground to pieces.

Pentico was struck down before the eyes of his sister and father and dragged under the car.

The Colfax party had been stopping at the home of Mrs. H. E. Wiggins, No. 110 East Locust Street.

Just after dusk Pentico started to cross the street to inquire about rooms he expected to engage. The car was running down grade at about the usual rate. Motorman Drewer yelled to Pentico but the latter did not hear him or else thought he had plenty of time in which to cross the tracks.

Drewer applied the brakes but with a heavily loaded trailer behind they refused to stop the car in time.

The injured man’s sister dragged him from beneath the car and at the road-side, while waiting for the ambulance, she held him in her arms. He died within thirty minutes, never recovering consciousness.

The first victim of fatal accident during fair week was an unmarried man. The Pentico family’s home has been at Colfax for a number of years. The old father was prostrate with grief and it was necessary to provide him with medical attention last night. ~ Newspaper name and date unknown.