BOSWORTH, Haseltine L. 1843 - 1872

BOSWORTH

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/25/2021 at 20:23:27

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Thursday, June 27, 1872
Page 3, Column 4

Fatal Railroad Accident.--At about half past seven o'clock, on last Sunday evening, H. L. BOSWORTH was killed by an extra freight train on the B. & M. R. R.--The accident occurred about a hundred yards or so west of the bridge over Crow creek, a mile east of Fairfield. The deceased was lying on the track, resting on his left arm, and his head, from his upper jaw upward, was severed from his body, as was his left arm. There were also divers (sic - diverse) other wounds on the body. His death was instantaneous, and the facts connected with it sent a thrill of horror through our community.

Coroner Thomas D. Evans being notified, impannelled a jury to inquire into the facts. From the evidence elicited we take the following:

Dr. P. N. Woods testified that he had made an examination, and found the head entirely severed from the body, leaving a portion of the face attached to the latter; the skin on the top and back part of the head lacerated, and the skull bones broken and partially detached; the bones of the face, right and left collar bones, left shoulder blade, upper ribs of both sides and the breast badly broken and crushed; left arm almost entirely severed from the body, and badly broken near the right elbow; right arm broken near the shoulder and at the elbow.

John Hawksmith, who was in charge of the engine, and who is said to be one of the most careful engineers on the road, testified that he first saw the deceased lying on the railroad track; commenced whistling, and stopped the train as soon as possible; could not tell exactly how far he was from me when I first saw him; think about 20 or 30 rods; the sun was shining in my face and I could not see clearly; was turning curve when I saw him first; all the train passed over him; think I ran past him about the length of the train; could not tell his condition, but thought he was asleep and blew to awake him; could not see any wounds as I approached him; forward wheels of truck of engine first struck him and then passed over him; it was about 7:15 p.m., or thereabouts; went immediately back and told the conductor and brakesman that a man had been killed; came up to depot with part of train and then returned for the rest; it was an extra freight train; can't say as to whether the brakes were immediately put on; was badly excited; don't know that I ever ran over a man before and saw him; have been an engineer for 19 or 20 years; to stop a train we whistle brakes on and reverse engine; can't say whether I reversed or not in this instance; think it would require at least 50 rods to stop such a train in; was running 15 miles an hour; was extra freight going west, engine No. 58; it is not usual for this train to pass at this hour.

The testimony of the conductor and brakesman on the train was taken, and was similar to that of the engineer.

Thomas W. Woods being sworn, said: I was at the brewery yesterday, between 5 and 6 p.m.; saw BOSWORTH there; he came up and spoke to Mr. Gil. Locke; saw that he had been drinking some, as it looked that way; we started home about 6 o'clock; the first I knew of his (BOSWORTH's) being along, was when we were getting over the fence; we started up the railroad track--BOSWORTH and Mr. A. P. Heaton in advance, Locke and myself behind; BOSWORTH was the first on the Bridge, Heaton next, and I next to Heaton, I looked back and fould that Locke had gone under the bridge; I could not see him; BOSWORTH wanted to stop; Heaton wanted him to go further up the road, where the shade was; they went about 50 or 60 yards and sat down on the south side of the track; I came up and told them to come on and go home; Heaton arose and came with me; we started up the road, about up to the curve, and Heaton called to BOSWORTH to come on; told Heaton I would take a rest; Heaton said he was hungry for his supper and would go on; turned off the railroad, went up the bank, walked along there, and waited for Locke to come up; sat on the bank about ten minutes, and then went home; about ten o'clock Locke stopped at my house and said BOSWORTH had been killed by the cars; the last I saw of BOSWORTH was when he was sitting down on the track with Heaton; BOSWORTH was drunk, and I did not want to be seen coming to town with a drunk man; I did not see BOSWORTH have any money at the brewery.

Gil. Locke testified that BOSWORTH was drunk, and that he did not want to go home with him; that when he entered John Irrer's house BOSWORTH was sitting at a table, and that BOSWORTH asked him if he did not want something stronger than beer, and said: "If you do, I have got it and you may have it."

A. P. Heaton testified that BOSWORTH was intoxicated; that he walked about two-thirds of the way across the bridge over Crow creek, and had to be assisted the balance; when he got over he wanted to sit down; would not let him, as it smelt so bad; it was near the slaughter-house; we walked on 50 or 60 yards west of the bridge, where we sat down on a tie till Woods came up; Woods raised himself up, as did BOSWORTH, and I supposed he was coming on; Woods and myself walked along together; looked around and saw BOSWORTH sitting where we left him, and did not see him again until I saw him at the depot; he was intoxicated but I thought he was able to take care of himself, as he had walked two-thirds of the way over the bridge.

The jury brought in a verdict in accordance with the evidence, exonerating the railroad from blame.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: He was married to Jane MONTGOMERY, who died in 1912; she is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, IA with her parents. Haseltine served in the Civil War, and was a Private in Company K, 7th Regiment of the Iowa Infantry. He is buried in the Congregational Cemetery in Clay Township, Washington Co., IA.