Henry Ernsting

ERNSTING

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 9/2/2024 at 06:38:15

The Wapello Republic, Columbus Junction, IA
Thursday, January 26, 1905
Page 1

Henry Ernsting, a brakeman on the Iowa Central railway, was killed by the cars at Oakville yesterday afternoon. His body was horribly mangled and crushed, death being instantaneous. Mr. Ernsting was aiding his fellow trainmen in switching, preparatory to pulling out for the east, and was working near the depot at the time of the accident. He was hurrying along, when in some manner he lost his footing an fell, his body striking across the rails. He attempted to pull himself off the track and out of the way of the cars, which were coming toward him, and had succeeded in doing so when the trucks caught him and pulling his head in between them. He was dragged for a distance of sixty feet and dropped, but the rear trucks picked up his mangled form and continued the ghastly work for ninety feet more.

An inquest was held, and the verdict showing he came to his death by accident. The dead man was a member of the K. of P. lodge of Wapello. Mr. Ernsting was thirty-five years old and had been employed by the Iowa Central but six weeks when he met his tragic death. He was a life long resident of Oakville, and leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Ernsting, who reside two miles east of Oakville, and three sisters, to mourn his loss. The funeral services will be held from the Methodist church in Oakville today at 1:30.