Another Victim (1880)

JOHNSON

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/18/2011 at 13:35:48

From: The Grinnell (IA) Independant; Thurs. Jan. 15, 1880

ANOTHER VICTIM.

On Tuesday afternoon, Peter Johnson, a Swede, better known in Albia as "fiddling Pete," was ground into small pieces by freight train No. 16 between Frederic and Avery in this county. He was in the employ of the Frederic Coal Co. After drinking pretty freely at Frederic he started to Avery to get his tools sharpened and met his fate. The train men gathered up the pieces of him and piled them beside the track and then notified the agent at Frederic. Dr. Lambert, who had just taken the oath as Coroner, was summoned by telegraph to the scene. He got a jury and began the inquest and then adjourned--he says to get the testimony of the train men, others say a jury will not serve after nine o'clock in that neighborhood. The citizens of Frederic gave the saloon keeper who sold Pete the whiskey, just one hour to get out of town and he GOT.--Albia Union.