Nash, James 1857-1910

NASH, LEACH

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 7/8/2012 at 15:55:31

LeMars Globe-Post
April 14, 1910

KILLED BY THE TRAIN
JAMES NASH CRUSHED ON HINTON R.R. CROSSING
Omaha Freight Train At High Speed Crashed Into His Buggy Saturday Night.

James Nash, a well-known farmer of the south part of the county, where he has resided for over thirty years, was struck by a freight train while driving across the railroad track at Hinton late Saturday night and almost instantly killed. The Nash home is five miles east of Hinton. Mr. Nash had been in Hinton was just starting for home, the time being 10:15 o’clock. He was driving a heavy farm horse hitched to a buggy. The vehicle was smashed into kindling wood, and the horse, an animal weighing in the neighborhood of 1,400p pounds was hurled fifty feet and instantly killed.

The train which killed Mr. Nash was the St. Paul freight over the C. M. St. P. & O. The train was late, being then due in Sioux City and as it does not stop at Hinton was running at high speed. The accident took place at the crossing just south of the Illinois Central Station and was witnessed by a number of spectators although at that time of night no one could be sure of just what happened. The train, in charge of Conductor Kilborne and Engineer F. J. Anderson, was at once brought to a stop. The body of Mr. Nash was found on the right of the track with the wreck of his buggy. His neck was broken, skull terribly crushed over the temple exposing the brain, left leg broken near the hip and left arm fractured. The horse lay on the other side of the tracks, stripped of all harness but the bridle. The character of Mr. Nash’s injuries, the distance he and his heavy horse were thrown and the complete wreck of harness and vehicle would tend to show that the train was running at high speed, although some of the trainmen testified that they were not going faster than eight or ten miles an hour and none of them would admit of more than fifteen miles an hour. On the other hand, there were those who saw the train go through who estimated the speed as high as thirty miles an hour.

Mr. Nash was perfectly familiar with the surroundings, but must have underestimated the speed of the approaching train. It has been stated that as he drove on the crossing with the train almost upon him, he appeared to hesitate and made an attempt to back the horse off. The railroad men expressed the belief that he might have escaped had not the horse stopped either through fright or because of Mr. Nash’s pulling on the lines. The family of the dead man were at once notified and arrived in a comparatively short time taking the body to the home in Lincoln township.

Coroner Beely of LeMars was notified and went down Sunday to make arrangements for an inquest, which was held Monday afternoon. A jury composed of Ira Pearson, Henry Ideker and W. C. Luce were empanelled, and after hearing the evidence simply returned a verdict to the effect that deceased had been killed by the train above mentioned.

James Nash was born in Kalamazoo county, Michigan, May 22, 1857. In 1876, with other member of his father’s family he came to Iowa and located in Plymouth County, which was to be his home for the remaining 34 years of his life. He was married in Lincoln township twenty-six years ago to Miss Minnie Leach. To them was born one son, Nealie Nash, who with the bereaved wife survives. Other relatives living in the county are a brother, Dell Nash, of Potosia, and a brother and sister, Luther Nash and Mrs. Chris Closner, living near Hinton.

Mr. Nash was highly regarded throughout the south part of the county, where his long residence had made him very well known. His tragic death was a profound shock to his neighbors, but a benumbing sorrow to his bereaved wife and son. The funeral was held in the United Evangelical church at Hinton, the services being in charge of the Floyd Valley Lodge, I.O.O.F., of which deceased had been a member for a good many years.