Mulder, John W. 1873-1901

MULDER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

Sioux County Cemetery Index entry: Mulder, J. W. born 18 Feb 1873, died 1 Jul 1901, Nassau Township cemetery Alton IA

Alton Democrat of July 6, 1901

The most shocking accident that has happened in Alton for years occurred here on the fourth when John W. Mulder of Hospers lost his life beneath the wheels of the southbound freight at about noon. The victim and two companions—John Niewenhuis and H. Van Saane drove down from Hospers in Van Saane's rig in the morning to take the southbound freight—which doesn't stop at Hospers—for LeMars, They put their horse up and visited about town with the deceased's brother William at Menning's hardware store and elsewhere—and then went down toward the depot as far as the Maplewood where they stopped to chat with some Hospers young women working there. While thus engaged the train whistled in and they started east across lots toward the tracks. The northbound passenger was as usual standing on the main track west of the coal sheds to permit the freight to pull in on the siding on the east side of the sheds. Mulder was ahead of his companions several rods and the girls at the hotel saw him disappear over the steps and platform of the passenger and under the coal shed's trestle work to board the moving freight on the other side. Not a living soul saw Mulder from that moment until his comrade Van Saane found him a few seconds later lying in the narrow space between the sheds and cars frightfully mangled. How he met his fate, whether by a misstep boarding or by brushing against the sheds afterward no one will ever know as he was too dazed, to tell. He had fallen in such a manner that his legs were literally chopped to pieces. His left leg and thigh were crushed in three places and his right leg and thigh and hip also frightfully crushed. It was the injury to the hip and internal organs that caused his death. The victim was at once removed to Dr. Smith's office where all in mortal power was done for him but he never recovered from the shock. He lay in a dazed condition which rendered him insensible to pain till three o'clock when he breathed his last, John William Mulder was a young man of twenty-seven years, born in Holland and leaves an aged father and mother and four brothers to sorrow over his untimely end. The brothers are Will, Reijer, Arthur and Eibert, The parents live on the Gleysteen farm northeast of town. The deceased had been in the jewelry business at Hospers several years and was a young man universally respected it being said of him that he had not a single bad trait of character. His death is a sad blow to his relatives and friends and a great shock to the community. Funeral services were conducted by Rev, Lepeltak yesterday evening after the arrival of friends on the six o'clock trains and interment took place in the Holland cemetery,