Rev. James W. Caldwell (1868-1905)

CALDWELL

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/23/2015 at 23:59:47

From Nevada Representative November 1, 1905

KILLED IN A WRECK

Two former citizens of Story county were killed in a wreck Monday evening on the Rock Island west of Des Moines. One was Rev. J. W. Caldwell, former pastor of the Methodist church at Colo, and stationed at the time of the accident at Van Meter in Dallas county. The other was Bowen W. John, who now lives at Des Moines but who formerly lived at Maxwell. Mr. Caldwell was a passenger on a freight train, and Mr. John was a brakeman on the same train. The accident resulted from some confusion of orders, one crew having orders to meet a certain freight at a certain point and section of that train had passed. Mr. John was cousin of the John brothers of Nevada. His funeral will be held at Maxwell, presumably Thursday afternoon or Friday. Advices are lacking as to the funeral of Mr. Caldwell. He was a popular minister when he was in the county, and his death will be here much regretted. The wreck was a bad one: the killed numbering at least eight and possibly more. Among the killed was the engineer who is believed to have been at fault; but the conductor, who shared with him the responsibility, escaped the smash-up but is involved in almost as serious trouble with the authorities. The accident occurred in Guthrie county, and the coroner and grand jury of that county will have jurisdiction.