T. W. Roby (ca. 1874-1909)

ROBY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 12/9/2016 at 19:54:34

From Nevada Representative November 2, 1909 (front page)

KILLED AND UNKNOWN

Stranger is Found Dead Beside the Northwestern Track East of Nevada

A man unknown to thos who found him or who have so far examined him was found death by section men beside the track of the Northwestern railroad about three-quarters of a mile wast of Nevada at about nine o'clock this morning. Apparently he had been hit and killed by No. 12, the through fast train which goes east about half-past eight, and the section man picked him up and brought him up to the freight depot, and the coroner was at once notified, as was also the undertaker. As yet there is not much more to the story. The man was dressed as a laborer, and he had in his pocket a new corn-husker's pick, suggesting readily that he was on the look-out for a job of corn-husking. Presumably he was walking on the track and for some reason failed to get out of the way of the train. He was not run over but he was broken up in a way to indicate that he had been struck and thrown off the track.

The dead man was apparently about thirty-five years of age, medium or undersized, rather thin in the face, of dark complexion and with dark hair and a stubby mustache. No one who had viewed the body remembers to have seen the man.

P. S.--Developments during the day are that the stranger staid last night at the Letts Hotel, registering under the name of T. W. Roby, but not giving any address. This morning he got shaved at a near-by barber shop, and in conversation there something was said that seemed to indicate that he was from Illinois. With so much of a start it is likely that after a little the main points of his story will be worked out.

From Nevada Representative November 5, 1909 (page 5)

No information has come to light concerning the man who was killed Tuesday morning on the Northwestern track east of town and who had registered at the Letts the night before as "T. W. Roby." His body was shipped this morning by direction of the state board of health to the medical department of the State University at Iowa City.