William Stephen COLLOPY

COLLOPY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/26/2016 at 15:23:43

February 24, 1870 ---- June 24, 1926

RECEIVES WORD OF FATHER’S DEATH
Paul Collopy received word Saturday of the accidental death of his father, William S. Collopy, which occurred at Winnipeg, Canada, last Thursday. Mr. Collopy was employed as a switchman for the Canadian Pacific Co., but no details concerning the nature of the accident which caused his death were received. Paul departed Saturday afternoon for Eagle Grove to meet his brother and make funeral arrangements. Other members of the family are buried in Des Moines and it was expected that the body would be taken there for interment. Paul had not seen his father for thirteen years and the news of his death came as a decided shock to him. Mr. Collopy was at one time employed by the Northwestern Railway Company and was known to a number of older railway men here.

Hawarden Independent -- Hawarden, Iowa
July 1, 1926

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JURY SAYS DEATH OF COLLOPY ACCIDENTAL
RAILWAY IS EXONERATED FROM BLAME FOR FATALITY IN YARDS
A verdict of accidental death was returned by the coroner’s court at the Central Police station last night, touching the death of [William] Stephen Collopy, 373 Dufferin Avenue, switchman on the Canadian Pacific railway, who was fatally injured in the company’s yards in the vicinity of McKenzie Street at 10:30 p.m. on the night of June 24, 1926. Of the nine witnesses only two were in the vicinity at the time, James McKay, foreman, and Otto Johnson, switchman, but no person actually witnessed the accident. Two box cars were destined for tracks 33 and 31 respectively. Evidently finding that the car intended for 33 had gone on the wrong track, he hastened to apply the brakes and missed his footing and fell beneath the wheels, which passed over his abdomen causing instant death. The jury added a rider to the verdict exonerating the railway company and the crew from all blame. Mr. Collopy was about 40 years of age and unmarried. He had been in the employ of the Canadian Pacific railway for about 15 years.

Manitoba Free Press -- Winnipeg, Manitoba
July 3, 1926