Unknown, Man – Died 1898

UNKNOWN

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 11/8/2020 at 09:47:46

Source: Decorah Republican July 21, 1898 P 4 C 3

An Unknown Man Goes to his Death and Cut all to Pieces.
Last Monday morning, shortly after the morning- passenger train left Ossian for Calmar, an unknown man who had attempted to ride on the trucks, was literally ground to pieces and portions of his body strewn along the track for twenty rods. The fellow had been in Decorah, Friday, and went from here to Ossian. He was seen to get off from the trucks of the Burlington passenger, and in the evening was noticed about the streets in an intoxicated condition. Saturday, he and two others attempted to steal a ride on the Milwaukee train: two succeded and this one failed. The wheels passed over his body in four different places, apparently—twice across his legs, again across his abdomen and last across the head. The body was found by a boy who notified H. P. Nicholson, The latter got his brother, M. J. Nicholson, near whose farm the accident occurred, and together they went over to where the body was lying. They sent word to Calmar by people who were going that way, but before word was received there the evidences of the accident had been noticed on the wheels of the cars, and the switch engine soon came and took the remains to Calmar, Coroner Gibson was called, but there was little to do save order the body to be buried. In the victim’s clothing there were 91 cents and some cards, which would indicate that he had been employed with Ringling Bros.’ circus, Then in Decorah, Friday, he said he intended to make his way to Faribault and join the steel gang now laying track in that vicinity.

Source: Decorah Republican July 21, 1898 P 8 C 1

A strange man, probably a tramp, was killed on the railway two miles east of here, as the 10:45 a. m, train came in on the 16th inst. The man had evidently been riding on the trucks under one of the passenger coaches, and it is surmised that his coat-flaps caught and wound round the axle, dragging him under the wheels, where he was literally ground to pieces. The wheel-sounder discovered blood and bits of flesh on the gear as he was examining the car, and an engine and box car were taken back and the remains gathered up and brought here, and after calling a coroner were buried.