Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 284, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1912 — TWO MEN KILLED BY THE HOOSIER LIMITED [ARTICLE]

TWO MEN KILLED BY THE HOOSIER LIMITED

William Washburn and Noble Peacock Instantly Killed, and Frank Hill, D. S. Makeever, Clay Dewees and Will Kough Had Close Call.

DID NOT HEAR THE TRAIN

foi the other members of the party and soon found the body of Peacock but not that of Mr.'Washburn. They went at once for aid, leaving word at Babcock & Hopkins’ elevator and Mr. Makeever went to the depot. In the meantime the Hoosier Limited had made its stop at the depot and proceeded on its way. None of the crew knew of the disaster wrought by their train. It was thought the body of Mr. Washburn might have lodged on the cow catcher and a message was sent to the agent at Fair Oaks to train and make a search. Sodn aft&r, however, the body of Mr. Washburn was found beneath the box car, entirely beneath the car and one foot wedged in under one of the rear wheels. A fracture of the skull in the top of the head had doubtless produced instant death. Otherwise his body was not badly injured. One arm and one leg were fractured. The bodies were gathered up and taken to the Wright undertaking rooms, where the surgeons for the railroad made further investigation. It was evident that, the wheels of the train lihd not passed over the bodies and that death had been caused by the concussion as the side of the engine struck them and as they struck the objects nearby. William Washburn was 67 years of age. He had been a resident of this county for many years and had pros-: pered as a farmer and stockman. He resided in Rensselaer,, .having a fine residence at the west end of McCoy avenue. He Was in poor health, having diabetes and his local physician had held out ntf hope for recovery nor for long life. He was also somewhat deaf and this may possibly have figured in the fact that he did not hear the approaching train, but the others were all alert of hearing and none heard it. Mr. Washburn' was one of the splendid citizens of our city and county. Of pure life, rigid integrity, devoted to Christianity, cheerful and charitable to any worthy cause, he had lived in a way to endear himself to every person in the community and •he will be missed, not alone in the home, but in the church and among those whd dealt with him in any way. He leaves one daughter, Mrs. William Rowles, and two grandsons, the children of their deceased daughter, Mrs. Schuyler Robinson. _ Noble John Peacock was 23 years of age the 15th of last March. He had returned some eight months ago from an enlistment in the regular army, spent most of the time in western posts. He is the son of Erastus Peacock and wife and had taken a deep interest since coming home in the care of his mother, who had just moved last Saturday to their recently! purchased home, the former Dr. Catt property. Noble planned to live there with his mother and to be her support and comfort. H«r poor health caused him deep worry and he had planned to .have her enter the local hospital for an operation. He was very industrious and had proven himself a young man of steady qualities and excellent worth. He had been working for Firman Rutherford, but Tuesday asked to be excused for the day in order to help Mr. Washburn bring the cattle in and load them in the cars. His sudden and shocking death proved a hard blow to his mother and to his sister, Mrs. H. J. Bartoo, of Remington, who was here at the time. The sad news was taken to them by neighbors. Mrs. Bartoo at once called her husband and he. accompanied by his sister, Miss Minnie Bartoo, came over and remained for several hours. The funeral of Mr. Washburn will be held Friday morning at 10:30 o'clock at the Methodist church, and that of Noble Peacock Friday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. Mts. Bartoo at once sent a telegram to her father, who is in Florida, and he replied that he would be here as/quickly as The only other member of the Peacock family is Blaine, a younger brother, who will accompany the father here. The terrible accident has cast a gloom over the Thanksgiving season and has caused sadness in many houses where joy otherwise abounds.

Accident Occurred Tuesday Evening At About 6 O’clock, the Train Coming Upon Them Without Any of the Party Noticing Its Approach and the Fatal Accident Was Not Known to the Train Crew and Not Reported At Depot Until After the Train Had Passed Through Rensselaer. mmmmmmmmmm ' - . . William Washburn, wealthy farmer and stockman, and Noble Peacock, a young man, both of Rensselaer, were instantly killed at the stock loading pens in the Monon railrhad yards in Rensselaer Tuesday evening at about 6 o’clock. Frank Hill, another well known farmer and stockman, received a severe bruise to his left arm, and D. S. Makeever, another well known farmer and stockman, was slightly injured, while H. Clay Dewess, Mr. Washburn’s farm tenant, and Will Kough, who worked for him, had a narrow escape. The Hoosier Limited, running practically on time, and which was not observed by any of the six men, was responsible for the death and. injuries. The body of Noble Peacock was much more mutilated than that of Mr. Washburn, but death was evidently instantaneous in each case. Those who came almost sharing the fate of Mr. Washburn and Mr. Peacock are able to give a very clear account of the accident, although none had any. warning of the approach of the train and it is simply -a matter of good fortune that all six were not dashed into eternity at the same time. The men were loading stock, Washburn & Dewees having three carloads and Hill two carloads of cattle and Makeever one car of hogs. The csts f9r Mr. Hill’s cattle were not on hand and hewas helping the others load. The siSetflfek running past the stockpens and loading chute was occupied by stock cars. The main track parallels the sidetrack at this point anc is only a few feet away. Between the sidetrack and the main track there are a number of steel rails distributed. These obstruct the walking space between the two tracks. The men would push a car up to the chute, load il and then push it out of the way and return for another car. In returning they walked either between the rails of the main track or just to the north of the track, probably the latter. On another sidetrack to the south the local freight engine kept up a puffing and trembling and the men did not notice the fast passenger train as it approached. None seemed to think that it was right on the scheduled time for the train. They were intent on getting the cars loaded and gave no heed to the possible danger from trains. They were just at the point where another stock cai stood on the sidetrack and Dewees, who was in the lead and who was carrying the pinchbar used in starting the car, had just gone around the end of the car. Makeever was right behind him and then in succession Peacock, Washburn, Hill and Kough. The train’s approach was not noticed by any of the men and the survivers are unable to express just the feeling they had as the train whizzed by. Kough happened to be just far enough away from the track not to be hit, although he states that he was drawn down to the ground by the suction from the fast-moving train. He was conscious of grasping something with his hands and holding on. This was probably the rails that lay between the tracks. Mr. Hill was a little closer the maintrhck and he. too, experienced the* suction feeling. He is unable to say whether be was hit by some part of the engine or received his injury as he fell to the ground. His left elbow was badly bruised, and at first it was thought he had suffered a fracture. The injured arnj is being carried in a sling. He was not injured otherwise. Mr. Washburn was next. He was struck by the engine so violently that his body was knocked some eight or ten feet to the side and beneath a car on the side track. It was not found for some time after the accident was reported at the depot Noble Peacock was in front of Mr. Washburn. He must have been nearer the track than any pi the others, for his body was not thrown so far to the right but more to the front Apparently -he had struck head first and his head had hit one of the loose rails between the tracks and the skulk shattered and particles of it were scattered about for a distance of thirty feet His body I struck Mr. Makeever. knocking him down and straining him on the right side. Mr. Dewees was not injured. The near-victims at once began to look