Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1914 — MOTORCYCLIST MET SUDDEN DEATH [ARTICLE]

MOTORCYCLIST MET SUDDEN DEATH

Son of Mat Brown, Commissioner of Lake County, Killed by South Bound Milk Train. Harry Brown, nicknamed ‘Tommy,” son of County Commissioner Mat Brown, of Lake county, was ground to death beneath the wheels of the southbound milk train on the Monon railroad at South Hammond Sunday evening. Brown was engaged in a 206-mile endurance run on a motorcycle and dashed into the milk train, evidently not seeing it or being unable to stop hjs machine. Brown had made a perfect score in the endurance contest. Brown was 20 years of age. Saturday evening when he was making plans to enter the endurance run his mother had expressed misgivings that he might be injured or killed. Her worst fears were realized in a most horrible manner, for the young man was cut all to pieces, his head and legs and arms all being severed. Brown was riding a “Flying Merkle” and there is no watchman and no gates at the crossing where he was killed. His motorcycle Struck between the baggage car and the smoker and Brown was drawn beneath the wheels' and his body was picked up along the track some sixty feet from the place he was struck. The crossing surrounding permits a view of the track tor a long distance and Brown may have been looking down at the motor and thus have fMfed to see the onrushing train. Ws death brought a sad close to what seemed about about to close a most successful motor run by fourteen young men.