Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1908 — ACCIDENTAL DEATH VERDICT OF JURY [ARTICLE]

ACCIDENTAL DEATH VERDICT OF JURY

Coroner Wright Feels Posrffrve That John Yates’ Death Was Not Self Inflicted.

County Coroner W. J. Wright conducted an inquest Monday morning to investigate as far as possible the death of John Yates. Among the witnesses was Erastus Peacock, the railway mail clerk, who was on the train the night that the young man was killed. He testified that his car was dircetly back of the engine, and that there was no platform in front of the car, although there was a door at the front end. It is believed that John had climbed up back of the engine, intending to ride on the blind baggage, and that when he found there was no platform he undertook to cling against the door, but there was so small a ledge for his feet that when the train got into motion he was jostled off and fell under the

wheels. Mr. Peacock recalls that the car gave a slight lurch at about the place where the first parte of the body were found and he also heard a screpm at this place, bat no attention was paid to It John usually had money, bat he had been away tbe week before on hie vacation and had remarked to friwtds after he returned that he was oat of funds, except for a small deport hi the bank, which he did not want to withdraw. It Is not improbable that he thought he would hie WSJ as far as Lafayette on the Lain and then earn enough money to him farther away or with which te return. Coroner Wright has not yet given his verdict, but it will be “violent accidental death.”