Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 April 1909 — Monon Engineer Killed In the Lafayette Yards. [ARTICLE]

Monon Engineer Killed In the Lafayette Yards.

Fred B. McCord, a Monon railroad engineer, was killed in the freight yards at Lafayette Tuesday at 11:59 o’clock. He is well known by men who are about the depot in Rensselaer. He had a freight run through' this city, and formerly lived at Monon. The Lafayette Journal thus describes the accident that resulted In his death: “He was an engineer in the employ of the Monon railroad and had been called to take freight train No. 70 north. He had run his engine, the 257, out of the round house for the purpose of drawing the pin from the draw bar. The plan suggested to loosen the pin was to give the link a sharp blow, and engine 206, in charge of Philip Clark, hostler at the roundhouse, which had been run out to pull another freight, was selected to loosen the pin. . _ —— “Engineer McCord’s engine was stationary and he had gone to the rear of the tender to watch the effect of the experiment. Engine 206 was backing up with the intention of striking the link on engine 257 to force the pin into its proper place. Engineer McCord had his back turned toward the approaching engine and was caught between the drawbars. No one could explain just how the accident happened, but he was caught and killed. Engine 206 struck the other engine with considerable force, and when it recoiled Engineer McCord dropped to the ground a corpse. He was seen to fall by a lady who lives near the scene of the accident and was heard to cry out in agony. The link of the drawbar penetrated his abdomen, passing entirely through his body. The ambulance was called, and with Captain Kluth in charge, took the body of the dead engineer to the Evans undertaking establishment, where it was prepared for burial. “Engineer McCord was 30 years old and had been with the road for seven years. He had been an engineer for four years. He came here from Monon, where his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. McCord, are still living. He was unmarried and made his home with William H. Murphy, at 1610 North Seventeenth street. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. at Monon, and the B. of L. E. He was a man of excellent character, had good habits, was a trustworthy employe and had many friends.