HIGGINS, Will

HIGGINS, HUFFAKER, ROGERSON, PARKER, PYSING, MOORE, WEIDNER

Posted By: Lois Shaul (email)
Date: 5/18/2019 at 16:41:00

Malvern Leader
September 15, 1887

The ink on our pen was scarcely dry from writing the foregoing when it becomes our duty to chronicle the sudden death of Will Higgins. For the last few weeks he has been at work on the railroad section at this place. Part of his duties were that of track-walker, his beat being the east end of the section. Sunday morning he went over the track as usual. Getting to the east end of the section, where he had to wait until the mail going west had passed, it is supposed that being tired and lonesome he laid down, resting his head on the timbers used to run the hand car off the track.Of course, no one knows how all this was, but from what we were able to gather these are about the facts. The up-train passing struck him rather in the back part of the head, killing him instantly. The body was brought to the City and placed in the freight depot. The Coroner was notified, but as he could not come, Justice Huffaker acted as Coroner, who summoned a jury. The inquest was adjourned until 3 p.m., on the 12th, so as to receive other important testimony. The jury went to the scene of the accident, to be better able to understand all the surroundings. At this writing they have not returned a verdict. To the bereaved family, our citizens, one and all, extend their heartfelt sympathy. Later-- Following is the verdict of the Coroner' jury:

State of Iowa, Mills County, ss:
An inquisition holden at Silver City, in Mills County, on the 11th and 12th days of September, A.D. 1887, before L.W. Huffaker, Justice of the Peace acting as Coroner, upon the body of Wm. Higgins, there lying dead, by the jurors whose names are hereto subscribed, the said jurors on their oaths do say: After having heard the evidence and examined the said body, we do find that the deceased came to his death by a contused wound on his head, caused by engine No. 1298, operated by W.D. Rogerson, engineer, and Frank Parker, fireman, in the employ of the Omaha and St. Louis railway Company, and we further find that the deceased was lying there on the track when struck by said engine, while on duty as track-walker in the employ of said railway company, whatsoever.
Given under our hands at the time and place of inquisition above mentioned.

M.M. Pysing,

W.G. Moore,

B.S. Weidner,

Coroner's Jury.