grave import

Obituary

The inquest over the remains of John Anderson, who was struck by a freight train and instantly killed early Saturday morning at the Mt. Pleasant street crossing, was held yesterday.
The Hawk-Eye of Saturday morning contained the story of Anderson's death, the accident occurring about 1:30 a.m. The affair seems to be shrouded in mystery and the exact incidents connected with the death of Anderson were not clearly established. The report was current yesterday that the young fellow had been murdered and his body thrown on the track to onceal evidence of the crime but his brother's story told before the coroner's jury disproves this report. It is stated that Anderson had come down to Burlington from his home in West Burlington with his twin brother Gus A. Anderson, and HArold Pearson early Friday evening, and the men started to return home up the railroad track at a late hour. Pearson disappeared near the Agency street crossing. It was while GUs Anderson was looking for him, that John Anderson was killed. August Thielbert, wathchman at the Moehn Brewing company, talked to John Anderson a few minutes before the latter was killed. Thielbert later assisted in gathering up the remains. The body mangled in a frightful manner, nearly every bone being broken. After the freight train had struck the man, his brother left to find assistance, leaving the dead man's body on the track. Fast passenger train No. 2 came along at that time and passed over the body of Anderson. The engineers on both trains failed to notice the man on the track.
An inquest was conducted over the remains by Coroner Prugh before the following jury, J.B. Sutter. Herman Ranke and E. Rundorff. Only two witnesses were head. Gus A. Anderson, the brother of the victim of the train and August Thielbert, a night watchman at the Moehn plant. The jury gave the following verdict after hearing the evidence: "That the deceased came to his death by being struck by a C.B.&Q train at the Mt. Pleasant street crossing."
August Thielbert, night watchman at the Moehn Brewing company said that he had talked to Anderson about five minutes before the accident. Thielbert said: "After this I went to the fire room, and on coming our saw Anderson sitting on the west track of the Mt. Pleasant street crossing. This was at 1:20 a.m. i called to him to get off the track. he said, there is no train coming. I went up to the brewery and then heard a train coming and heard a man call. Anderson's brother called to me, and we found the body between the tracks. The man was dead. He did not seem to be intoxicated.
Gus A. Anderson, the brother, gave the following testimony: "At 1:45 a.m. I was with my brother at the Mt. Pleasant street crossing on our way home. I said to my brother, you stay here until I look for my partner. My brother sat on the culvery while I went to look. Could not find Olie. When I got back, I found my brother lying on the track. He was lying across the track. I told the watchman at the brewery that I thought my brother was killed. The watchman and I ran out, as a train passed over the body. I say him lying on the track, but did not see the train strike him.
Anderson lived at No 318 Summer street, West Burlington. He leaves a widowed mother and three brothers, Gus, Carl and Robert. He was employed in the store rooms at the machine shops of the Burlington road. Anderson was twenty-four years old and unmarried.