"The Kansas City Times" (Missouri) Monday, April 24, 1899 UNDER IRON HOOFS Little Child's Life Crushed Out by the Cars. One of the most distressing incidents which has occurred in this city for months took place last evening when the Missouri Pacific passenger train from St. Louis, due at 6:15 p.m., ran down two little deaf mutes, 4 and 6 years old, the daughters of Dillen SCHNEIDER, in the East bottoms, instantly killing the older. By some trick of fate, one of the children stepped from the track, unheeding and unconscious of the approaching train, and escaped death, only to turn and see her elder sister mangled beneath the cruel wheels. It was not unusual for the children to go unattended about the tracks in the neighborhood of the brewery. Trainmen in the yards knew of their affliction and were fearful lest such an accident as occurred yesterday should take place and for that reason they frequently warned them by signs not to get on the roadbed and to keep away from the tracks while playing in the yards. The SCHNEIDER family lives about a block from the scene of the accident, in the rear of the brewery, and there are many children in the neighborhood, who have become inured to the danger of the passing trains, which have no terror for them. The two little flaxen-haired tots, the pets of the SCHNEIDER family, were playing in the warm sunshine of the waning afternoon as they had done on many another bright day. Though they were deaf mutes, they were as happy and bright as their playmates who were more favored. All unconscious of danger, the little ones played on, when suddenly the warning whistle of the approaching passenger train thundering down the track rang out shrill and menacing. But it fell on ears not blessed with the sense of sound and the little ones played on in innocent abandonment of childish pleasure. The older child's back was turned to the train, while the younger, a mere babe, faced her sister and therefore had her face toward the train. A sudden upward glance showed her the fearful danger that threatened them both and with a sudden bound she was off the track, clutching frantically at her little sister's dress, but to no avail, and with the shrill whistle sounding the little one's death knell, the great engine, like some mighty juggernaut, crushed out the life of the child before the baby's eyes. Engineer CHAPEL and Conductor O'BRIEN stopped the train long enough to see the body taken in charge by the kind-hearted neighbors. They then brought their train in, only a few minutes delayed, and the coroner was notified. The body of the child was carried to the cottage back of the brewery and dressed. The coroner arrived at 7:30 o'clock and viewed the mangled body of the little one. He will hold an inquest to-day. The parents of the child are prostrated with grief. ====================================================== Is anyone beside the subject family reading these posts? Drop me a note and let me know if you read them so I'll know how much interest there is for these articles. Thanks. johnobrien@kc.rr.com ======================================================