Thanks Dee ----- I am amazed that the newspaper decided to print such graphic details of the death of Mr. Morago. Margie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dee Sardoc" <deesar@frontiernet.net> To: <NORCAL@rootsweb.com>; <CAKINGS@rootsweb.com>; <CATULARE@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 9:46 AM Subject: [NORCAL] Hanford, Kings Co., CA -- 18 June 1895 Hanford Journal Hanford, Kings Co., California Tuesday, 18 JUNE 1895 ************************************ ------------------------------------------------------- UNDER THE CARS -- An Aged and Deaf Mexican Meets a Terrible Death -- By Trying to Cross the Track in the Rear of a Freight Train -- Result of the Coroner's Inquest -- Matias MORAGO, a Mexican 72 years of age, met with a sudden and terrible death about 2 o'clock p.m. last Thursday. He lived in the Mexican settlement, near the railroad track. A few minutes before the accident he left his home and went across the street to the Del Monte packing house. Here he loitered about a few minutes and then walked through the packing house and out of one of the south doors of the packing house onto the railroad switch. He kept on walking south and attempted to cross the main line of railroad. He was going diagonally across the track in a southeasterly direction. Train No. 28 -- a mixed train running between Bakersfield and Mendota -- was switching near the stock corral. Just as deceased reached the track, the engine, with 7 cars attached, came up the road. It was backing. 2 brakemen who were on the train saw the danger of MARAGO [spelled 2 ways] and loudly hallowed to him to look out, and they also gave the engineer the signal to stop. The train was going at fair speed, and although the brakes were at once applied, it was too late, as the cars and engine all passed over the deceased, the engine coming to a stop within a few feet of where it passed over MARAGO's body. MARAGO had been knocked face down, with his arms and legs extended on the rails. All the trainmen, and several others who had witnessed the accident or heard the shouting, came running up. MORAGO was horribly mangled. He lived only a few moments after the train passed over him. Dr. J.A. MOORE, Coroner, was notified and the remains were taken to the residence of deceased. It was then discovered that the right leg had been cut off just above the ankle and the leg had been cut, as with a cleaver, every few inches, up to some distance above the knee. The left leg was also hacked up, from the ankle to the knee, in a like manner. His right elbow had been run across and mashed, a third of the scalp had been torn away, the skull was fractured on the left side and the collar bone was broken. On Friday forenoon Coroner MOORE began an inquest on the body. A jury of 9 men was summoned and Frank PRYOR took down the testimony. John DAVIDSON represented the relatives of deceased at the inquest. The facts elicited were substantially the same as given above, with few exceptions. The Mexican men and women all testified that they did not hear the bell ring, while the other witnesses -- those who had taken any notice of the matter -- said the bell was constantly ringing while the train was in motion. The most startling testimony introduced was that of Jose GRAHALVA, who swore that he heard some one say to the man on the engine not to back out there as there was a man behind the train, and that the engineer replied he didn't care a d--n if there was. This evidence was not corroborated by any other witness. B.L. BARNEY of the Del Monte packing house, and several of his employees, testified what they saw and heard of the accident, as did several Mexican men and women, 2 brakemen and a Portuguese sheep herder who were on the train, and the engineer. The brakemen both testified that they hallooed to the deceased and gave the signal to stop the train and that the signal was promptly answered. The testimony of the engineer, A.H. MYERS, was taken last and was the most interesting. He saw the man on the track in the rear of the train, but supposed he passed across in safety. Afterwards saw the signals of the brakemen to stop, and responded as soon as possible. He could not have stopped quicker had he known that a man's life was in danger. The train was going from 4 to 6 miles an hour and he stopped it within its own length. He was greatly surprised when he found the train had run over a man. His train was not behind time and he was not running fast at switching. He emphatically denied the story of GRAHALVA that some one told him a man was in the rear of the train and that he replied that he didn't care a d--n. There was considerable questioning of the different witnesses as to the speed of the train, whether there was a foot-path across the track at the place where the accident occurred, whether the bell was ringing at the time and whether deceased was deaf. The jury, after deliberating a short time, returned the following verdict: That we find the deceased was named Matias MORAGO, a native of Mexico and aged about 72 years; that he came to his death on the 13th of June, 1895, from a violent injury, caused by being struck and run over by the cars and engine upon the railroad track of the Southern Pacific Co., in the town of Hanford, and that the same was accidentally done. All of which we duly certify by this inquisition in writing by us signed this 14th day of June, 1895 C.W. TALBOT (foreman) E.Y. DOLLENMEYER F.J. WENDLING L. WILTSE W.G. SPENCE J.J. ADAMS D.P. NIDIFFER J.T. MICKLE It was clearly proven by the testimony that deceased was very hard of hearing; in fact, one had to yell at him to make him hear a little bit. Deceased leaves a wife & 3 sons. -------------------------------------------------------

Its what sells papers... I would like to find a news account of George W (Wash) Tucker who died in a trainwreck ca.1869, per family story. He lived in St Helena.Ca. or Hot Springs twnship near or in Calistoga. Alice D ----- Original Message ----- From: "Margie Hinton" <marhinton@earthlink.net> To: <norcal@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 11:39 AM Subject: Re: [NORCAL] Hanford, Kings Co., CA -- 18 June 1895 > Thanks Dee ----- > > I am amazed that the newspaper decided to print such graphic details of > the > death of Mr. Morago. > > Margie > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dee Sardoc" <deesar@frontiernet.net> > To: <NORCAL@rootsweb.com>; <CAKINGS@rootsweb.com>; <CATULARE@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 9:46 AM > Subject: [NORCAL] Hanford, Kings Co., CA -- 18 June 1895 > > > Hanford Journal > Hanford, Kings Co., California > Tuesday, 18 JUNE 1895 > ************************************ > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > UNDER THE CARS -- > An Aged and Deaf Mexican Meets a Terrible Death