Hanford Journal Hanford, Kings Co., California Tuesday, 18 JUNE 1895 ************************************ MARRIAGE -- GIRAUD-NICOLAS -- In Hanford, June 14, 1895, by Justice G.W. RANDALL; Leonee GIRAUD and Rosalie NICOLAS, both of Dudley. MARRIAGE -- FERRAL-DRIVER -- At the residence of the bride's mother, Mrs. H.M. DRIVER, in Hanford, at 10 o'clock a.m., June 17, 1895, by Rev. H.W. WALTZ of Visalia; Robert L. FERRAL and Miss Effie DRIVER. [The wedding was a quiet one, with only the relatives and a few intimate friends present. The young couple have gone to Porterville, where they will remain for some time. The best wishes of many friends here follow the young couple.] DEATH -- McMAHON -- At the residence of his father-in-law, O.L. WILSON, near Kings River, Kings county, Cal., June 15, 1895, of consumption, John McMAHON, aged 27 years. [The funeral of deceased took place at 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon and the remains were interred in the Catholic cemetery.] [from Local Paragraphs column] -- The many friends of John G. BURLAND in Kings County will be sorry to learn of his death, which occurred in Visalia on Sunday morning, from consumption. He was aged 34 years and leaves a wife & 2 children. ------------------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------------------- LOCAL PARAGRAPHS -- -Mr.&Mrs. Fred STEVENS of San Francisco, who have been visiting M.S. THOMPSON and family of Eureka, returned to their home Saturday. Mrs. STEVENS is a sister of Mr. THOMPSON. -George DUVALL will teach the Zion school near Poplar, Tulare county, next term. -George HALL and wife, of Fresno, are visiting Mrs. HALL's (nee WHEAT's) relatives in and near this city. -Charles BUMP, a deputy in the Surveyor-General's office, and Miss Clara CECIL of Visalia, are to be married tomorrow (Wednesday) night. -Mrs. S.M. JOINER leaves Hanford Thursday, June 20th, to visit her parents in Gainesville, Texas. Floy JOINER leaves for Los Angeles Tuesday, June 18th, to spend the summer. -Abe HURLBUT returned from San Francisco this morning, where he has been having his eyes doctored. He returns much improved and thinks he will regain the use of his eyes. MRS. J.R. MULLINIX, who was stricken with paralysis 15 months ago, is now able to be about on crutches and even walk a short distance without them. She has had a long and dangerous illness, but Dr. MILLER's treatment is restoring her to health. "PROFESSOR" FRANCIS FRANKS, acquitted last week of the charge of attempting to murder his wife, left Hanford last Wednesday evening for Bakersfield. Before his departure, the "professor" made daily calls at the 'Journal' office to see what we said about him, past and present, and he was always accommodated. WM. POWELL, who lives south of Armona, is in an unfortunate condition, having lost his mind. He had been in poor health for a long time. He was returning yesterday from a trip to Summit Lake, where he went to look after a ranch he has there. Sheriff BUCKNER found him and his team near the Kings River bridge west of Lemoore. M. POWELL was in an insane condition. Mr. BUCKNER took POWELL to Lemoore, and from there his brother took him home. Dr. DUNCAN was called and says the patient is suffering from spinal meningitis and congestion of the brain and his mental recovery is doubtful. IT IS UNDERSTOOD that the school directors have definitely decided on their selection of a corps of teachers for Lemoore for the coming years, says the 'Leader,' and that the list will be as follows: Principal, G.W. HINKLE Vice-principal, Miss Henrietta TREADWELL Intermediate, Miss Lillie RUSSELL 2nd Primary, Mrs. F. COWAN 1st Primary, Miss Emma TURNER J. AVIANI and A. POLITEO have formed a partnership and will about the 1st of July open up a large restaurant, to be called the Metropolitan, in the new brick building on Douty street. The restaurants they now conduct will be discontinued. The Metropolitan will make a specialty of meals for from 15 cents up. The proprietors will have 2 large and well furnished rooms in which to carry on the business. THERE IS GOING to be a contest over the will of Cuthbert BURRELL, deceased, a pioneer resident of Tulare county and a wealthy man, who died in San Jose. It was believed that deceased died intestate and his widow was granted letters of administration. Now it is discovered that deceased left a will, which has been presented for probate by the brother of deceased and a long legal battle in the Superior Court of Tulare county is now prospect. THOMAS WHITE, an elderly man who resides near Visalia, and who has been camped on the Mussel Slough ditch, near the Redington St. bridge, for several weeks, desires us to say that he found some liberal people in Hanford who kindly gave him assistance in the way of provisions when he greatly needed them, among them being A.J. DeLANEY, Thos. WATSON, Mrs. P. BYRD and A.W. LANE and wife of Grangeville. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S hose team, which is to compete with a Visalia hose team on the 4th of July, practices every evening near the engine house. The team consist of Messrs: Fred HOLDER Geo. RITCHIE H. NOEL MATHEWSON HILL RAILSBACK Fred BLAKELEY Frank WENDLING WORKS BLYTHE C. FRIANT C. BAIRD DR. J.A. MOORE, of this city, is in receipt of a copy of the 'Union,' published at Sullivan, Ind., which contains a lengthy notice of the celebration of the 60th wedding anniversary of his parents. The couple had 10 children, of whom 7 are living -- 6 daughters & 1 son. There are 31 grand children of the couple and 24 great grand children, nearly all of whom were present. One of these great grand children is now of marriageable age and Mr.&Mrs. Valentine MOORE may live to see another generation of their progeny. This aged couple has a rare record for following the divine command, to "multiply and replenish the earth." -------------------------------------------------------- GRANGEVILLE -- -Newt AGEE sent a very fine box of fruit to his cousin, C.W. AGEE of Merced. -Mrs. D.S. LIKENS returned from Fresno on Friday, where she had been visiting her sister, Mrs. HALL. -Dr. TAGGART of Tule paid a visit to his cousin, Bob HARMON. He advised the latter to go and stay with him a while, as he could give him better treatment. Bob decided to go and Newt AGEE accompanied him over on Friday. -Elmer POSTEN and Karl BROWN, formerly of Mason county, West Virginia, spent Friday looking around this part of the county. They expressed themselves well pleased with the prospect, but expect to settle in Selma. -Word has been received from Will AGEE stating that he expected to leave Sitka for Cook's Inlet on the 24th of May by sailing vessel, and with fine weather should arrived on the 2d or 3d of this month. He was having a pleasant time and delightful weather. ARMONA -- -Uncle John C. CRIGLER has a brother here visiting him from Bakersfield. -S. YOUNG and Frank VAN VLEAR are very busy these days in their blacksmith shop. -Matt FOWLER, who left here about a year ago, with his family, for Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo county, got back last Thursday evening with his family. He moved away on account of his wife's health, which has been greatly improved. Transcribed by Dee Sardoch To see more old newspapers, visit http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/