Shelby Junction. The conductor of a southbound freight train was standing on the steps of his caboose with his lantern in his hand when he beheld a sight which made him turn pale. The mangled remains of three men were lying between the rails of the side track. The bodies were found at 1 o’clock. The remains were picked up in pieces and taken to the Sutter morgue, where they were identified as James Powell, aged forty; John Haley, aged twenty-four; and Andrew Knapp, aged thirty-five, all residents of Shelby. The coroner’s inquest revealed the fact that Powell had a gallon of whiskey and was entertaining Haley and Knapp with it. They sought shelter from the storm under some box cars. Coroner Goodman believes that Haley awakened just as the freight was pulling out, that he attempted to escape and was cut in two. The heads of both Powell and Knapp were severed from their bodies and arms and legs cut off. -Norwalk Evening Herald June 29, 1904.

Three men, all residents of Shelby were run over by a Baltimore and Ohio freight train shortly after midnight last night and all were killed being cut to pieces. The names of the unfortunates are James Powell, John Haly and Andrew Knapp. All of the men were dead when discovered and the untimely and horrible death of the men, according to a message from Shelby, is a result of drinking too much whiskey. Andrew Knapp is 35 years of age and leaves a wife and five children in destitute circumstances. Knapp was found with his head and both feet cut off. James Powell is a laborer, single and 40 years of age. He leaves three sisters. His head was cut off and also both arms. John Healy is a single man and 21 years of age. His body was badly cut up in his face jammed so full of cinders that he was hardly recognizable. All the men resided in Shelby and the man John Haley, it is stated, at one time worked in ***. The horrible mangled bodies were discovered about 1;30 o'clock Tuesday morning by the conductor of an outgoing freight train at Shelby. The connector was standing on the steps of his caboose with a lantern in his hands and the rays of light were flashed accidentally upon the mangled remains of the three men. The conductor notified the Shelby Police Department and the officers, together with some citizens, went out to the place, gathered up the remains and took them to Shelby. The place where the three men were killed as on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad sidetrack about two blocks distance from the B&O and Big Four junction and North of Broadway. One of the principles thorough fairs of Shelby. Only one train was on this siding from 6 o'clock Monday night until 6 o'clock Tuesday morning and it is supposed that the strain is responsible for the death of the men. The freight train, which is number 21, pulled in on the siding referred to at 11:50 PM Monday night and left again at 12:15 AM Tuesday morning. The trainmen evidently went out on the train without knowing that they had cut three men to pieces, as they made no report. Information from Shelby is to the effect that Powell, one of the trio, secured a jug of whiskey from a Shiloh man and all three men had been drinking of this whiskey. It is stated that Powell called at the home of Haley and Knapp and got these two men to accompany him early in the evening. It is supposed that they drank of the whisky until they became so drunk that they did not realize what they were doing and laid down on the railroad track and went to sleep, or that they came to the siding while the train was lying there and as it was raining at that hour, crawled under the cars for shelter from the rain. The latter theory is the one generally accepted in Shelby. Coroner Goodman of this city was notified and went to Shelby Tuesday morning, held an inquest upon the remains of the three men. The father of Andrew Knapp, one of the victims, fell through a railroad bridge in Mansfield a short time ago and was killed. It is stated that the case of the Knapp family has been laid before the Township trustees and the infirmary directors in the Township will bear the expense of the burial. Those who picked up the dead men are of the opinion that Knapp, when struck, partially realized the situation and tried to escape from under the wheels as the position in which the body was found indicate that he made a struggle to get away. As there was no eyewitnesses of the triple killing, the exact truth of the matter will never be known. -The Mansfield News, June 28, 1904.∼Killed by a train