Salem Republican
Salem, Illinois
February 20, 1908
YARD MAN KILLED
William H. Feezel Crushed Between Cars.
A TERRIBLE DEATH.
Unfortunate Man Survived by Wife and Five Children
William H. Feezel, who had been an employee of the Frisco System for several years, and a resident of this city since the removal of the yards here, met a terrible and untimely death last Saturday morning shortly after 5 o'clock. Feezel was known as a yard conductor being placed over five switchmen and the engine crew engaged in making up trains for dispatch over the lines out of this city. As will be remembered the night was a wild one, snow and freezing rain. Mr. Feezel was assisting the men in making up a train and on one of the cars the knuckles on the coupler refused to work so that the proper coupling could not be made. Feezel and one of the switchmen were engaged in an effort to raise the knuckle when the train backed into them catching Feezel between the bumpers crushing the life from his body. His companion escaped injury by jumping just as the cars came together.
J.H. Dilley was pulling the engine and he gave as his reason for backing the train that the proper signal had been given to come ahead slowly. Associated with Mr. Feezel were brakemen C. N. Taylor, J.N. Plummer, J.W. Waller, L.R. Kniflin and C.J. Vernor, all of whom deny having given the signal seen by Engineer Dilley. Doubtless the engineer is correct in his belief and it is highly possible that the signal he answered was given by some other crew in another part of the yards.
After the accident the body of Mr. Feezel was brought to this city and taken to the undertaking rooms of C.L. McMackin & Sons and were later removed to the unfortunate mans home near the yards. Mr. Feezel leaves a wife and five small children the oldest of which is 8 years. He was a young man, being only 32 years old.
Coroner Gerrould of Centralia was notified and a jury composed of H.W. Farson, Quin Lewis, C.L. Freeman, B.W. Grunendike, Chas. Houchen and Dr. F.O. Feltman was empaneled and a verdict was returned in accordance with the evidence, all employees being acquitted of any blame in the matter.
Sunday night the body of the unfortunate man was taken to St. Elmo and the funeral occurred the following day from the Methodist Episcopal Church. Twenty-five members of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and four ladies of the Auxiliary went to St. Elmo to have charge of the funeral. A very handsome emblematic floral piece was given by the Brotherhood and other offerings were quite profuse.
Mrs. Feezel will probably remove to St. Elmo to make her home. The dead husband left an amount of insurance and this will be supplemented by the benefits from the Brotherhood. A movement is on foot among the members to help care for the children of their dead friend until they are old enough to care for themselves and aid the widowed mother. This is a noble effort on the part of the Order the carrying out of which will prove the true spirit of that fraternal bond which binds men together.
The untimely death of this splendid young man is regretted by his large circle of friends all of whom join in extending condolence to the stricken family. Theirs is a dark hour and friend should vie with friend in helping them to bear the grief.
Salem, Illinois
February 20, 1908
YARD MAN KILLED
William H. Feezel Crushed Between Cars.
A TERRIBLE DEATH.
Unfortunate Man Survived by Wife and Five Children
William H. Feezel, who had been an employee of the Frisco System for several years, and a resident of this city since the removal of the yards here, met a terrible and untimely death last Saturday morning shortly after 5 o'clock. Feezel was known as a yard conductor being placed over five switchmen and the engine crew engaged in making up trains for dispatch over the lines out of this city. As will be remembered the night was a wild one, snow and freezing rain. Mr. Feezel was assisting the men in making up a train and on one of the cars the knuckles on the coupler refused to work so that the proper coupling could not be made. Feezel and one of the switchmen were engaged in an effort to raise the knuckle when the train backed into them catching Feezel between the bumpers crushing the life from his body. His companion escaped injury by jumping just as the cars came together.
J.H. Dilley was pulling the engine and he gave as his reason for backing the train that the proper signal had been given to come ahead slowly. Associated with Mr. Feezel were brakemen C. N. Taylor, J.N. Plummer, J.W. Waller, L.R. Kniflin and C.J. Vernor, all of whom deny having given the signal seen by Engineer Dilley. Doubtless the engineer is correct in his belief and it is highly possible that the signal he answered was given by some other crew in another part of the yards.
After the accident the body of Mr. Feezel was brought to this city and taken to the undertaking rooms of C.L. McMackin & Sons and were later removed to the unfortunate mans home near the yards. Mr. Feezel leaves a wife and five small children the oldest of which is 8 years. He was a young man, being only 32 years old.
Coroner Gerrould of Centralia was notified and a jury composed of H.W. Farson, Quin Lewis, C.L. Freeman, B.W. Grunendike, Chas. Houchen and Dr. F.O. Feltman was empaneled and a verdict was returned in accordance with the evidence, all employees being acquitted of any blame in the matter.
Sunday night the body of the unfortunate man was taken to St. Elmo and the funeral occurred the following day from the Methodist Episcopal Church. Twenty-five members of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and four ladies of the Auxiliary went to St. Elmo to have charge of the funeral. A very handsome emblematic floral piece was given by the Brotherhood and other offerings were quite profuse.
Mrs. Feezel will probably remove to St. Elmo to make her home. The dead husband left an amount of insurance and this will be supplemented by the benefits from the Brotherhood. A movement is on foot among the members to help care for the children of their dead friend until they are old enough to care for themselves and aid the widowed mother. This is a noble effort on the part of the Order the carrying out of which will prove the true spirit of that fraternal bond which binds men together.
The untimely death of this splendid young man is regretted by his large circle of friends all of whom join in extending condolence to the stricken family. Theirs is a dark hour and friend should vie with friend in helping them to bear the grief.
Salem Republican
Salem, Illinois
February 20, 1908
YARD MAN KILLED
William H. Feezel Crushed Between Cars.
A TERRIBLE DEATH.
Unfortunate Man Survived by Wife and Five Children
William H. Feezel, who had been an employee of the Frisco System for several years, and a resident of this city since the removal of the yards here, met a terrible and untimely death last Saturday morning shortly after 5 o'clock. Feezel was known as a yard conductor being placed over five switchmen and the engine crew engaged in making up trains for dispatch over the lines out of this city. As will be remembered the night was a wild one, snow and freezing rain. Mr. Feezel was assisting the men in making up a train and on one of the cars the knuckles on the coupler refused to work so that the proper coupling could not be made. Feezel and one of the switchmen were engaged in an effort to raise the knuckle when the train backed into them catching Feezel between the bumpers crushing the life from his body. His companion escaped injury by jumping just as the cars came together.
J.H. Dilley was pulling the engine and he gave as his reason for backing the train that the proper signal had been given to come ahead slowly. Associated with Mr. Feezel were brakemen C. N. Taylor, J.N. Plummer, J.W. Waller, L.R. Kniflin and C.J. Vernor, all of whom deny having given the signal seen by Engineer Dilley. Doubtless the engineer is correct in his belief and it is highly possible that the signal he answered was given by some other crew in another part of the yards.
After the accident the body of Mr. Feezel was brought to this city and taken to the undertaking rooms of C.L. McMackin & Sons and were later removed to the unfortunate mans home near the yards. Mr. Feezel leaves a wife and five small children the oldest of which is 8 years. He was a young man, being only 32 years old.
Coroner Gerrould of Centralia was notified and a jury composed of H.W. Farson, Quin Lewis, C.L. Freeman, B.W. Grunendike, Chas. Houchen and Dr. F.O. Feltman was empaneled and a verdict was returned in accordance with the evidence, all employees being acquitted of any blame in the matter.
Sunday night the body of the unfortunate man was taken to St. Elmo and the funeral occurred the following day from the Methodist Episcopal Church. Twenty-five members of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and four ladies of the Auxiliary went to St. Elmo to have charge of the funeral. A very handsome emblematic floral piece was given by the Brotherhood and other offerings were quite profuse.
Mrs. Feezel will probably remove to St. Elmo to make her home. The dead husband left an amount of insurance and this will be supplemented by the benefits from the Brotherhood. A movement is on foot among the members to help care for the children of their dead friend until they are old enough to care for themselves and aid the widowed mother. This is a noble effort on the part of the Order the carrying out of which will prove the true spirit of that fraternal bond which binds men together.
The untimely death of this splendid young man is regretted by his large circle of friends all of whom join in extending condolence to the stricken family. Theirs is a dark hour and friend should vie with friend in helping them to bear the grief.
Salem, Illinois
February 20, 1908
YARD MAN KILLED
William H. Feezel Crushed Between Cars.
A TERRIBLE DEATH.
Unfortunate Man Survived by Wife and Five Children
William H. Feezel, who had been an employee of the Frisco System for several years, and a resident of this city since the removal of the yards here, met a terrible and untimely death last Saturday morning shortly after 5 o'clock. Feezel was known as a yard conductor being placed over five switchmen and the engine crew engaged in making up trains for dispatch over the lines out of this city. As will be remembered the night was a wild one, snow and freezing rain. Mr. Feezel was assisting the men in making up a train and on one of the cars the knuckles on the coupler refused to work so that the proper coupling could not be made. Feezel and one of the switchmen were engaged in an effort to raise the knuckle when the train backed into them catching Feezel between the bumpers crushing the life from his body. His companion escaped injury by jumping just as the cars came together.
J.H. Dilley was pulling the engine and he gave as his reason for backing the train that the proper signal had been given to come ahead slowly. Associated with Mr. Feezel were brakemen C. N. Taylor, J.N. Plummer, J.W. Waller, L.R. Kniflin and C.J. Vernor, all of whom deny having given the signal seen by Engineer Dilley. Doubtless the engineer is correct in his belief and it is highly possible that the signal he answered was given by some other crew in another part of the yards.
After the accident the body of Mr. Feezel was brought to this city and taken to the undertaking rooms of C.L. McMackin & Sons and were later removed to the unfortunate mans home near the yards. Mr. Feezel leaves a wife and five small children the oldest of which is 8 years. He was a young man, being only 32 years old.
Coroner Gerrould of Centralia was notified and a jury composed of H.W. Farson, Quin Lewis, C.L. Freeman, B.W. Grunendike, Chas. Houchen and Dr. F.O. Feltman was empaneled and a verdict was returned in accordance with the evidence, all employees being acquitted of any blame in the matter.
Sunday night the body of the unfortunate man was taken to St. Elmo and the funeral occurred the following day from the Methodist Episcopal Church. Twenty-five members of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and four ladies of the Auxiliary went to St. Elmo to have charge of the funeral. A very handsome emblematic floral piece was given by the Brotherhood and other offerings were quite profuse.
Mrs. Feezel will probably remove to St. Elmo to make her home. The dead husband left an amount of insurance and this will be supplemented by the benefits from the Brotherhood. A movement is on foot among the members to help care for the children of their dead friend until they are old enough to care for themselves and aid the widowed mother. This is a noble effort on the part of the Order the carrying out of which will prove the true spirit of that fraternal bond which binds men together.
The untimely death of this splendid young man is regretted by his large circle of friends all of whom join in extending condolence to the stricken family. Theirs is a dark hour and friend should vie with friend in helping them to bear the grief.
Gravesite Details
Death day on headstone is incorrect, reflects his wedding anniversary.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
