BYSON, Herschel - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Hillsboro, Oct 29 - The dead and mangled body of Herschel Byson, aged about 18 years son of Mr. and Mrs. John Byson of Mellott, was found at 7 this morning by John Miller near the Big Four Railway tracks a half miles east of town, a short distance from "Range Road." The farmer resides nearby the railway tracks at this point and as he was doing his morning chores he came upon the body of the young man. Examination revealed that young Byson's death had occurred sometime before his body was found as his face was covered with a large blood clot partly dried, his back appeared to be broken, the bones of his legs as well as those of his arms were crushed and broken, but there were no wounds which indicated that he had been assaulted and thrown from the train. It is presumed that the victim has jumped from the east bound passenger train which is due to arrive here about one in the morning but this cannot be definitely determined now.. He had been spending the day on Wednesday at the Products Show at Veedersburg and it is thought he was returning to his home in Mellott expecting that the train would slow down near where his body was found a short distance east of the coal chutes. Most Big Four trains do stop here to take coal for the locomotives and when the train he was on did not stop he jumped off and was instantly killed when his body was found by Mr. Miller it was lying at the side of the main track and near a switch which parallels it. The coroner of Fountain County was notified and will make an investigation. When he left home Wednesday morning the young man told him other he was going to the Products Show at Veedersburg and that he would remain there until Saturday. He evidently changed his mind and decided to return home on the Big Four passenger train last night to this place and then make his way to his home at Mellott. He is survived by his parents and three brothers and one sister.