Bryan - Allen - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Last Saturday about half past ten o’clock a peculiar accident occurred at the Monon Station here which resulted in the death of Allan Bryan, a brakeman on number 43, the local freight south bound. Some switching was to be done on the west side of the station where the track runs quite close to a high platform from which freight is loaded or unloaded. Bryan stepped between two cars to couple up and then stepped out between the train and the platform as the engine started at a lively rate. The car before which the unfortunate man stepped happened to be an extra wide one and when it came to where he stood, as it did almost instantly, his body was caught between car and platform and horribly crushed. Will Scutler, the assistant station master, and several of the trainmen saw the accident and they succeeded in having the engine stopped almost immediately. Poor Bryan was wedged in tightly between the car and the platform and it was impossible to move him until a jack had been brought and the car jacked away from the platform. When this was done the dying man was freed from his terrible position and laid tenderly upon the station couch. A doctor had been summoned but his services were of no avail as the poor fellow died immediately after being taken from his terrible position. The whole thing was over in ten minutes. The body was taken to the undertaking shop of Carver & Robbins to be dressed for burial and the word of the sad affair was wired to Bloomington where Bryan resided with his wife and three small children. Conductor Elder and Engineer Beak of the train crew state that he was an excellent young man and they were deeply affected by the sad accident. He had been with the road for quite a long time and was a valued employee.  The body was shipped to Bloomington in the afternoon on the passenger train. There was no inquest by the coroner. -s