Flannigan - Ted - Chester - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

On Wednesday of last week we were shocked to hear the words, “Nels Durham is dead.” Saturday we were startled to hear that a man lay dead on a load of bricks in the edge of town, yet, with all these, we were totally unprepared on Tuesday, for the cry, “Ted Flannigan is ground to death by a freight train,” making seven sudden deaths in and around town in that many months, four of them requiring the aid of the coroner. We trust that this evil star hanging over us may soon be removed and that we many be allowed to die from natural causes. Chester Flannigan, commonly known as “Ted” was a well known character about here. He with his father’s family, Harrison Flannigan, moved here some ten years ago. While “Ted” was not what would be called a bad boy, he had his peculiarities. He was not particularly fond of work, yet would work enough to keep himself and was at all times ready for any kind of fun or amusement and always had friends—thus he grew to manhood, when he showed a disposition to roam and would be gone for months at a time, returning for a few days, then gone again, only on his last two trips here had we thought him drinking too much, and all were surprised when the news came that he was arrested for theft at Indianapolis and were truly glad to meet him on our streets Tuesday morning cleared of the charge. He remained about town until the freight going north, reached here, when he undertook to get on and go to Frankfort. The road had been lately graveled and he undertook to board the train from the west side of the track, while in motion. He was warned not to attempt it, yet he went rashly to his death, he failing to get sufficient hold on the car, he was thrown under the wheels where he was horribly mangled. The train men were watching and stopped the train as quickly as possible, but all too late for poor “Ted”. His remains were gathered up and taken to the undertaking room of Bert Brainard, where he was prepared for burial, then taken to the home of his parents, where the entire family was almost prostrate with grief, especially his mother, who, like all mothers, loved her boy with that motherly love, known only to a mother.

“Ted” was a tall, fine looking healthy boy of near 22 years, cut down in the prime of life by his own recklessness, leaving a host of friends and relatives to mourn.

The funeral took place Wednesday from the home at 2 p.m., conducted by Rev. J. S. Crowder, after which the burial was conducted at the I. O. O. F. Cemetery.

Darlington, Ind., June12—Chester Flannigan, aged about twenty two years, was ground to pieces this afternoon about 3 o’clock by a Vandalia freight train. He had been drinking and attempted to board the train, falling under the wheels. Four cars passed over his body. He was the son of Harrison Flannigan, of this place, and last week was arrested in Indianapolis on a charge of having burglarized the saloon where he was bar keeper. He came here last night.

Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 15 June 1900

The heirs of Chester Flannigan, who was killed by a Vandalia freight train at Darlington Tuesday afternoon, will not have very strong grounds to sue for damages. Flannigan while intoxicated wandered to the train while it was at the station and asked the conductor to take him to Frankfort. The conductor flatly refused telling him that he was drunk and would doubtless be killed if he attempted to go on the train. Flannigan went away from the station and going down the track a short distance waited until the train came along, attempting to board it by a flying leap. He fell under the wheels and was cut to bits. - thanks to "S" for all of these very sad but important obituaries