Kesler - Benjamin
Source: Weekly Argus News Aug 2, 1890 p 2
The victim of Monday's accident proved to be Benjamin Kesler, a prominent farmer living one mile north of Ladoga. The railroad runs through his farm and he had started from the house to the orchard and had to go about 100 yards on the track. Being very deaf he did not hear the whistle of the approaching train and was struck and instantly killed. Both legs were cut off above the ankles and one arm broken in three places. His skull was crushed and one ear was cut off. The remains were taken on the train to Ladoga where they were placed in a casket and taken back home at night. His daughter who lived at home kept a very close watch upon him on account of his affliction, but seeing him fill an oil can and start off, opposite direction to the railroad where one of the hands was at work. The deceased was 88 years old last March and being exceedingly healthy bid fair to reach the one hundreth mile post. Acting coroner Coppage viewed the remains last evening - kbz
Source:
Crawfordsville Daily Journal Wednesday, 30 July 1890
As stated in our special telegram yesterday, Benjamin Kessler was killed by the
south bound Monon train which passes through Ladoga shortly after 2 o’clock. He
is very old but still was in the best of physical condition, excepting that he
was extremely deaf. It was this infirmity that caused his death. His farm
adjoins the track and is about one mile north of Ladoga. He was walking to town
on the ties as no doubt he had done hundreds of times before when the train
came along. It was on a upgrade but the engineer ignorant of his deafness
supposed he would step aside and of course did not slow up. Immediately after
the accident the train men brought the body in and it was taken care of by the
undertaker. Both legs were broken at the ankle and the skull was terribly
crushed, one being forced clear inside the head. Coroner Coppage arrived about
6 o’clock and took the evidence of a few witnesses but of course could not get
the train men’s testimony until later. The general opinion was that nobody was to
blame. Benjamin Kessler was about 86 years old and the general expression of
sorrow among his near neighbors is enough to prove to all others that his long
life had a useful and worthy one. He
moved here in 1847 with his family from Virginia and settled in Scott Township,
where by industry and strict business he arose to one of the wealthy farmers of
Montgomery County. He was the father of five sons, one of whom, N. G. Kessler,
was for a long time trustee of Scott
Township