Moran - Harry
Source: Weekly Argus News April 25, 1891 p 7
About 10 o'clock Tuesday morning Harry, the young son of Pete Moran, was hanging onto a Big 4 freight train near the junction. His hands slipped and he fell under the cars. When the train was stopped his head was caught so tightly by the wheel that the car had to be backed before he could be released. Dr. Jones was summoned and pronounced his injuries fatal.
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Tuesday 21 April 1891
This morning about nine o’clock little Harry Moran, aged about eleven, met with a fatal accident near the Big Four freight depot. He has been in the habit of riding on the cars and this morning when the local freight came gliding in, the lad made a dive at it and started to climb up between the cars. Just how it happened will never be known, but young Harry fell and when assistance arrived, lay by the side of the track with his head crushed in. His head was caught between the wheel and the train had to be backed before he could be released. Drs. Jones and Ensminger were summoned and the boy taken from the freight depot to the house of Frank Birchfield near by. The case was pronounced fatal from the first and death is only the question of a few hours or a day or two. The skull is crushed like an eggshell rendering recovery impossible. The boy is a son of the late Peter Moran and his mother resides in the east end with several small children.
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Wednesday, 22 April 1891
The poor judgment which is sometimes displayed by people in the breaking bad news received a forcible illustration yesterday. When the little Moran boy was hurt, it was not known at first where his mother was, she spending her days out washing. It was finally learned that she was at the home of Hon. B. W. Hanna and a gentleman was straightway dispatch to break the news of the catastrophe. He arrived at the place designated and knocking on the door inquired for Mrs. Moran. Being ushered into her presence, he made a most courtly bow and said in his most mile and affable tone of voice, “Good morning, Mrs. Moran, your little boy has just been killed up here on the railroad.” The poor mother stared at him a moment and then uttering a shriek after shriek went into hysterics and finally fainted. When she was brought around her grief was horrible to behold and she rushed frantically about moaning over her great misfortune. She was finally quieted by being told that the boy was not yet dead and might possibly recover.
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Thursday 23 April 1891
Young Moran, who was not expected to live until dark last evening, survived the night greatly to the surprise of the physicians. It was found upon examination that a blood clot had formed which prevented bleeding from the large artery which was broken. The skull was crushed in just over the ear and death seemed only a question of minutes. The forming of the clot was unusual and unexpected and if inflammation does not set in the lad may recover. It was suspected that something was the matter with Harry Moran yesterday when that horrible accident occurred to him and careful questioning by his friends induced him to confess that he had been given beer—all he could drink. Therefore he must have been extremely drunk and the man who made him drunk is guilty of a great crime. It is also supposed that other small boys have been made drunk and the entire southeast end of town is stirred up about the matter. The boy was removed today from Frank Birchfield’s to his home on Wabash Avenue, east of the bridge.