MAN KILLED WHEN HE FALLS BOARDING TRAIN
His Companion Probably Fatally Injured at North End Wabash Crossing.
Everett Cruncleton, 43 years old, a carriage worker, 1309 South. Thirteenth street, was killed and Harry Brown, 53 years old, a laborer, 4011 Clayton street, was probably fatally injured when they fell under a west-bound freight train while trying to board it at Calvary street at 7 o’clock last night.
Cruncleton, who was married and had two sons, one 13 and the other 17 years of age, missed his grip and was struck by one of the cars. He was probably instantly killed, a fracture at the base of the skull being the cause of his death. Brown’s left arm was crushed of at the elbow, his left leg was severed above the ankle, and he probably suffered a fraetured skull and internal injuries. At the City Hospital, where he was taken after the accident, doctors said that he was in a critical condition.
At the Cruncleton home last night a relative expressed the opinion that Cruncleton intended to leave for Kansas to work in the harvest fields. He had been layed off of work on Fri
day and when he left his home yesterday morning said that he intended to seek work elsewhere. He had gone to the harvest fields for the last five summers.
LITTLE OLD MAN WITHOUT HOME STARVES TO DEATH IN BOX CAR.
Name-unknown.
Address-unknown.
Cause of death-starvation.
This is a summary of the final chapter in the life of ‘the little old man with the gray beard.’ It was written yesterday.
The little old man, for that was the only name by which he was known, was found dead in a box car on the Northern Pacific tracks near Sixth avenue north and Second street. The discovery was made by switchmen. How he came there no one knew. The coroner’s verdict was starvation.’ He is thought to have crawled into the box car to sleep, to have awakened so weak from the lack of food that he was unable to get out and died before help came.
For several days the man, who appeared to be about 50 years old, was seen wandering about the neighborhood. He never spoke and no one knew him. For want of a better name they called him ‘the little old man with the gray beard.’ An unmarked grave in the potter’s field will probably be his last resting place.
GIRL, DYING, ASKS FOR BABYSE GAVE AWAY
Katie Wessels, of New Baden, Ill., Wants Child Adopted Here Returned.
Katie Wessels, 19 years old, dying at her parents’ home in New Baden, Ill., is mourning for her 14-weeks-old child, which was adopted by a St. Louis family soon after its birth, according to her brother, Herman Wessels, and her cousin, William H. Wessels, of St. Libory, Ill., who Tuesday asked the police to help them find the child.
They said the young girl left home and came to St. Louis four months ago, renting a room at the Wyona House, 21:23-25 Olive street. Later she asked Mrs. Ellen Cokoras, proprictor of the place, to care for her child, Mrs. Cokoras, they said, advertised for a home for the baby and it was adopted by a Mr. and Mrs. John Deaton, then living at 1016 Chouteau avenue. Their present address is unknown.
Herman Wessels gave the police a description of Deaton and his wife, and said he believed his sister’s life might be saved if her child were restored to her.
FINES JOB AGENCY HEAD.
Nicholas Alexander is said to have obtained SS93 from 15 Greek, Italian and Sicilian laborers to whom he promised work. He was fined $15 and costs yesterday by Judge Trude in the Municipal Court on complaint of Richard J. Knight, chief inspector of employment agencies.
Alexander, who operates an employment agency at 811 South Halsted street, had $189 with him when he appeared in court, and J. B. Nystrom, auditor of the Illinois Surety Company, offered enough money to make up the total which Alexander owed the men. Twelve bailiffs, four policemen and five detectives were present in the court to prevent the workers from making any demonstration.