Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Gardner, John Henry 1914
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Pat Blood pat.blood@gmail.com May 13, 2010, 7:47 pm

Ionia Sentinel - Fri 27 March 1914
“John Gardner Fatally Injured”
“Run Over by Yard Engine On P.M.”
“Died in Hospital Two and A-Half Hours Later”

John Gardner, one of the long-time residents, widely known was struck by the 
yard engine on the Pere Marquette at 2:15 pm Tuesday, receiving injuries which 
proved fatal.  He apparently started to cross the track, but instead he turned 
and walked between the rails going west the engine following in the same 
direction.  He either did not see the engine, which hardly seems possible, or 
else he must have supposed it was on the other track.  Wm. Inman, the watchman 
at the crossing,  saw him and shouted a warning, but Gardner apparently did 
not hear him, and only realized his danger when the engine almost touched him 
and then attempted to jump, but could not clear the track.  One leg was nearly 
severed close to the body, the other leg badly crushed, and the lower part of 
body and head badly bruised.

Doctors were summoned by phone, Drs. Winchell and Kitson being first on the 
ground and being joined by Drs. March, McCann and Knapp.  From the first no 
hope was held out that he could survive.  He was taken into a vacant room in 
the Dexter House where doctors gave him such attention as was possible to 
alleviate pain.  He seemed to be dying when taken in, but revived slightly 
under ministrations.

Mr. Gardner spent a life around railroads as a teamster, and was looking after 
the unloading of a car of coal at the time.  It seems strange that he could 
have been caught in such a manner, but long familiarity may have blunted his 
sharp sense of danger and it is possible his senses were not so acute as 
once.  He was a man generally liked and respected and his death in such a 
manner was a shock to the community.  His wife and other family friends were 
with him while he was still conscious.  

He leaves besides his wife, four children:  Mr. Gene Tillison, George and Earl 
of this city, and Frank of Chicago, who is son-in-law of Capt. D. C. 
Crawford.  There are also two sisters and a brother:  Mrs. Fran Humphrey and 
Chas. Gardner here, and Mrs. Thos. Wilsie in Detroit.  He was taken to 
hospital where he died shortly before 5 o’clock.  

“Death of John Gardner”
After almost three hours of anxious though hopeless work over John Gardner 
Tuesday afternoon, the physicians abandoned effort only as he breathed his 
last at five o’clock.  When he lay at the Dexter house it was impossible to 
work effectively, and as he rallied slightly after three o’clock he was 
removed to the hospital, where every effort was put forth by Drs. March, 
Kitson and Winchell, but without effect.  The right leg was hardly attached at 
all, and was removed with the scissors and a new tourniquet applied.  A 
hypodermic injection of morphine given soon after the accident was the only 
opiate given, the shock and loss of blood being such that he sank into 
unconsciousness without outside assistance.  

Work was continued until almost five when it was seen that he was rapidly 
sinking and Mrs. Gardner was again summoned.  She had left his bed soon after 
her first arrival, being unable to endure the sight,  but hastened back upon 
receipt of the second massage.  She had already ceased to breathe when she 
reached the hospital.  A Pere Marquette claim agent was here this morning to 
hear the story of the accident from witnesses and confer with the family.  
Work from Frank Gardner, the son in Chicago, is being waited for in order that 
the funeral may be arranged satisfactorily.



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