OBIT: James O. B. BELLICK, 1887, Blair County, PA

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INSTANTLY KILLED.
The Manner in which a Brakeman Came to His Death Tuesday.

On January 13, 1887, James O. B. Bellick, a single man aged 28 years,
obtained employment in the yard of the Pennsylvania railroad company
in this city as a brakeman.  At a quarter of 8 o'clock Tuesday morning
he was instantly killed by being jolted from the bumper of a car, on
which he was standing, near the Fourth street switches and three cars
passed over him.  When last seen he was standing on the bumper as
above stated and it is thought that the fact of his being a new man at
the business of braking that he did not fully realize the force with
which the cars come together, hence was jolted off.  The body was
placed on an engine and brought up the yard to Eleventh street and
from there conveyed to the undertaking rooms of Tipton & Lafferty.

Here Coroner Glenn empanelled a jury, composed as follows:  F. G.
Patterson, foreman; G. M. Metz, John Piper, M. B. McGrath, P. B. Stern
and H. M. Tipton.  The remains were viewed and the jury adjourned to
the coal office of M. B. McGrath where the testimony of Messrs.
Michael Fagan, engineer, W. P. Bartley, W. S. Garrett, Joseph Boycott,
brakemen, and Train Dispatcher Anderson was taken.  The evidence all
in, the jury rendered a verdict of "accidental death."  The body of
the deceased was in no wise disfigured and it is probable that he was
rolled under the cars by the brake rods.  A slight cut on one of his
arms and a similar wound on his foot were the only marks, except that
here and there the skin had the appearance of having been rubbed
against something.  That the skin was not more broken was perhaps
because the deceased had been clad very heavily.  Yet although there
were few outward marks, his left arm and leg were broken in a number
of places, and the bones of the chest were crushed.

But little is known of the deceased's history.  It seems that he came
here from Johnstown to work and boarded at Mrs. Peter Sullaparger's
(Sollenberger?],   Seventeenth street, near the bridge.  He had also
worked at Tyrone.  On the 22d of December, 1886, he was 28 years of
age.  From letters found at his boarding place it was learned that he
had an uncle residing in Homer, Indiana county, Pa., and telegrams
were sent to that point, as well as Johnstown, to find out if possible
what disposition to make of the remains, but up until a late hour last
night no replies had been received.

Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, February 3, 1887, page 3