OBIT: Martin HAGENS, 1880, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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ASLEEP ON THE TRACK.
Two Young Men Struck by a Freight Train and So Badly Injured That they 
Die.

  A party of young men, seven in number, who reside in this city and 
vicinity, having a love of adventure, left their homes on Friday 
evening with a view of taking a ride over the Pennsylvania Railroad.  
These men are well known to the railroad policemen, and their purpose 
is conjectured to have been not of the most laudable character.  The 
TRIBUNE correspondent at Petersburg thus details movements of the party 
and the terrible mishap that overtook two of the men composing it: They 
reached Manayunk, a watering station about 55 miles from Altoona in 
safety and concluded to retrace their steps, having had enough of 
"bumming."  They accordingly boarded a west-bound freight train, and 
took refuge in a box car, where they would not likely be discovered by 
the train hands and be summarily ejected.  The freight train pulled in 
on the third track there to be passed by Cincinnati Express and Mail 
Express west.  As the trains had to lay here for over an hour, the 
young men took advantage of the lay-over to make a friendly (?) raid on 
a neighboring orchard to the no little detriment of apples and peaches.  
After having secured a sufficient quantity of the fruit to satisfy the 
inner man, they returned to the box car to enjoy their spoil.
  Several of their number - among whom were the unfortunate young men, 
Martin Hagens and John Reeseman - seated themselves on the south track 
on the rails.  The whole party being tired out from the night's 
carousal, fell asleep.

ASLEEP ON THE TRACK!

  It would seem almost incredible to believe that this was the case, 
yet this was the actual state in which they were, as can be 
substantiated by facts.  A few minutes before 5 o'clock the first 
section of Union line east came thundering along, but it did not arouse 
the sleepers in time to save themselves.  Martin Hagens, one of those 
who were asleep on the rail, was struck by the engine and had both feet 
literally crushed and his left hand cut off.  He also received a 
fracture of the skull, besides other severe bruises.  John Reeseman, 
another of the sleepers, who resides about three-fourths of a mile from 
Blair furnace, received a large cut in the back, and his spine was 
injured for about two feet.  The rest of the party escaped uninjured, 
but were taught a lesson by the fate of their unfortunate companions 
which they will not soon forget.  As soon as possible Dr. Miller, of 
Huntingdon, railroad surgeon, was telegraphed for and everything was 
done that was possible under the circumstances to alleviate the 
sufferings of the victims of the accident.  They were put on Pacific 
express west in care of Dr. Miller and sent to Altoona, which place 
they had left but a short time before in the best of spirits and 
enjoying the use of all the members of their bodies, only to be carried 
back to die - the results of a night's frolic.  
  Reeseman on his arrival in this city was taken to the company 
physician's office, his injuries looked after, when he was sent to his 
home near Blair Furnace, where he died about 4 o'clock Saturday 
afternoon.  Reeseman has been an unenviable character, being concerned 
in a number of robberies in Sinking valley some years ago, for which he 
served a term in the penitentiary.  Martin Hagens was taken to the 
residence of his parents on Eighth avenue, below Fourth street, 
receiving medical attention from the railroad company's physician.  No 
reaction having taken place, his broken and crushed limbs could not be 
amputated, and he lingered until 7 o'clock Saturday evening, when he 
expired.  Martin Hagens had been a source of great annoyance to the 
railroad authorities, and on more than one occasion had been pursued by 
the policemen of the company for trespassing on their property.  His 
mother was told by policeman Mock that he would be brought home to her 
some day to her sorrow.  Alas! how true was his prophecy!  Such was the 
sad ending of two lives that persisted in a course of evil doing.  May 
it prove a salutary warning to their five companions and lead them to 
men their ways, lest they are overtaken in their career of wickedness 
and be summoned as suddenly and as unprepared into the presence of 
their Maker.

Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Monday, September 6, 1880

1880 185 Eighth Avenue, Altoona, Blair County census -
Carlton S. Higgins, 42 
Rebecca Higgins, 39 
Martin J. Higgins, 17, laborer 
Mary E. Higgins, 14 
Lydia Higgins, 9 
Alice Higgins, 5