OBIT: William KOON, 1879, Duncansville, Blair County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Jan Kuhn 
<kuhn_j@firn.edu> May 9, 2008, 10:19 pm

Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.
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WILLIAM KOON

  A man, named William Koon, who is said to have been intoxicated (for 
the first time in four years) started to walk along the railroad track 
- not withstanding he had been warned not to do so - to his home in 
Duncansville. When near Gaysport, he seemed to have been overcome by a 
stupor and from all accounts, he lay down on the track, with as it 
appears, his head resting on the rail.  Conductor Dent's branch train, 
due in the city at 7:10 p.m., ran over the prostrate man, and his head 
was almost entirely severed from his body, besides being crushed nearly 
beyond recognition.  In addition, it is reported that his arms were 
ground into a shapeless mass and his legs cut off.  Every particle of 
clothing had been torn from his body.  The engineer discovered an 
object lying on the track when close upon the man.  He first took him 
to be a hog.  The air brakes were instantly applied, but it was too 
late, and the result has been given.  The train stopped, and the 
Flagman Cox, returned along the track with a lantern, when he found 
what was left of poor Koon, his brains being scattered along the rails 
for some distance.  The remains were subsequently gathered up and taken 
to Hollidaysburg, whence they were removed to Duncansville about 11 
o'clock the same night.  The funeral took place at 3 o'clock Sunday 
afternoon and was interred in Carson Valley Dunkard Cemetery.  Mr. Koon 
was a married man and father of three children. He was employed in the 
nail factory of B. M. Johnston & Co. at Hollidaysburg as a nail cutter.  
His brother, Theodore Koon, who is a tailor in the employ of Mr. Jacob 
Snyder, of this city, departed for Hollidaysburg on Saturday night as 
soon as the intelligence of his brother's killing was conveyed to him.

Altoona Tribune, November 13, 1879

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