OBIT: Chrysostom J. LUCKETT, 1902, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm INSTANTLY KILLED. Conductor C. J. Luckett the Victim of a Sad Accident. Chrysoston [sic] J. Luckett, one of the best known freight conductors on the Pittsburg division and residing at 1910 Tenth avenue, was almost instantly killed in a wreck a short distance east of Bennington about 8 o'clock yesterday morning. He was in charge of a train of empty coal cars for South Fork, which was hauled by engine 1665, with Engineer Edward Clifford at the throttle. The train was being helped up the mountain by engine No. 872, with Thomas Monahan as engineer. Near Bennington a drawhead pulled out in the forward part of the train and caused it to part. When the train broke the airbrakes on the rear section gripped, bringing the train almost to a stand still, and the engine in the rear pushed ahead, causing the cabin and several cars to be wrecked. Conductor Luckett was on the cabin and was caught in the wreckage and fatally crushed. When the trainmen reached him he was alive, but unconscious. He was taken out and expired in a few minutes. The body was brought to this city and given to Undertaker Lynch to be prepared for burial. Chrysoston J. Luckett was born March 12, 1854, at Summit, Cambria county, and had resided in Altoona twenty-seven years and was held in high esteem by all who shared his acquaintance. He began railroading when 16 years of age, his first position being a brakeman. For twenty years he had been a conductor. He was married in 1875 at Conemaugh to Miss Matilda Ruggles, who survives with two sons, John Luckett, the grocer, at Union and Eleventh avenues, and Paul, at home. He is also survived by one brother, Vincent J. Luckett, a Pittsburg division engineer residing in Altoona. He was a member of St. John's Catholic church, the Brotherhood of Conductors, the Pennsylvania Railroad Relief and the Veterans' association of the Pittsburg division. The remains can be viewed at his late home this afternoon. The funeral will take place Thursday morning, services to be conducted in St. John's pro-cathedral at 9 o'clock. Interment in St. John's cemetery. Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Tuesday, July 8, 1902, page 1 INQUEST HELD. Verdict as to Causes Leading to Death of Conductor C. J. Luckett. Coroner McCartney yesterday afternoon held an inquest in the case of Conductor C. J. Luckett, who was killed in a freight wreck near Bennington, Monday morning. D. A. Gilland, C. Valentine, E. B. Stine, J. C. Long, C. E. Blackwell and J. C. Sell composed the jury. Conductor Luckett's flagman, H. Rupe, was the first witness and he told the story of the accident, which was practically the same as published in the TRIBUNE. M. Doran, engineer of engine No. 725 which hauled the train; J. R. Johnson, fireman of pushing engine No. 872, and Brakemen J. M. Albright, J. E. Rose and R. J. Plummer also gave testimony. The jury rendered the following verdict: Chrysostom J. Luckett's death was caused by being crushed between the front end of his cabin, No. 190,168, and a steel coal car in the rear of his train, No. -, while in the discharge of his duty as a conductor in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad company, while his train was going west one mile east of SF tower on the morning of July 7, 1902, at 8.30, as a result of the head of a draught pin pulling off on the third car from the pulling engine, No. 725, causing the emergency air to be applied and stopping the train suddenly, the pushing engine, No. 872, crushing the cabin into the next car, throwing the cabin over on its side, and the jury is of the opinion, from the nature of the accident, that a stronger cabin car should be built to withstand the pressure of the heavy engines used as pushers. Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Friday, July 11, 1902, page 4 Two Largely Attended Funerals. All that was mortal of Conductor C. J. Luckett, who was killed in a wreck Monday morning, was laid to rest in St. John's cemetery yesterday morning. The Brotherhood of Railway Conductors attended the funeral in a body and a large number of sorrowing friends followed the remains from his late home, 1910 Tenth avenue, to St. John's Catholic church, where services were conducted, and to the grave. Altoona Tribune, Altoona,Pa., Friday, July 11, 1902, page 11