OBIT: Coroner's Inquests, 1899, Morning Tribune, Blair County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB

Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/
_________________________________________ 

INQUESTS HELD.
The Year 1899 Was Quite a Busy One for Coroner McCartney.

  During the year 1899 Coroner T. C. McCartney held inquests on the 
bodies of the following named persons, whose death was caused by 
accident or other causes:

FEBRUARY.

 2 - On body of Thomas J. Sanker, killed January 29.  Verdict - Struck 
by an engine at the west end of the Gallitzin tunnel and accidentally 
killed.

MARCH.

  13 - On the bodies of John B. Tarr and George W. Kern.  Verdict - 
Death was caused by a wreck on the main line of the Pennsylvania 
railroad at a point one and one-fourth miles east of AG tower on 
Thursday, March 9, 1899, at 1.37 p.m., the wreck being caused by the 
criminal negligence of Harry E. Eckley, operator at IA tower, who gave 
the passenger train No. 31 the wrong signal resulting in a collision 
with a freight train on the same block.
  19 - On the body of John Maier, Altoona.  Verdict - Death was caused 
by heart clot.

MAY.

  15 - On the body of Harry Mench, killed at the new boiler shop of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad company at Altoona, May 9.  Verdict - Death was 
caused by negligence.

JUNE.

  9 - On body of J. Ale Thomas.  Verdict - Death was caused from 
injuries received in an accident at the Morris quarry near Tyrone, 
operated by the Pittsburg Limestone and Stone company.

JULY.

  3 - On the body of Thomas W. King.  Verdict - Death was caused by 
heart failure superinduced by loss of blood due to a hemorrhage of the 
nose on July 2; that the blood of the deceased was in a diseased 
condition and that he was subjected to severe hemorrhages of the nose; 
the evidence further showed that the deceased was struck on the nose by 
James D. Williams in the bar room of the Behm house, Altoona, in the 
afternoon of June 30, the said blow hastening King's death.
  19 - On the body of Mrs. Gertrude Wissinger.  Verdict - Death was 
caused by strychnia poison self-administered on June 26; whether taken 
with suicidal intent or accidentally the jury was unable to decide.

SEPTEMBER.

  1 - On the body of Walter McMahon.  Verdict - Death was caused by 
being run down by a car in the Altoona yard, his death being accidental 
and unavoidable.

OCTOBER.

  9 - On body of John Rowe.  Verdict - Death was caused by a slide of 
slate in Altoona, while deceased was digging a sewer ditch; that the 
occurrence was purely accidental, no blame being attached to anyone.
  28 - On body of George L. Ulrich, died in Altoona.  Verdict - Death 
was due to heart failure, superinduced by acute alcoholism.
  31 - On body of Furlander L. Patterson, Altoona.  Verdict, Death was 
caused by a pistol shot in the immediate vicinity of the heart, fired 
presumably by his own hand with suicidal intent, on the night of 
October 30.

NOVEMBER.

  10 - On body of Harry McGregor, killed in the Altoona yard November 
8.  Verdict - Death was caused by an accident resulting from 
carelessness through the negligence of the Pennsylvania railroad 
officials not affording the proper protection while dropping down 
freight trains through the yard.
  23 - On the body of John P. Fox, Fairview.  Verdict - Death was 
caused by heart disease.
  27 - On the body of John J. Shaheen.  Verdict - Death was caused by a 
compression of the brain caused by a blood clot from an artery ruptured 
by a fracture of the skull two and one-half inches back of the left eye 
bordering on the hair, the said fracture being caused by a blow from a 
neck yoke in the hands of Dashiel Williamson alias Dashiel Jury, 
between 11.30 and 12 o'clock, on the night of November 21, 1899, on 
Fourteenth street near Tenth avenue, in the city of Altoona, Shaheen 
dying at the Altoona hospital about 1.40 p.m. Thursday, November 23, 
1899.

DECEMBER.

  14 - On body of Thomas Scott.  Verdict - Death was caused by acute 
peritonitis, caused by traumatism, the result of a gunshot wound being 
inflicted by the hand of George Woodson, at Spruce Creek, Huntingdon 
county, on December 9.  He was admitted to the Altoona hospital, dying 
there December 10.  The said shot was evidently fired with murderous 
intentions.

  In addition to the above cases Coroner McCartney was called to 
investigate causes leading to the death of sixty other persons.  At the 
conclusion of his investigations he decided inquests were unnecessary.

Morning Tribune, Monday, January 1, 1900