From Rick B
Saturday, July 31, 2004
"Mishawaka Enterprise", Friday Evening, July 10, 1878, page 3
Crushed by the Cars.
A. F. Baker, a brakeman on conductor Brown's freight train, had a leg terribly
crushed by the cars while endeavoring to make a coupling at Osceola, last night. They
were to take on 25 stock cars at that station, and Baker was to make the couplings. The
cars were of different styles, and were difficult to connect. In his endeavor to do the
job properly it is presumed that he lost his balance, and went under the wheels, two of
which passed over his right leg, crushing it to jelly(?) from the knee to the foot. The
poor fellow uttered a piercing shriek, which was heard by Zil Druliner,, the night
operator at the target, who hastened out to his assistance. With great presence of mind
the wounded man had crawled out of further danger as soon as the first two wheels had
passed over him. He stood the pain bravely, but finally succombed and fainted away. The
engine took him to Elkhart in the caboose as soon as possible, where he received medical
treatment.