Obit: Walls, Lillie (1873 - 1905)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Walls, Christopherson, Richmond, Shanks, Meek

----- Source: Loyal Tribune (Loyal, Clark Co., Wis.) 05/04/1905

Walls, Lillie (26 MAY 1873 - 27 APR 1905)

Mrs. Lillie Walls, living near Loyal (Clark Co., Wis.), was struck by some moving freight cars at Loyal last Thursday and almost instantly killed. Her body was fearfully mangled and she succumbed to her injuries a few minutes afterward.

Mrs. Walls was at the station at the time the evening train on the Wisconsin Central pulled into Loyal. The engine and two cars were backing down on a side track in the rear of the station and an attempt was made to couple onto two other cars standing back of the station. Just as the coupling was about to be made, Mrs. Walls stepped upon the track, evidently became bewildered and was struck down. Three wheels passed over the body and the fourth came to a standstill upon it. Signals were at once given the engineer to pull ahead and the ponderous wheels moved slowly off the pinioned form.

Dr. Christopherson was called and, after viewing the body, pronounced the victim dead.

A jury was immediately summoned and viewd the remains, after which an adjournment was taken until the next morning.

After examining several eye witnesses to the tragedy, the jury retired. They finally brought in a verdict of accidental death from terrible injuries caused by cars being run over the body.

The jury also censured the Wisconsin Central Railway Co. for leaving cars standing across the sidewalk and party over wagon crossing. Also for carelessness in switching, said carelessness consisting in running too fast, not ringing bell or giving signals and in not having sign boards at crossings.

At the time of the accident the crew of the train claim that they were in their places. Conductor Richmond was standing at the end of the motionless cars, while Brakeman Shanks was on top of the approaching cars giving signals. Brakeman Meek, the other member of the train crew, was on the other side of the station unloading way freight. According to a number of eyewitnesses, Conductor Richmond yelled to Mrs. Walls as she stepped upon the track, as did Shanks. As they did so, she hesitated and before she could move either way, she was knocked to her knees. She was again struck and thrown crosswise of the rail and the four wheels passed over her body.

The only words the woman uttered after she had been struck were: "Wipe the dirt from my mouth."

Mrs. Walls lives about three miles southwest of Loyal and had come to the city for phonograph records. The package was expected on the train which ended her life, and it was for that reason she was at the station. She had obtained the package and had started for home when she met her death.

The deceased was born in the town of Loyal May 26, 1873. She was the wife of Geo. Walls and leaves, besides the husband, four children to mourn her departure, the oldest being eleven years and the youngest one and a half years of age.