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Death At The Station
Ogden's
Historical Union Station
Photo courtesy of Ogden Union Station
Death At The Station
By Robin B Westover
Prologue
There were thousands of deaths along the Transcontinental Railroad route in
the Mountain West. The first deaths pertaining to the railroad in Utah were on Oct.
6 1853, Paiute Indians attacked U.S. Army Captain John W. Gunnison and his party
of 37 soldiers and railroad surveyors near Sevier Lake, Utah. Gunnison and seven
other men were killed.(1)
In 1865 The Union Pacific’s crew consisted of 500 or so soldiers from the civil
war, 200 or so Ex convicts, 500-1000 freedmen, freed negro slaves, and 1000 or two of Irish and other immigrants . (2)
They were laying tracks, blasting through mountains, and grating the land along the
surveyed route from Omaha through Wyoming and Utah territories . End Point. . . .
Promontory Summit in Utah territory. (3) These men worked hard, and played even
harder.
Beartown, Wyo. Territory*
As The railroad marched rapidly across the broad Continent of plain and mountain,
there was a rough, Improvised and temporary town at every stopping place (3)
Robert Louis Stevenson described the camps as “roaring, impromptu cities full of gold,
lust and death.”(Across The Plains Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)( 4)
Only a small portion of their population had anything to do with the railroad or any
legitimate occupation. These temporary cities of the "hangers-on", with canvas
tents, plain board shanties, and turf-hovels, followed right along with the construction
gangs. (5)
They were made up of gambling houses, saloons, dance parlors, general stores, and the soiled doves,
‘ladies’ that would show you a good time . . If you paid them. Desperadoes of
every grade, the vilest of men and of women made up "hell on Wheels”.(6) Dens of iniquity.
was what Alexander Toponce said of the camps, “It seemed for a while as if all the toughs in the West had gathered there. Every form of vice was in evidence. Drunkenness and gambling were the mildest things they did. It was not uncommon for two or three men to be shot or knifed in a night.” (6) (7) Henry M Stanley stated “I verily believe that there are men here who would murder a fellow creature for five dollars. Nay, there are men who have already done it, and who stalk abroad in daylight unwhipped of justice. Not
a day passes but a dead body is found somewhere in the vicinity with pockets rifled of
their contents. . . . “(8)
One to two thousand men, and a dozen or two women, were encamped in the make shift shelters. By day disgusting, by night dangerous; gambling, drinking, hurdy-gurdy dancing and the vilest of sexual commerce; the chief business and pastime of the hours, “it fairly festered in corruption, disorder and death.” That was how Samuel Bowles described the temporary cities that would set up for 30-60 days or so then
break down and move along with the progression of the rails. (9)
More joined the prostitutes, gamblers, bartenders, pimps and shills* that were in Hell on Wheels for "big money" during the progression through Wyoming and Utah Territories. The men chosen to keep the peace were called Ironmen. They would stay at the construction sites during the week and on Saturdays they made their way back to the temporary cities of Hell on Wheels. The Sunday night roundups had familiarized, those in charge of keeping peace, with the worst toughs and the filthiest bawds. The
raids were a foretaste of the Vigilante hangings and gun battles that would torture every town founded along the Union Pacific in 1868‑69. The ironmen stalked in, shot down the toughs who pulled guns, marched "the worst ones" out to the cottonwood grove and hung them. Once General Dodge ” received a dispatch that a
crowd of gamblers had taken our terminal point at Julesburg and refused to obey the local officers we had appointed over it. I wired General Casement to take back his track force, clean the place up, and sustain the officers. When I returned to Julesburg I asked General Casement what he had done. He replied, 'I will show you.' He took me up to a little rise just beyond Julesburg and showed me a small graveyard, saying,
'General, they all died in their boots, but it brought peace.' " (10)
Sunday nights the foremen moved from saloon to saloon in squads, guns ready; Monday , it was work as
usual at sunup.(11)
The UP’s advance westward spawned some rough towns. Among them was Bear River City,just over the
Utah border, Wasatch, Echo, Ogden and Corinne. (12) At Wasatch located just inside the Utah Territory, Union Pacific paymaster O.C, Smith recorded in his diary, 29 June 1869, “There was a man shot and hung at Wasatch tonight, Reason given, He is a Dammed Nigger.” Violence and prejudice ran uncontrolled. (13) Correspondent Henry Morton Stanley wrote "Every gambler in the Union seems to have steered his course here. Every known game under the sun is played here. Every house is a saloon and every saloon is a gambling den.”(14)
When the railroad moved on, past Echo, seven skeletons were found under a saloon, among the whiskey bottles. (15)
As for Uinta, located at the mouth of Weber canyon and about 7 miles from Ogden, it seemed every building was either a grog shop, gambling den, or what might loosely be termed a restaurant. “Uinta in fact,” John Jaques concluded “is one of the most repulsive looking places I ever saw" (16)
(Corinne )
“The child is born, and her name, as you see, is Corinne.” The Salt Lake Reporter headlined the
announcement. The selection of the last town on the long line of the Union Pacific Railroad. Other camps in
the west were to be temporary construction camps.(17)
Corinne, Box Elder County, Utah, was about the most famous city west of St. Louis, and East of San
Francisco. The boom struck the town before the railroad had reached Ogden. Immorality ran very high in
Corinne in boom days. They had twenty-eight saloons and gambling houses. Along with crimson lights,
moral laws of decency were not observed very well.(18) One of the observers writing to the Deseret News,
drew the conclusion that Corinne was “fast becoming civilized, several men having been killed there already,
the last one was found in the river with four bullet holes through him and his head badly mangled. (19)
Telegraph dated April 10, 1869:” John Barry, shot at the Promontory, removed to Brigham city and had bullet
removed by dr. Ormsby; recovering.”
Telegraph dated April 13, 1869 from Sharp & Young Camp,” On Tuesday night two men were killed two miles from here. “Lucky Bill” shot John Berry through the arm: Berry then shot his assailant in the abdomen and he died Yesterday.”(20)
J. H. Beadle a New York Correspondent wrote
Nineteen saloons . . . two dance-houses amused the elegant leisure of the evening hours, and the supply of “sports” was fully equal to the requirements of a railroad town. . . At one time, the town contained eighty “nymphs du pave,” popularly known in Mountain English as “soiled doves.” (21)
A correspondent from the New York Herald, visiting Corinne in May 1869, considered Corrinne the worst town he had ever entered. The appearance and the character of its population were frightening. In fact he was so fearful looking at the faces of the community that instead of spending the night there as he had planned, he hired a “pine box on four wheels” and left for Brigham City, breathing a sigh of relief when Corinne was behind him. (21)
Uinta County, Wyoming, states in their history:
“It is believed that the cost in lives during the construction of the grade through Uinta County (to the Utah border) was ten men to a mile. Often their bodies were buried, without ceremony, in the roadbeds.” (22)
Alaxander Toppence wrote about the battle of Beartown wyo. [a railroad construction town just over the border from Utah.]. When I still had the beef contract, I was camped on the south side of the track at a sulphur spring across from Beartown. Down the track east about 600 feet was a cold water spring and there the editor of the Beartown paper had his tent.
One of the contracting firms was Cheeseborough & Magee. They had a grading contract and the toughest gang on the road. Magee was hard boiled and when a bunch of the men saw him coming they would say to each other, "Lookout, here comes Cinny," and then they would make the dirt fly.
Magee would size up the work done and if he was dissatisfied he would knock a pick off the handle and use the pick handle as a club, and knock two or three of them down. They were nearly all Irish and they seemed to think it was all right.
One day a gang of graders came to town and got drunk and raised such a row that the city marshal arrested three of them and put them in the lock-up, a little new cabin just built of green logs.
Next day the paper come out with an article saying that "Beartown had stood enough from the rowdy and criminal element and it was time to call a halt." And more just like it.
The next morning I saw about fifty of the Cheeseborough and Magee outfit coming along the track. They had read the paper. The leaders had ropes in their hands and they called out as they passed me that they were going to hang the editor.
There was a mule standing ready saddled at the door of my tent and I jumped on him and raced down to the editor's tent. The crowd got to the front door as I got to the back of the tent. I cut a long slit in the back of the tent with my knife and got him out on the mule and he escaped.
They simply ruined that printing office and you can depend on it, I did nothing to interfere further. Then they went across the grade into town. The business men locked their stores and about a dozen got together in Nuckles store with rifles to defend themselves.
The leader of the mob was a man named Tom Smith. He led them to the lock-up and they tried to liberate the prisoners. They tried to bum the jail but the logs were too green.
The mob run the town from eight o'clock to four in the afternoon, getting drunker and more dangerous all the time. About four, Smith knocked on the door of Nuckles store and when the proprietor opened the door a little and advised them to get out of town Smith shot him in the leg.
Then the shooting became general. It was a regular battle. The men with rifles barricaded in the store opened up and swept the streets. Seventeen men were killed in the mob and as many more were wounded, some of whom died.
Some people called it a massacre, but it had a good effect and just as in the case of the "Vigilantes" in Montana there was an end to the rough stuff on the Union Pacific.
The graves of those killed in the Beartown fight, are still to be seen on the south side of the Union Pacific track just east of Hilliard Station.
In regard to the Vigilantes, in the early days in Montana. I don't think they made any mistake in hanging anybody. The only mistake they made was that about fifty per cent of those whom they merely banished should have been hung instead, as quite a number of these men were finally hung on the Union Pacific road, during its construction.
I got up one morning at my camp near Beartown, Wyoming, and noticed something hanging from a tripod near the railroad track, and I walked down to see what it was. It was three of those fellows, who I knew had been banished from Montana in 1864, with a little tag pinned on their coat, which read, "Warning to the road agents." (23)
In his personal diary of the summer of 1868, surveyor A.N. Ferguson noted
45 men killed by Indians, six
drowned, one construction worker killed falling off a bridge, 10 shot dead in robberies or fights and one killed
by a stray bullet, while sitting in his tent. ( 24)
The Central Pacific had lost many men in the blizzards, the avalanches and the blasting with black powder and nitroglycerin (25) at the tunnels near Donner Summit and across Nevada. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Chinese workers died while building the line. (26) In the tunnels, particularly the 1659 foot Summit Tunnel, it was Chinese work crews who were responsible for the blasting. The rock was so hard that only about seven to eight inches of progress were made in a day. That is, until they began to use
nitroglycerin in 1866. With the nitroglycerin, progress was made much faster, but at a greater expense of life.
Between the blasting on the cliff face and the blasting in the tunnels, numerous Chinese workers perished.
The "Central Pacific did not keep record of coolie casualties"
Work continued through the winters, which in the high Sierras were rough and cold and full of snow and blizzards. The work continued under the snow. The work crews lived like "arctic moles", only seeing daylight when they poked through new air holes and smoke vents.The engineers wrote
"In many cases, the road
between camp and work was through snow tunnels, some of them 200 feet long. The construction of retaining work in the canyons carried on through the winter. A great dome was excavated in the snow, where
the wall was to be built, and the wall stones were lowered through the shaft in the snow to the men working
inside the dome... There were many snow slides. In some cases entire camps were carried away and the bodies of the men not found until the following spring." in one snowstorm A fully loaded work train slid off the mountain, crashing in the valley below, track and all(27)
Both Central Pacific and Union Pacific manufactured Nitroglycerin in log-cabin factories deep in the wilderness. Then the deadly "stuff" was carried pack-a‑back, or by mule cart, up the mountains to the bridge gangs and tunnelmen. Chinese laborers learned to fire it by trial-and‑error methods, that maimed or killed
hundreds of them. Some of the rock cuts and tunnels still used by Union Pacific and Southern Pacific across Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California are monuments to the unknown dead of nitro's terror reign across the vanishing "Desert." ( 28)
These were the deaths that were caused by accidents, nature and each other. This doesn’t include the 1000’s of deaths from Indian raids and plagues. Some Indian tribes were angry, the giant locomotive scared off the buffalo, elk and antelope in the native american hunting grounds. Their attacks were swift and very deadly.
The braves would sneak into the livestock areas and spook them so they would stampede uncontrollably through the temporary city and camp. With the commotion of the livestock the other warriors would ride in from other directions on horses or run in groups carrying tomahawks, spears and using bow and arrows.
The casualties were immense, camps were burned, heads were scalped, bodies piled up. (29)
As the two railroad companies advanced closer to Promontory Summit, the men from several countries came within sight of one another. The civil war soldiers, freedmen (freed negro slaves] , Irish and Mormons from the East, working for the Union Pacific and the Chinese and Mormon camps from the West, working for the Central Pacific. "Crocker's Pets" is what the Chinese were dubbed by the Irish, so named because of Charles Crocker, who recruited the 12,000+ Chinese. The Irishmen hated the little yellow men. When the gangs met, the Irish laid a "grave" of dynamite on the Central's tracks, and a whole crew was killed. The Chinese wisely laid a "grave" on the Chinese line, and the fun was stopped by mutual consent.“(30)
On may 6th, 1869 the San Francisco Evening Bulletin reported a Chinese Tong war:
A battle has occurred between two rival companies of Chinamen, several hundred in number, laborers of the See Yup and Teng Wo companies. They have been idle at [camp] Victory,eight miles from here, for a number of days past. The row occurred about $15 Due from one camp to the other. After the usual braggadocio, both parties sailed in , at a given signal, armed with every conceivable weapon. Spades were handled and crowbars, spikes, picks and infernal machines were hurled between the rank of the contestants. Several shots were fired and everything betokened the outbreak of a riot. At this juncture, Superintendent Strobridge with several of his men, rushed into the melee and with the assistance of the leading “Chinamen,” who were more peaceable disposed, he succeeded in separating the combatants and restoring order. . . .
The casualties include the shooting, fatally it is supposed of a Chinaman. The ball penetrated his left side, tearing the flesh and inflicting a very ugly wound. If this man dies, another encounter will certainly follow and much bloodshed will doubtless ensue. Dr. Blackwood has rendered surgical attendance to the wounded man. (31)
Overworked and unused to the rigors of the climate, the Chinese died like flies when smallpox struck the camps in the winter and fall of 1868-69. Hundreds of their graves are scattered among the sage along the right of way through Nevada and western Utah. (32)
Alex Toponce noted in his autobiography:
At Promontory after the last spike was driven, the celebration over, and the dignitaries were gone, the men stayed and continued to work on the rails. The UP & CP hadn't settled on the price for the line from Promontory to Ogden, so Promontory continued as the junction where travelers changed trains. It was this way for almost a year. During this time, only ONE man per night was killed and buried in unmarked graves.
This was the end of the Hell on Wheels that had followed the UP west from Omaha.(33)
But not the end of the deaths . The transient population of the tent cities dispersed slowly during that year, Settling into Corinne, Ogden and other railroad towns. Ogden had rumors of Chinese Hatchet men that would literally chop up a Chinese man if he was found not following the law of the Tong. The pieces of the unfortunate man’s body would be hidden in the walls of the opium dens and gambling establishments underground.
The Chinese had introduced opium to the railroad workers. It’s use spread like wild fire. The opium dens were found in the basements and dark corners of the businesses on Ogden’s 25th street. Brothels occupied the second floor in almost every building down two bit street and along Washington. While Legitimate businesses occupied the street levels. (34)
The same year a Cholera epidemic swept the railroad camp at Promontory due to the unsanitary conditions that spread into the water supply. Countless men were buried in mass graves.(35)
It is difficult to estimate how many deaths there would have been during the construction of the railroad through Weber County to Promontory Summit in Box Elder County, but the above narratives let us know there were thousands.
References for the prologue
___________________________________________________________________
All Newspaper articles were found at the state of Utah’s digital newspaper web site
Utah Historical Quarterly references were acquired from Utah State Historical Society
1. Gibbs, F Josiah, Gunnison Massacre 1853
Utah Historical Quarterly Volume 1 Number 3 July 1928
2. Howard, Robert West: The Great Iron Trail pg 202
G. P. Putnam's Sons New York, 1962
3. Bowles, Sam: Our New West page 56
4. Stevenson, Robert Louis: Across the Plains
5. Bowles, Sam: Our New West page 56
6. Huchel, Richard: History of Box Elder County
Transcontinental Railroad page 105
Utah State History Publications;Utah Centennial County History Series
7. Anderson: Bernice Gibbs Remembrances Alexander Toponce. Lore of Box Elder County: Sons of the Utah pioneers
Sept 1951 page 121
"Reminiscenses of Alexander Toponce [1839-1923]"
Autobiography at age 80, c. 1919.
8. Howard, Robert West: The Great Iron Trail pg 237
Quoting Henry M. Stanley at Julesburg (August, 1867)
G. P. Putnam's Sons New York, 1962
9. Bowles, Sam: Our New West page 56
HARTFORD PUBLISHING CO., HARTFORD, CONN. J. D. DENNISON, NEW YORK. J. A. STODDARD, CHICAGO, ILL. E. KEBIIUT, AUGUSTA, UA
. Library of congress 1850-1920
10. Galloway, John Debo: The First Transcontinental Railroad pg 298
Simmons-Boardman, New York, 1950. Public Domain
11.Howard, Robert West: The Great Iron Trail pg 246
G. P. Putnam's Sons New York, 1962 Public Domain
12.Richard Roberts, Richard Sadler
A History of WEber county, Utah Centennial County History series
Utah state historical society 1997
13. Ibid pg 110
14. Howard, Robert West: The Great Iron Trail pg 245
Quote from correspondent Henry Morton Stanley
Library of Congress.
15. Summit County Historical society
16. Richard Roberts, Richard Sadler page 110
A History of Weber county, Utah Centennial County History series
Utah state historical society 1997
17. Madsen, Brigham and Betty; Corinne the Fair, Gateway to the Montana Mines
Utah Historical Quarterly Volume 37, number 1. January 1969
18. Hunsaker, John C: Box Elder Lore Corinne pg 113
Sons Of The Utah Pioneers 1949
19. Madsen, Brigham and Betty; Corinne the Fair, Gateway to the Montana Mines
Utah Historical Quarterly Volume 37, number 1. January 1969
20.C.P.R.R. Discussion Group, Central Pacific RailRoad Photographic History Museum
21. Richard Roberts, Richard Sadler page 110
A History of Weber county, Utah Centennial County History series
Utah state historical society 1997
22. Wyoming State Historical Society
23. Toppence, Alexander Autobiography, puplic domain
24..Howard, Robert West, The great iron trail 1862
25. Galloway, John Debo: The First Transcontinental Railroad pg 298
Simmons-Boardman, New York, 1950. Public Domain
26. .Howard, Robert West, The great iron trail 1862 pg 235
27. Ibid; 218
28. Ibid 280.
29. By George Kraus
Mr. Kraus is with the Public Relations Department, Southern Pacific Company, San Francisco. He is the author of an account of the building of the Central Pacific Railroad, [High Road to Promontory]...
Courtesy Stan Layton, Utah State Historical Society.
30. Anderson: Bernice Gibbs Remembrances Alexander Toponce. Lore of Box Elder County: Sons of the Utah pioneers
Sept 1951 page 160
"Reminiscenses of Alexander Toponce [1839-1923]"
Autobiography at age 80, c. 1919.
31. By George Kraus
Mr. Kraus is with the Public Relations Department, Southern Pacific Company, San Francisco. He is the author of an account of the building of the Central Pacific Railroad, [High Road to Promontory]...
Courtesy Stan Layton, Utah State Historical Society.
32. C.P.R.R. http://discussion.cprr.net/2008/02/chinamans-arch.html#4002613868192921151
© 2005-2012 CPRR.org. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the User Agreement.
*tong war, any of several feuds carried on in U.S. cities (e.g., San Francisco and Los Angeles) between gangs of Chinese immigrants or their descendants. These gang wars spanned a 70-year period beginning in the 1850s and continuing until the 1920s. The term tong, meaning a hall, or meeting place, came to be used by the white population in the 1880s, usually to refer to the secret societies or fraternal organizations that were involved in illegal activities, such as opium trade or gambling.
Tong War (United States history) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia.http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/599143/tong-war (accessed February 12, 2011).
33. Anderson: Bernice Gibbs Remembrances Alexander Toponce. Lore of Box Elder County: Sons of the Utah pioneers
Sept 1951 page 160
"Reminiscences of Alexander Toponce [1839-1923]"
Autobiography at age 80, c. 1919.
34. Barnes, Lyle Notorious Two Bit Street
Infinity Publishing (July 17, 2009)
.Ogden Standard Examiner 1879-05-03 Opium Smoking
|
opium dens
35. Brigham City Cemetery website
1sts
1869-1899
The Deseret News was the only newspaper in print from 1850-1870. The Salt Lake Tribune was established in the early 1870’s. Ogden did not have a news paper until 1879. ( 36) News was slow to arrive,
most of the news was either word of mouth or by telegraph and not always accurate.
First Deaths
Before the railroad, Ogden Utah, was a predominantly Mormon town with a very low rate of crime. They were nervous about the "Gentiles" coming in and setting up shop. What ever problems the coming of the railroad caused, they thought, would be outweighed by the boost in the economy, jobs and being able to transport goods to and from Ogden. They hoped to balance the bad and the good. Mostly the "Bad" was contained to 25th street and along Wall.
In 1869, a lady was bludgeoned to death in her tent between the new Ogden Depot and the Weber River. The men who made her brains ooze out of her head, had heard she held $300 to $400 in a locked box in her tent. They found 35 cents. They were 19 years old and wanted in 3 other states for similar crimes.(1)
Fanny Dawson and the Murder Company Committed several murders of railroad travelers who were poisoned with arsenic, robbed, and either dumped in an alley or along the tracks of Union Station. (2) There were other murder companies as well.
The Deseret News was the only newspaper in print from 1850-1870. The Salt Lake Tribune was established in the early 1870’s. Ogden did not have a news paper until 1879. News was slow to arrive, most of the news was either word of mouth or by telegraph and not always accurate.
The following 3 items were all printed in the Deseret News 11/03/1869
News article states that W.B. Stevenson had died in Springville and would be brought to Ogden the next day. No particulars of the incident were given.
One of the first serious accidents involved an immigrant train, headed for Ogden Utah. It ran into the back of a work train that had gone off the track. \
November 03, 1869 Deseret Evening News
Melancholy news by telegram received this afternoon from Elder James Needham dated at Evanston, the other side of Bear River. We learn that a collision between the train on which were the emigrants whose names we published yesterday, and another had just occurred by which three persons were killed. Further particulars are not given. Immediate steps were taken on the reception of the telegram to send surgical skill to their aid. Dr.s Anderson and Richards started immediately for the scene of the accident” (3)
It is unclear from this post in the Deseret News Which city the Doctors were sent from.
From a gentleman who arrived in this city [Salt Lake City] by stage last evening we glean the following in relation to the accident at Evanston yesterday. Our informant was
on an express train traveling Westward about two miles this side of Evanston yesterday morning between 10 and 11 when the fore wheels of the locomotive ran off the track. Signals were made to the immigrant train which was known to be behind, but they were not in as soon as he observed the obstruction on the line, reversed the wheels of his engine, he was unable to check the progress of the train so as to prevent a collision. When the wheels of the express train ran off the line, Engine No. 83 which was on a side track, immediately rendered what assistance it could. The engine being attached to the rear of the express train, in order, if possible, to get it on the line again. The engineer of this locomotive seeing the immigrants train approaching at a speed that could not be checked, detached his engine from the back of the express train and opened the throttle. He heroically set off to meet the immigrant train in order to break the shock. This he accomplished to some extent, his engine being severely damaged by the collision. Had it not been for this act of daring it is presumed that the accident would have been of much greater magnitude. (4)
The number and names of the killed and wounded are different in each account showing the difficulties in getting accurate news reports.
One article said three were killed and two badly wounded. (5)
2 articles from California said that 5 were killed and dozens wounded. (6)
Another, noted three Mormons were killed and five wounded. (7)
J. David Pugh, a passenger on the immigrant train recorded “3 of our brethren were killed in an instant and several other hurted but not fatal.”(8)
Yet another listed “four immigrants, whose names are not given, were instantly killed,
and about fifteen or twenty wounded”(9)
The names of the killed and wounded were listed in the first article as
Killed: David Shields Jun (JR.), Philip Dell and Joseph Thomas.
Slightly injured : James Hill and David Shields sen (SR.)
Mary Bell whose collarbone was broken. (10)
On Saturday October 30 The Deseret Evening News printed a dispatch from Chicago:
An Omaha special says that a man named John Tustin was killed in the collision.
This information had bounced from Wyoming/Utah border, where the collision had taken place to Chicago then back to Salt Lake City. Another article mentions Mr. Tusten with his name spelled differently. But gives more details about Mr. Tusten grisly demise and also about the careless engineer. (11)
Mr. John Tusten, of Petaluma, who was . . . . with his family . . . . was struck by some of the timbers and crushed beneath them, and when he was extricated it was discovered that he was dead. A Miss Percy was severely wounded,
having received a deep cut on the head. The immigrant train fared
worse. The first passenger car, by the force of the collision, ran into the
caboose, completely "telescoping"*.
Shortly after the collision, a special train came
from Wahsatch Station, bringing several physicians, who attended to
the wounded. All care and attention was paid to them.
*Telescoping:
In a railway accident, telescoping occurs when the underframe of one vehicle overrides that of another, and smashes through the second vehicle's body. ....(12)
The Vallego Weekly Chronicle provided the following gripping astonishing view of the moments on the stalled express train.
A party of seven were standing on the platform, when one of them chanced to lean out and look to the rear, when he saw the engine of the immigrant train just coming round the curve. He cried, “Look, look!” and “Jump” , at the same moment jumping himself and rolling down the embankment. Five of the others all leaped down on both sides of the train, but Mr. Tustin, an elderly man was less active in getting off. He had swung about one half of his body off beyond the line of the cars, holding onto the platform rail with his left hand and was already in the act of letting go, when two cars came together, catching just on behalf of his body between them, and of course crushing it into a mere mangled mass of flesh and fractured bone. Here his body remained for 3 hours before it could be extricated, while his unhappy widow was compelled to remain in the train, in knowledge of the horrible event. Of course, Mr. Tustin’s death was instantaneous, we may mention, as instancing how shockingly he was mangled, that when his body was released, his heart was found to have been forced completely out of the cavity of his body. (13)
The whole blame rests, beyond a doubt, on the engineer, William Kelly. It is said that if he had been attending to his business, he would have seen the red signal at least half a mile before he reached it, as his train was coming up grade. He was questioned by a number of passengers, among them Mr. James W. Coffroth, of Sacramento, who questioned him as to whether he did not see the signal, and the only response Kelly made was that Mr. C. could "go to h—l, as it was none of his business." The passengers expressed their indignation and made preparations to give Kelly a dose of Lynch Law,
but better heads prevailed, and he was let alone.(14)
A dispatch from Omaha states:
"Kelly, the engineer was promptly discharged." An informant endeavored to send a dispatch to this giving full details but he was unable to do so, as the Telegraph
Company refused to send his message as he had prepared it. It is presumed that this was done to prevent the public from knowing the extent of the damage.(15)
The Denver Rocky Mountain News:
A special Western bound passenger train on the U. P. Railroad, ran off
the track, The entire blame rests on the engineer and conductor of the emigrant train who were promptly discharged. (16)
With this information going to all news media across the U.S.A. Via telegraph people were livid and several articles are printed demanding the conductor and engineer be punished.
The Sacramento Daily Bee,
Monday, November 1, 1869,
THE RAILROAD ACCIDENT. —
There can be no doubt that the late fearful calamity on the Union Pacific Railroad was caused by the reckless conduct, if not the fiendish malice of the engineer on the emigrant train. When, after the massacre (of 3-5 people), a committee waited upon the engineer and respectfully asked for his version of the matter and why he disregarded the signals so plainly given, he insultingly replied that he would not have cared if they had all been killed. (17)
The Sacramento State Capitol Reporter
October 30:
"It is stated that the conductor and engineer were promptly discharged. We think it should have been promptly arrested and held to answer for the crime of murder.(18)
So far as is known, of the 288 who sailed from Liverpool on the S. S. Minnesota, all were aboard the immigrant train. The names of the collision victims were on the passenger list —(19)
Philip Dell, thirty-five years of age, from Swansea, Wales,
David Shields, Jr., sixteen years of age from Paisley, Scotland,
Joseph Thomas, eighteen, from Crumlin,Wales,
Joseph Thomas, Joseph Thomas, David Shields, Jr., and Philip Dell were interred at Ogden City Cemetery. Although the exact location of the graves has been lost . (20 )
These men left their home country to find a new prosperous life and instead their lives ended.
Mary Bell is mentioned in the Deseret Evening News article. Mary was a niece to telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell and was disowned from her family after joining the “Mormon” faith. She sailed from Scotland with her 3 youngest sons. Andrew, the youngest, died on the ship of an undisclosed illness and was buried at sea. Her husband and two older sons had emigrated to Utah a year previously to prepare a home ( 21)
.
In the same issue of the Deseret Evening News of 1869-11-03
Henry Case:(1)
Fatal Accident.- On Thursday afternoon last, as a freight train on the union Pacific railroad was going West, it came into collision with a construction train coming East, about two miles east of the Promontory. Several of the men on the construction train were badly injured, but only one fatally-a young man named Henry case. . . . . who was severely fractured about the head and neck and one of his hands: his left leg was also broken in three places. He was taken to the Promontory station where he died at half-past six on Friday evening. His body was brought in town on Saturday, under the care of his brother, and buried today at 11 o’clock a.m.
Deceased was twenty-six years of age and immigrated from Winsham, Somersetshire, England, last fall.
Death Record: (2)
Name: Case, Henry, Son of Andrew and Mary Ann, Birth: 11 April 1844
Town: Salt Lake, County: Salt Lake, State: Utah, Date: 29 Oct. ‘69, Cause: Railroad,
At that time death’s were listed in a ledger. Just a list of names. and dates.
Henry was born in England in 1844. He sailed with his family from Liverpool to New York on the “John Bright” (3)
Case, Henry (Age: 24)
- Case, Andrew (Age: 49)
- Case, Mary (Age: 51)
- Case, Mary Ann (Age: 25)
- Case, Alfred (Age: 23)
- Case, Ellen (Age: 20)
- Case, Eber (Age: 18)
- Case, Hyrum (Age: 15)
- Case, William (Age: 11)(4)
They walked 1300 miles over the Mormon trail (5) With the John Murdock company looking to own land, worship freely and raise a family to carry on the legacy. They arrived in Utah Aug.1868 only to have Henry’s life cut short a year later. (6)
Henry had been part of the 100’s of men that Brigham Young had made arrangements for with the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads to grade the land and do masonry work and other jobs. Brigham Young had been a supporter of the railroad from the beginning. He was one of the first to buy stock in Union Pacific Railroad. In 1865 he became a member of the board of directors for Union Pacific. (7) Mormons would be working side by side with the other railroad employees but at a lower wage. Young hoped this would help the men buy supplies for their families for the upcoming winter. He also wanted to enlist their help in building his railroad from Ogden to Salt Lake(8) The harvest of ‘68 was slim. Winter of ‘68/69 was hard, A statement from Brigham Young Printed in the Deseret News 11-10-1869 said “Money is scarce in Utah it is true. Business is dull.” (9) and 100’s more immigrants were pouring into Utah every day, looking for gainful employment. These men worked hard, even when the pay was not there, Brigham Young had encouraged the men to keep on working.(10) (11) After the celebrations at Promontory Summit in May 1869, the agreement with the two railroad companies was not totally honored. But the men had work, maintaining the rails, building new lines and working in the freight yards as well as the other businesses that went along with the business of transporting goods and travelers.
Henry didn’t achieve the American dream he was looking for but the 1880 census shows the rest of the family living in Salt Lake
William, Irma his wife, and William jr. 4 months old., lived in the same residence as his parents, Andrew and Mary Ann, along with his sister Ellen Jane.
Hyrum, his wife Kate, Their children Kate and Hyrum lived on the same block.
Eber, his wife Mary, Their children Eber, Mary, Andrew and Raymond lived on the next block over.
Alfred, his wife Eliza’h and their children Alfred, Eliza’h lived in the same area. (12)
I believe they all achieved their American dream.
1879
S.C.Hill
On the 3rd of May, S.C. Hill , night yardmaster for the C.P.R. R. stooped down between two railroad cars and started to uncouple them, he lost his balance and fell onto the track. The wheels of the car ran over him before his fellow employees could help him up. He was crushed and mangled, he was taken to the shops and placed on a mattress. Dr. Carnahan was soon by his side but nothing could be done . He didn’t seem to suffer much he realized he was fatally injured and expressed a desire to die quickly. Approximately 50 minutes after the accident happened he died.
He had been working only a few months in the area. 30 years of age, not married but had a brother who was a conductor on the “Humboldt division of the road” and his mother lived in Chicago. (13)
Edmund Allard
On the 14th Edmund Allard, fireman for the C.P was standing with one foot inside the cab of the engine and one on the tender, when a coupling pin broke, the two parts of the engine immediately separated and he was thrown to the ground and died instantly. he was 24 years old ( 14)
John Hilton
Oct 1st of 1879 John T. Hilton age 18 had been working for the Utah Southern railroad only 6 weeks. His title was freight deliverer on the line, and was required to assist thr brakesman when needed. At the Sandy Station , Hilton went between the cars to unpin the coupling, but he did it too soon the detached car started moving, Hilton lost his balance and fell onto the track. The main train was backing up and several cars went over his body. Both legs were broken and terribly lacerated and his right hand nearly torn off. He was brought back to Ogden . The physician that saw Hilton at the station office said there was no hope of recovery. His family Came to his side , Father, Mother, brother and sisters, and Hilton although being in excruciating pain , was conscious, talked calm and evenly. He told his mother not to cry, then said “Mother if there is any thing--” he did not speak again. (15)
Another article said John had a premonition.- Among the last words uttered by John Hilton previous to his death, this morning, were these to his father, “Father, I knew when I started away this morning that I was going to be killed, but I had not the courage to tell you.” (16)
1880
Reuben Doyle
In 1880 an emigrant train would arrive each morning in Ogden. The caboose is disconnected from the main train. The engine then side tracked the other cars and returned to draw the caboose into the depot. (1)
On July 31, of 1880 at the north end of the Central Pacific rail yard, Reuben Doyle, a 62 year old passenger, was standing on the platform of the caboose and became confused when the train was uncoupled from it and started moving forward. Mr. Doyle fearing he and the other emigrants on the train were being left behind, jumped off the caboose to try to catch the end car of the moving train. The caboose was moving as well and the distance between the two was about 8 feet. The brakesman was setting the brake to bring the caboose to a stop. He witnessed the Mr. Doyle jump, he and the peanut boy* knowing that he would fall and be run over by the caboose, grasped and caught him as his feet left the platform. They held onto him as long as possible but the man was too much for them while dangling over the front of the caboose. Mr. Doyle struggled to recover and slipped from the grasp of the brakesman who immediately set the break tighter, but one of the wheels of the front truck had passed over the unfortunates man’s leg, cutting it off between the ankle and knee. The caboose was brought to a stop before the entire car passed over him. Mr. Doyle was placed in a train-car and was taken to the depot where he was attended to by a Dr. Camahan. The Dr. had him taken in a blanket to the Keeney house on 25th street. When the examination was made of his injuries it was found that Mr. Doyle had internal injuries. At that time there wasn’t much a physician could do to help someone with internal injuries and this physician had little hope of his recovery.
Mr. Doyle died later that day. No one was held accountable for his death since he choose to jump and if the brakesman and peanut boy had not caught his leg, Mr. Doyle would have fallen onto the track and run completely over killing him instantly. (2)
*The peanut boy is a young man who sells newspapers on the train to the passengers. He also sold bags of peanuts. Hence the name peanut boy. (3)
The funeral services of Mr. Doyle took place Aug, 1, 1880 The original article said Mr. Doyle was an emigrant from Seattle Washington but must have been in Ogden for a while joining the Masonic temple in that city. His funeral was taken care of by the Masons and the Presbyterian Church Where services were handled by Rev. Knowles, according to the request of the deceased who belonged to his church. Prayer was offered by Rev. Hyde and the choir sang “Safe in The Arms of Jesus”. After a short impressive speech by the Rev. Knowles, the hands of the Masons who read an appropriate chapter, and while kneeling, offered up “ The Lords Prayer”.(4)
1881
David Thomas
A Brakesman was killed yesterday afternoon. David Thomas, twenty year old son of
Bishop Daniel F. Thomas of Lynne, who had for a short time since been engaged as brakesman on the C. P. R.R., met with his death in a sudden and deplorable manner. He was on top of a box car while the train was going down the steep grade from Promontory and was suddenly precipitated to the ground, the fall being so severe that he had his head severely bruised and one of one of his legs crushed. The same evening he was relieved from his sufferings by death and his remains were brought to this city this morning. We deeply sympathize with the family in their sad affliction.
The funeral services will be held in the Lynne meeting house at 10
on Wednesday morning. (1 )
The city of Lynne was originally part of Binghams Fort in the Ogden area. (2) Erastus Bingham’s family and a few others had settled the land . Erastus was the Bishop of the L.D.S. church for that area making him the person in charge. In the 1850 ‘s The Threat of indian attacks was high and each settlement was to build a fort . Bingham was in charge of building the fort down 2nd street below wall . After the Indian threat was over the citizens in that area began to spread out to claim land plots for their farms. (3)In 1854 Binghams fort had a population of 732. The Binghams fort settlement grew and was organized as Lynne Precinct in 1864. It extended from the mountains to 1200 west and from North Street to 7th Street.
In 1889 Ogden Annexed the Lynne Precinct. (4)
In 1880 David lived with his Mother Stova , his father Daniel , 8 siblings and 1 servant
in the settlement of Lynne. (5) His father , Daniel Francis Thomas , immigrated from Wales and came to Utah in 1855 with Charles A. Harper Company. (6)(7)
1882
Sept. 11, 1882 the headline of the Ogden Standard read A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS. Several accidents had taken place within 24 hours luckily only one was fatal.
Ed Salmon
A freight train coming eastward, near Lucin, became dislodge from the other part of the train, brakesman Ed Salmon , attempted to couple the disconnected sections. He jumped from one car to another just as the loose section parted from the main train throwing Mr. Salmon onto the track where the train ran over his body which proved fatal. His remains were brought to Ogden on Sunday Morning and turned over to the mortician Mr. Preshaw. (9)
Lucin is 163 miles west of Ogden. The original line went up through the promontory mountain range which was steep and had several dramatic curves.
(10) Brake-Man: One who operates, inspects, or repairs brakes, especially a railroad employee who assists the conductor and checks on the operation of a train's brakes.
1884
Will E. Williams
07-18-1884
UNDER THE WHEELS
A Young Man Is Crushed To Death in Colorado.
The Sad News has been received by Mr. W. R. Williams of the death of his
son, Will E. Williams, by accident in Colorado. The young man was employed
as a brakeman on the Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf Railway and had been with the company but a short time. In attempting to board the train after turning the switch, he missed his footing and was dragged under the wheels. Death must have been instantaneous as the body was almost cut in two. The body left Colorado Springs at 11 today and is expected to arrive tomorrow. In the case the train arrives on time, the funeral will be at the residence on Adams Avenue at 4 O’clock pm. Bishop Leonard of Salt Lake will officiate. The sister of the unfortunate young man and her husband, who reside at Bancroft Idaho, arrived in the city this morning. (11)
1889
This one is not for the squeamish.
Charles Jenkins
A FEARFUL ACCIDENT
The Daily Enquirer Newspaper 1889-08-16
Charles Jenkins run over by the cars and cut to pieces.
A fatal accident occurred at the old depot yesterday morning Charles
Jenkins an old and favorably known blacksmith in this city, residing on twenty seventh between wall and lincoln was run over by the cars near the old express office and instantly killed.
The accident occurred at 11:30 as near as could be learned and soon after a reporter of the Standard visited the spot and after careful inquiry obtained the following particulars:
Jenkins was at the depot where it was said by some that he was fixing an engine, though that statement is denied by others. So far no one has been found who saw the accident and how it occurred and therefore nothing but speculation can be offered as to the cause of the accident. It is, however, known that two trains were coming on the tracks, one from the U. P. yards coming north and the other going south toward the S. P. freight house. It is supposed that he got between these two trains, or rather that while watching the S. P. train go by, he was standing on the U. P. track unconscious of the approach of the U. P. switch engine pushing a long train. It is plainly evident that he was knocked down by the first car of the U P train as blood can be found on the first wheel of that car, and the train was not moved from the time the body was found until after the verdict of the coroners jury. Then on the axle of the seventh car from the first can be found a large blotch of blood, as if in his death struggles he had struck the axle and the blood spattered to the wheels.
Fifteen cars of the train passed over him and three wheels of the sixteenth.
A callboy* at the depot noticed him after the fifteenth car had passed over him and shouted to the engineer to stop and the train was almost immediately. Mr. Bulen, a switchman, was the first to approach him and he found him with the tongue sticking out from the mouth and the features unrecognizable for blood and dirt. The unfortunate man was taken out from under the wheels and placed in the little addition to the south of the express office and covered with ice awaiting the arrival of the coroner. When found he was lying in a pool of blood and fully a pound of flesh was sticking on the rails. Several hours after the accident while looking at the spot where he was picked up a reporter of the Standard noticed that a crack between the rails, were held together by the fishplates, was filled up with something that took his attention. Getting a stick, the substance was extracted
and was found to be the thumb of the right hand of the poor man, squeezed
into the hole, until there was nothing but the skin and the nail hanging to
a few threads of flesh. It was taken in to the rest of the body.
(12)
The Salt Lake Herald printed
Mr. Jenkins was crossing he track and jumped one side to clear an approaching train when he was struck by a train from the opposite direction Mr Jenkins is a blacksmith by trade and his place of business is between Lincoln and Wall avenues Twenty seventh street. His residence is on To en eighth street near Lincoln avenue where he leaves a wife and six children to mourn his sudden and deplorable death Mr Jenkins has a son in California about twenty one years of age.(13)
The Ogden Standard Examiner 1889-08-17
Added to the story, printing that Charles was the adopted child of Thomas Jenkins, an old citizen of Ogden. Charles was 50 years old and leaves a wife and 6 children, 3 residing at home one living in California and one living in Kansas. He had been in the employ of the U.P. Company for many years until 2 years ago when he went to work in his father’s blacksmith shop. The funeral was held at the Jenkins home on twenty-seventh between Wall and Lincoln. (14)
1890
R.S. Snodgrass
KILLED BY ENGINE, R. S. SNODGRASS MEETS A HORRIBLE DEATH AT THE UNION DEPOT. DRAGGED BY THE LOCOMOTIVE FOR YARDS.
One Eye Pierced and and Arm and Leg Broken. No Blame Attached to the Railroad Employees.
R. S. Snodgrass was caught yesterday morning by a Central Pacific engine on the main track near the depot in this city, and so badly injured that he died at 1 p. m. at the Union Pacific Hospital.
On investigation the following facts as to the accident were elicited : It appears that the unfortunate man was walking up the main C.P. track from lower Twenty second where he lives. Two trains were coming in from the west, one on the C.P. track and one one the D.&.R.G. track. The latter is about 25 yards west of the former. The D.&R.G. Train was about one train length ahead of the other in rounding a curve and therefore completely hid the C.P. train until straightening out on the main line. The deceased turned westward and looked at the passing D.& R. G. train. The brakeman on that train saw his danger and motioned to him but failed to make him understand. In the meantime the C.P. train had shown itself. Fronk Houston was the engineer. He had been watching the network of switches as he came in and as the train passed out into open sight of the depot behind the D. & R. G. train he saw a man on the track ahead of him, probably only fifteen feet away. He blew the whistle, turned on the air, and jumped down to reverse the engine. By that time the train, which was moving slowly, had come to a stand still, but too late, The poor man had been struck down and dragged the length of a car and half. When picked up, a fearful wound was noticed in the right eye as if a large bolt had gone through and pierced the brain. The right arm and the left leg were fractured. He had not been run over. The wound in the eye was fatal and he died at the hospital at 1 p.m.
The engineer says that had he been going faster than he was, the man would doubtless have been struck from the track and only received a broken leg or some bruises, but going too slowly something had time to catch his clothes and drag him. The strange action of deceased when being warned can only be explained by the fact that he was blind in the eye nearest to the approaching monster.
The deceased leaves a wife and two children to mourn his loss. The body was removed to the establishment of Undertakers Larkin & Linquist, where it will receive the necessary attention previous to burial. This accident occurred about the same time that the case of Matola Pool Vs Southern Pacific Railway Company suit for $420,000 damages for the killing of plaintiff’s husband while employed by the company was being argued before Judge Henderson. (15)
FUNERAL OF R. S. SNODGRASS
The Unfortunate Man Laid to Rest Under Directions of the G.A.R.
The funeral services over the remains of R. S. Snodgrass who on Thursday morning was killed by being struck by the incoming Southern Pacific Passenger train, were yesterday held at the Baptist church and conducted by Rev. Frank Barnett. At the grave the G.A.R. took charge of the remains.
(16)
(16)
09-07-1890 Ogden Standard
George Kistler
THE WHEELS OF DEATH George W. Kistler Run Over by a Railroad Car.
ONE LEG HORRIBLY MANGLED AND TORN Is Carried on a Special from Collinston Where the Accident Occurred and Dies in the C.P. hospital here.
A special engine and caboose rushed into the union depot grounds from Collinston yesterday afternoon a few minutes after 2 o’clock.
On a stretcher in the caboose lay George W. Kistler with his left leg severed from his body. In the Cupola of the caboose, was a box containing the severed member.
The patient was cared for by Dr. Beaty of Collinston and the trainmen who made him as comfortable as possible. The leg was so mangled and torn that appeared as a chunk of raw meat had not the facts been known.
The Union Pacific Hospital ambulance was waiting on the east side of the depot. The sufferer and his dead leg were moved as quickly as possible to the hospital. He died at 9:30 last night.
The accident occurred at Collinston about 10 o’clock yesterday morning. Mr. Kistler, a brakeman on the Utah and Northern, was endeavoring to uncouple two cars from each other and the pin was hard to move. He placed his left foot on the guardrail and slipping he was caught by the heel. In endeavoring to free himself he fell backward and was dragged by the train which, however, was moving slowly.
Conductor Dick Carter ran to the brakeman’s assistance and caught hold of him but could not pull him loose. Then a wheel struck him before the train could be stopped. The leg was cut from the ankle up and rendered it necessary to amputate it.
He was carried into the agents office and Dr. Beaty was summoned. In a gambling house nearby a faro games was in progress.* When the news of the accident, which was spread rapidly reached these men at the faro table, they were informed that there was not a table convenient to rest the injured man on during the operation of amputation. They quickly closed the game and carried the table and a bundle of clean towels to the station and otherwise rendered all assistance possible. Residents came running in with bandages and other essentials and a messenger was dispatched to K. of P. hospital for the surgeon’s instruments.
Dr. Beaty removed the mangled leg and the patient after being allowed time for sufficient rest was placed aboard the special which was detached from a freight train at Deweyville.
The trip to Ogden, a distance of thirty-six miles, was made in one hour with the engineer, T. G. Phillips, making the run as rapidly as it was possible to do with the three stops which were necessarily made.
Dr. Perkins attended the injured man when he arrived at Ogden late in the afternoon. The patient was suffering intensely and the chances for his recovery are very poor indeed.
The Brotherhood of Brakemen and the K. of P. did all they could for the man, he being a member of both orders. They will attend to the funeral arrangements. (18)
Ogden Standard Examiner 1890-02-15
The body of George Kistler who died from injuries received on the Utah and Northern at Collinston on Wednesday was started for his parent’s home in Mansville, Pennsylvania, yesterday morning.
The K. of P. and the Brakemen’s brotherhood accompanied the remains from Undertaker Preshaw’s rooms, where they had been embalmed to the Union depot. A brother of the deceased accompanied the body. The news is a sad blow to the parents of the deceased who have not seen their son for some time.
He was a good railroad man and an honored member of the orders mentioned. (19)
K & P is assumed to be Knights Of Pithius
*Faro was a game of cards that went along quickly and rules were more simple than poker. It originated in France and found it’s way to America in the 1700’s
1892
John Porte
STRUCK BY A LOCOMOTIVE
Hurled into eternity while asleep. JOHN PORTE MEETS HIS DOOM.
While sitting on a tie resting from his day’s work, he is struck by a passing train.
This morning as the south-bound train on the Union Pacific, which left here at 1:45 a.m., was passing the track of the Junction City Driving Park it struck John Porte, a young man well known in this city, and whose parents reside here.
He was setting on the edge of a tie evidently asleep. The train struck him on the side of the head and fractured the bones. The engineer noticed him when too closes to prevent the catastrophe. The train was stopped and he was brought back to this city. Dr. Conroy was called and did all that his well known skill could do for the unfortunate man, but all in vain.
after much suffering the young man died at 3:25. He never spoke a word from the time he was struck by the train until his death. At the time of going to press his
parents had not been notified of his death. The railroad employees who were present at the time did all in their power to alleviate the suffering of the deceased during the few moments he lived after being struck.
The deceased worked for McCardle, as a section hand, and had always been considered a sober and industrious young man. He was 28 years of age, and so far as could be learned he was single. His parents are well known in this city being old residents here.
Richey Bros. Took charge of the remains and conducted them to their undertaking establishment.
The coroner was notified and an inquest might be held to-day (20)
Ogden Standard 01/08/1892
Further Particulars Regarding the Death of John Porte.
The Coroner’s inquest over the body of John Porte, the young man who met his fate by being struck by a train near the Junction City Driving Park, at an early hour yesterday morning, will be held this morning at 10 o’clock, at the undertaking establishment of Larkin & Son.
The remains were brought into the city from the spot where the young man was hurled into eternity, by Richey Bros., but at the request of the parents of the deceased they were taken in charge by Larkin and Son.
It was reported on the street yesterday that Porte had been foully dealt with by footpads before the train struck him and robbed of his valuables. The rumor proved to be unfounded, as his watch, pocketbook and other articles were found in his clothing. His pocketbook contained no money and it is said that was the state of his finances when he left home.
Porte was employed as a section hand on the railroad and had the reputation of being sober and industrious and was not addicted to drink in any form.
About 11:30 o’clock Saturday evening he meet two of his associates at the Union depot and soon after they met three young lady friends whom they escorted home, going as far as Nob Hill. They then came down town, when they separated, and Porte started to his home about three miles out of the city. It is believed that he became exhausted after his day’s labor and long walk home with his lady friends and sat down on the track for a few moments’ rest and while doing so fell asleep and failed to awaken in time to see the approaching locomotive.
Dr. Conroy made an examination of the wounds of the deceased and found that he had been struck with such violence by the locomotive that the base of the brain was injured, causing a hemorrhage which produced immediate death.
The father of the unfortunate man is quite aged and feeble, and at one time was the proprietor of a jewelry story in this city. He and his wife have a comfortable home almost paid for in the country, toward which the young man has applied all his wages. It seemed to be his desire to make his parents as happy as possible during their remaining days, and they alone can realize the full extent of the terrible calamity.
The coroner has empaneled a jury which is composed of T. W. Jones: C. A. Hurssell and Richard Hill. The funeral will occur from the Fifth Ward meeting house at two o’clock this
afternoon. (20)
Ogden Standard
THE INQUEST HELD
Coroner Allen yesterday morning held an inquest at the undertaking establishment of Larkin & Son over the body of John Porte, who was killed early Sunday morning by being struck by a Union Pacific train. Messrs. T. W. Jones, C. A. Hurssell and Richard Hill were empaneled as a jury. Engineer Gilbert A. McLean, Fireman J. H. Ault, Conductor Hinkley, Brakeman Herbert, of the fatal train, and Henry McCardall, section foreman, who was a passenger, testified at some length, but no new facts in the case were elicited.The jury rendered a verdict to the effect that Porte came to his death by being struck by the Union Pacific locomotive no.1 while sitting on the track asleep. The railroad company and its employees were fully exonerated.
The funeral services were held yesterday afternoon in the Fifth ward meeting house. Many friends of the deceased were in attendance, filling the building to overflowing. Bishop Thomas J. Stevens conducted the services. Six intimate friends of the unfortunate young man acted as pall bearers. The interment took place in the city cemetery. (21)
Ogden Standard 02/08/1892
References
1st
1. National Register of Historic Places Inventory - nomination form.
Lower 25th street, Ogden utah.
2. Frank Philbrook to be tried for murder
Ogden Standard 1916-04-10
3. Fatal Accident Henry Case & Melancholy news
Deseret News 1869-11-03
4. Ibid.
5.Arrival of Immigrants
Deseret News 1969-11-03
6. Mcfarland, Alan: Melancholy News Utah’s First Fatal Passenger Train Collision
Utah Historical quarterly Winter 1983
.These included the Elko Independent October 30, 1869; Sacramento, The Daily Bee November 1 1869, Daily Union and State Capitol Reporter both October 30, 1869;
Via Mcfarland, Alan
7. October 30 by the Denver Rocky Mountain News in a small paragraph on page 1
Via Mcfarland, Alan: Melancholy News Utah’s First Fatal Passenger Train Collision
Utah Historical Quarterly Winter 1983 pg 60
8. ibid pg 61
Journal of J. David Pugh, microfilm #124, item 2, LDS Church Library Archives.
9. Mcfarland, Alan: Melancholy News Utah’s First Fatal Passenger Train Collision
Utah Historical quarterly Winter 1983 pg 61
10. Melancholy news
Deseret News 1869-11-03
11. San Francisco Daily Morning Call on Saturday, October 30, 1869.
Via Mcfarland
12. Vallego Weekly Chronicle
November 6, 869
Via Mcfarland,Alan;
13. The San Francisco Daily Morning Call Saturday, October 30, 1869
14. Ibid
15. Denver Rocky Mountain News October 30, 1869
16.The Sacramento Daily Bee, Monday, November 1, 1869,
THE RAILROAD ACCIDENT. —
17. The Sacramento State Capitol Reporter
October 30, 1869
18. Carter, Our Pioneer Heritage, 8:389-90
20 Sexton’s Records, Ogden City Cemetery
21. Sketch of Mary Bell Wilson by her grandson David B. Wilson
Mcfarland, Alan: Melancholy News Utah’s First Fatal Passenger Train Collision
Utah Historical quarterly Winter 1983 pg 65
22. Solomon, Brian (2001) The Heritage of North American Steam Railroads. London;
Amber Books. p 101 Wikapedia.org
23 Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
Henry Case:
1. Deseret News 1869-11-03
2. "Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908-1949," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQHL-CZ3 : accessed 01 Aug 2013), Henry Case, 1869
3. Database: Mormon Immigration Index (1840-1890) Lib.byu.edu
4. "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MNSV-G3D : accessed 02 Aug 2013), Andrew B. Case in entry for Eber Case, 1880.
5."Utah, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, 1847-1868," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KL71-DM7 : accessed 01 Aug 2013), Andrew T Case, 1819.
6.. LDS overland trail index Family Search.org
7. Arrington, Leonard J. Great Basin Kingdom, p. 261 (Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1966) reprint of 1958 Harvard edition.
8. Arrington, Leonard J. “The Transcontinental Railroad and the Development
of the West,” p10
9,Deseret News 1869-11-10, Local and Other matters.
10. Strack, Don Utah Rails Union Pacific in Utah, 1868-1899
http://utahrails.net/reeder/reeder-chap2.php#mormon-construction
http://utahrails.net/reeder/reeder-chap2.php#mormon-construction
.Arrington, Leonard J.: The Transcontinental Railroad and the Development of the West
page 10 Utah Historical Quarterly (Volume 37, Number 1 January 1969)’
11. Reeder, Clarence Utah Rails Mormon construction on the transcontinentalhttp://utahrails.net/reeder/reeder-chap2.php#mormon-construction
12."United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MNSV-G3D : accessed 02 Aug 2013), Andrew B. Case in entry for Eber Case, 1880.
1879
13 S.C. Hill: Ogden Standard Examiner, 1879-05-03. Frightful Death
14 Edmund Allard: Ogden Standard Examiner, 1879-05-14. Frightful Accident
.15. John Hilton: Ogden Standard Examiner 1879-10-0, Frightful Railroad Accident
16. Premonition
Deseret News 1879-10-01 Local and Other Matters |
1880
1.Reuben Doyle :Ogden Standard Examiner 1880-07-31 Frightful Accident
2. Ibid
3.Brooks, G. Allen: Reflections On a Rural Childhood page 57
Xlibris Corporation - Publisher 2011
4, Ogden Standard Examiner 1880-08-11 The Funeral of Mr. Doyle |
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ogden1/id/3588
.
1881
David Thomas
1. Ogden standard 1881-10-30 A Brakesman Killed
2. Roberts, Richard
Sadler, Richard A history of Weber County,
Utah Centennial County History Series p.68
3. Binghams Fort History of 2nd street
4 Roberts & Sadler
Binghams fort history
5. 1880 census
"United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MNSG-DLZ : accessed 10 Jan 2014), David Thomas in household of Daniel Thomas, Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States; citing sheet 511C, family 5, NARA microfilm publication T9-1339 6. Pioneer Overland travel 1847=1868 http://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/pioneerdetail?lang=end&pioneerld=15985 7.Esshom, Frank Pioneers and prominent men of Utah p 441 Utah Pioneers book publishing company 1913 https://archive.org/details/pioneersprominen00esshrich
1882
9
Ogden Standard Examiner 1882-09-11 A Chapter of Accidents |
10. Brake-Man: One who operates, inspects, or repairs brakes, especially a railroad employee who assists the conductor and checks on the operation of a train's brakes.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
1884
11.Will E.Williams Deseret Evening News 07-18-1884 Under The Wheels
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/den1890/id/66495
1889
12. A Fearful Accident The Daily Enquirer 1889-08-16
13. Salt Lake Herald, 1889-08-14, The News in Ogden
14. Ogden Standard 1889-08-17 a frightful accident.
1890
15. Ogden Standard Examiner 1890-04-04 Killed by an Engine
16. Ogden Standard Examiner 1890-04-05 Funeral of R. S. Snodgrass
17. Ogden Standard Examiner 1890-02-13 The Wheels of Death
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ogden3/id/30129
18, Ogden Standard Examiner 1890-02-15 Kistlers remains
19.Ogden Standard Examiner 1892-07-31 Struck by a Locomotive Section
20.Ogden Standard Examiner 1892-08-01 An inquest To Be Held.
21. Ogden Standard Examiner 1892-08-02 An Inquest Held
LOVE AND THE RED LIGHT
1897
* indicates more explanation at the end of the chapter
April 1897, Mamie Evans stood at the depot on the platform with a train ticket to Butte, Her golden hair, pulled up in back and secured with a comb made her curls dance when she moved her head. The wide brim of the spring hat she wore kept the sun off her flawless milk colored skin, her dress was the same color as the sky, her dark eyes, usually sparkling like diamonds, now were pensive and her brows furrowed. A nice looking, almost well dressed man, John Ross, was speaking to her. His voice had an quiet angry tone, she could see the anger rising up his neck and into his face. “It’s all off is it?” “ Yes, I”m done with you. I don’t love you any more but love him.”
He shook his head and whispered in anger “If I can’t have You, no one can have you.” John moved back his jacket to grab his gun, he pulled the trigger, the bullet going into the earth. Mamie turned to run, 1,2,3, steps, two shots hit their mark and she gracefully crumpled to the ground. Women screamed, Men came running, yelling “was that a gunshot?” “Who is she? What happened?” The station manager started barking orders “You, go get a Doctor, you there, go get Capt. Silvey.” No one noticed John quietly slipping onto the tracks. Quickly moving over the rails, stopping behind a train that hid him from the platform. No one noticed him put the gun to his temple and pull the trigger.
A few bystanders and railroad men carefully lifted Mamie up and took her into the depot baggage room. A couple of cots were set up. They gently laid her down . A man, very good looking, blonde hair, blue eyes, well dressed, 20 something, had swiftly moved to Mamies side unnoticed in all the chaos.
He placed his right hand under her neck and lifted her head just enough to be put on a soft traveling bag like a pillow. He kept hold of her hand, held it tight to his chest while he whispered in her ear and softly brushed the hair from her face. Then smoothed down her sky blue skirt, now stained blood red. She moaned from the excruciating pain of the wounds. The man bent closer whispered again in her ear cupped his hand on her cheek and kissed her forehead, she managed a small smile.
John Ross’ lifeless body had been brought into the baggage area. As well.
“Who is he?” the station conductor asked in a soft calming voice. Mamie barely shook her head. “Ma’m, we need to know, please can you tell us?” Mamie closed her eyes and held tightly onto the THE man’s hand.
At 9:00 the horse drawn ambulance wagon arrived. Mamie was tenderly put into the wagon. A Standard reporter and Capt. Silvey steadied the cot in the wagon while the driver started his horses up the street. The crowd watched and some followed along as the horses approached the Reed hotel on Washington and 25th. All held their breath as the horses were brought to a stop under the Electric light. Waiting to see which way it turned. Straight up was the hospital, left was the undertaker. The wagon stood in the glow of the electric light for a few moments, The horses softly pawing at the pavement. Then they were moving again, turning left down Washington Ave.. Many in the crowd that had followed wiped away a tear, a young lady quietly sobbed while the unknown man put his arm around her shoulder to comfort her, he wiped a tear away. The young lady looked at him with a smile and a nod and she lost herself in the crowd. The man had been observed by officers at the depot, when he was comforting Mamie. They were approaching and he understood why the pretty girl left, the officers, one on each side, lead him to the city jail. For questioning.
The railroad men had picked up John Ross and placed him in the back of a utility wagon and waited for the sheriff.
At the police station the man sat in a chair in a small room. His hands were in his lap with cuffs on. ” I told you my name, it is John D. Williams, not Richard T. Morgan.”
Officer Silvey questioned “ Then why does this book you are carrying say Richard T Morgan 2109 East Huntington street philadelphia pa?” “ I found that book at a junk store, it had hardly been used and I like it so I bought it. Please let me go, I had nothing to do with this, other than talking to Mamie,”
“All right,” Officer Silvey said, getting his pencil and notebook ready.” tell me what happened from the beginning as you know it. Then we will see about letting you go, But I’m not promising anything.”
“ We met about a week ago.She was sitting on a bench at the depot in Salt Lake, She was so pretty and looked so sad. I had to find out why. She said Ross was in love with her to obsession, but she did not love him. She use to, but not now. As we talked John Ross saw us and Mamie said I better go. I told her to meet me by the train at this same time the next day. She got up and walked toward Ross. He seemed a bit angry, his face was red but she calmed him down, took his arm and they walked away. She tried to tell him she didn’t love him any longer. Ross got angry again and said he would kill any one he saw her with. He took out a knife and came toward me with it. I got up and ran up the street and through the Tailor shop on 3rd south. I had lost him. Mamie met me the next day at the train and she had a valise she had packed, She had a friend with her. They both worked at the Red Light behind the jail there in Salt Lake . She said They were both going. As we were boarding the train Ross showed up and said he was going to kill me. I ran and lost him. He jumped off the train, I jumped back on and the train left, I went back to Mamie. Mamie’s friend said Ross told everyone that he and Mamie were married. And he would sit in the lobby of the red light all day long and when Mamie came in she had to hand all her money to Ross. I told her that wasn’t right. No man should sit around and not work then take his girls money. And I agreed.
We took a couple of rooms at the Allen Building, we had a nice time Mamie and I. Two days later Ross showed up at 2 a.m. Mamie and I were out on the town and
Ross was waiting for us when we returned, I had been warned by Mamie’s friend that Ross was there so I stayed out of site. Mamie and he started to yell and scream, so the hotel called you and you came over to break it up. Ross had taken a room in the same building, so when he went to bed we left and went up to the Ogden House and secured two rooms there. We stayed inside the Ogden house all day
“I told those two girls they needed to leave town.” Captain Silvey shook his head. “I knew there was going to be trouble, Mamie said Ross was going to kill her and that later he was going to kill you.”
“Well that is when we went to the depot to wait for the train to Butte. Mamie and her friend were trying to get out of there before Ross showed up. But while we were in the waiting room he came in the depot. He and Mamie began to talk I stepped away a bit. Ross ask if the girl was going to shake him, and she replied yes, that she had ceased to care for him, but that she cared for me. She told Ross she was going to Butte, but said that I was not going with her. Then Mamie gave me her bag and said she would be back in a minute. That is when they walked out on to the platform. Then in a moment or two I heard the gunshots and I rushed out to see Mamie laying on the platform, in a growing puddle of blood. I helped the others carry her to the baggages room and I heard another shot. And that is all I know, I swear.”
“Uh Hu” Captain Silvey said as he finished writing the notes in his notebook. “Ok, Well we will have to see what happens.” He got up to leave the cell.
“I told you I didn’t do anything, you have to let me go.” Williams pleaded.
“We’ll see” the Captain locked the cell and walked away down the hall. Williams was all alone. It was eerily quiet, quiet as a tomb. He thought.
Down the street a line of people were stretched from the funeral parlor to the corner, standing waiting to get in to Richey’s to see the people that had been killed.
Mamie and John were laid out, side by side on separate tables, A sheet covered
Their bodies only their faces were visible. Many of Mamies friends from the Red Light and Electric Ave * came to pay their respects, Mamie had been one of them, she had worked here on Electric Avenue and up on the second floor of most of the hotels there on two bit street. She was a friend to everyone. She was the kind of girl the rich gentlemen liked as well as the poorman. As the girls walked by the bodies,
they wiped a tear away or sobbed quietly. They looked at John Ross and recognized him, they had seen him around. Others came just to see the spectacle. All day and into the evening people came to take a look at the unfortunate couple.
Mamie’s parents arrived from Salt Lake, stunned and distraught. Mrs. Richey invited them to stay at the Richey’s home.
Her father, Gen. Carter* came to Mamie’s side, with tears running down his cheeks he put his hands over his face and quietly moaned “It’s Lena! Oh, it’s too true, too true.” Then catching sight of the lifeless body of the man who had murdered her, lying next to her, the father could stand no more and helpless was led from the scene.
Mrs. Carter didn’t want to see her daughter’s remains until the funeral.
Mamie’s real name was Glenna Carter. She was from Salt lake where she worked in a house called the “Red Light” *.(1) Her father was known as Gen. Carter from Coxey’s Army. * (2)
Glenna had lived in Salt Lake but had left home at an early age. Married at 15 she lived in Minnesota. She became a mother at 16, divorced that same year and returned to Utah with her little girl. (3)
Glenna left her baby with her mother and had become a prostitute, changing her name, as the girls of the Red Light often did, to Mamie Evans and other alias’. (4)
She had “worked” in Ogden the year before, in 1896, and had a “crib” at No. 6 Electric Avenue which was run by the infamous Madam Belle London. Her and her friend Duch Moll or Gold tooth Alice became very well known in the city.
Mamie was ordered to leave by the police because she proved a siren to a couple of young men who seemed unable to resist her. She was a beautiful girl with a Venus like figure and glossy auburn hair.Among the demi-monde* she was popular but, inclined to be boisterous. (5)
Another news article stated she had long golden hair. (6)
Demi-monde:a class of women on the fringes of respectable society supported by wealthy lovers.(7)
The Red Light is a general phrase that means prostitute house,
The one in Salt lake City was actually called The Red Light and it was located, oddly enough, behind the police station. (8)
In Ogden, Electric Avenue run by the infamous Belle London, ran parallel to 25th street behind the legitimate businesses. 
There were small rooms called “cribs”.
Cribs were rows of small rooms, 6 x 8 they had a bed and a sink. They could be found in most of the buildings on 24th, 25th street, Washington Blvd and other side streets of Ogden. Usually on the 2nd floor with legitimate businesses on the main floor of the building. Some traces of these rooms still exist.(9)
Photo of Mojo’s 2nd floor do
insert pictures and drawings from Building By The Railyard BUILDING BY THE RAILYARD:
THE HISTORIC COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
ARCHITECTURE OF OGDEN, UTAH
By Jalynn Olsen
Pages 23 & 24
Figure 32: "Exploded" axonometric drawing of the Davenport Saloon. Elevation pulled away from conjectural drawing of interior. Like most buildings on 25th Street, the Davenport Saloon housed a variety of businesses over time. At one point, you could have found an opium den in the basement, a saloon on the main floor, and a brothel on the second floor. Other businesses known to occupy this building include the White House Restaurant, P. W. Hansen Tailors, and David Aoki 's barber shop. Drawing by Chad Nielsen.
(10)
The prologue of the tragedy enacted . . . in Ogden was played in Salt Lake in a house known as the “Red Light,” back of the city jail. Lena Carter lived in this house several months ago, and came there the last time about three weeks ago. With her came Jack Ross, who claimed to be her husband. He hung around so it is said, at the place doing no work and getting the money the girl received. The companions of the girl tried to persuade her that she was foolish to support Ross, but she did it, until a new man came across her path. One night a well-dressed, blonde young man met the girl and took a fancy to her, and the liking was reciprocated. She boasted that her new friend had plenty of money and grew to be very fond of him. Ross knew this, but said that no matter what she thought of anyone else, he would get the “dough” . Finally, the young man went away, and in a few days the woman expressed her intention of going to Ogden.
Saturday afternoon about 3 o’clock Ross went to the house and asked to see one of the girls. He told her he had not had anything to eat all day, and asked her to lend him 50 cents. She gave him the money and he began to talk about his troubles, saying that he and Mamie had quarreled , but that he expected to make up with her. He took a letter from his pocket and said: “This is a letter to my mother, I must post this tonight.’ Then he burst into tears. When he left he said he would be back after he had made up with “Mamie”. Ross said he had been married to the girl about seven months. The inmates of the house think from the descriptions given that the well-dressed young man referred to was J. B. Williams, held at Ogden as a witness to the shooting. They say the Carter girl was tired of Ross. The pawn ticket found in Williams pocket is believed to be for a watch which the Carter girl pawned some time ago(11)
The parents did not know Ross or any thing about him.
Being questioned as to the knowledge of the man Ross, they said they knew nothing of him except that during the winter they had known of the man living with a family also of the name of Carter, at 323 West Fourth Street.
Whatever the parents knew at the time of the alleged relations existing between this man Ross and their daughter is not known, nor was the question asked.. . . . . . . .(12)
THE LAST SAD RITES
Amid the heart-breaking sobs of a loving mother and father Dr. Tedrick of the M. E. Church yesterday at 8 p.m. read a simple burial service and offered tender prayer over all that remained earthly of Glennie Carter, Alias Mamie Evans, who met such a tragic death at the Union depot Saturday night: by the hand of her jealous lover. The services were held in Richey’s undertaking parlors and consisted of the reading of a chapter from the Bible and the offering of a prayer. About thirty persons were present.
Mr. and Mrs. Carter of Salt Lake City, father and mother of the dead girl, sat by the casket and throughout the entire service sobbed as though their hearts would break. Just before the casket was sealed they came to look for the last time upon the face of their dead child still as dear to their hearts as though she had never erred. . . . the father who is a large, rather distinguished looking gentleman, kept stroking the girl’s beautiful hair and sobbing: “Oh, Glennie! Glennie!” While again and again he kissed her as if he could not leave her. The mother, a gentle, refined looking lady, cried out once as though her heart would break: “Oh Glennie, my darling, why did it have to happen so?” The remains were taken to the City Cemetery and laid to rest. (13)
Williams. . . . is about 5 feet 5, very light complexioned, blue eyes and smooth face. He admitted to the officers that he was the man in the case.(14)
The police had identified him as Richard T. Morgan or “Dick” from a book that he was carrying. That was the name that was used in the Standard Examiner article.
He said his name was John D. Williams. He said he had been informed that Ross had threatened to kill him but he had not paid much attention to the threats as he believed Ross was “nutty.” (15)
Williams told the police
Ross had been insanely jealous. Mamie had come to Salt Lake City from Park City in the hope of getting rid of Ross, who was so badly in love that he was troublesome. Ross followed her, and when he found she had a new admirer he started out with the avowed intent to kill him. He came near to accomplishing his purpose one day when he discovered his rival, . . . talking to Mamie on a street corner. Ross Followed [Williams] with a knife but did not find him. On Tuesday . . [Williams] and Mamie and Lou Bintley, a friend of Mamie’s, came to Ogden. [Williams] was on the train when Mamie bid Ross goodbye on the platform. Ross followed two days later only to find his rival in possession. He located the couple at room 15, Allen Block, and went there at 2 a.m. Friday, hoping to find [Williams] It just happened that [Williams] and Mamie were out and Ross was asked by Lou Bintley to wait till Mamies return. He sat on the stairway and waited but Lou Warned [Williams] of his presence and the blonde man did not run amuck of Ross. When Mamie returned she and Ross quarreled and he threatened to kill her. About that time Capt. Silvey and Officer Brown were passing and Silvey went up stairs and quieted the row. Ross took a room in the same building and after he had gone to bed [Williams] and Mamie and the Bintley girl went up the street to the Ogden house where they secured lodging. Mamie and [Williams] remained in doors all day and Ross was thrown off the scent. Saturday morning there was more trouble in the Allen block and Captain Silvey ordered the two girls to be taken to the police station. Mamie told him how Ross was making her life miserable and that he would not rest till he had killed both [Williams] and her. Upon a promise to leave town she was released. Nothing more was heard of either the girls or the rivals till last evening at about 7:30. Mamie and [Williams] were taking supper at the Bon Ton when Ross passed. The jealous lover had heard of the proposed trip to Butte and he thought it was a ruse to get rid of him. He was at the depot when Mamie arrived. [Williams] reached the platform about the same time by another route. He was talking to Mamie when Ross arrived. [Williams] again made himself scarce and Ross at once began questioning the girl about the proposed trip. The shooting occurred a few minutes later.(16)
“Mamie was a good girl,” he said, “and I was trying to get her to lead a better life. I did not love her as Ross did but I was interested in her. She promised me to go home to her folks.(17)
Williams felt himself lucky yesterday that he was in jail instead of in the morgue, for the almost certain intention of Ross was to kill Williams as well as the girl and himself. (18)
Williams tired of his confinement and wrote a note to Capt. Silvey stating that his detention was illegal and that if he was not released at once he would sue the county for damages. He was not released immediately, he being held to appear as a witness.(19)
Williams hinted early on that he knew people in high places. He wanted his name kept out of the paper. (20)
The county tried to find relatives of John Ross to release his body to. From a letter found in Ross’ valise an aunt was contacted but she stated the family had no money to bury Ross so it was left to the County.
1897-04-30 Ogden Standard
Murderer John Ross, who killed his mistress, Glenna Carter alias Mamie Evans at the depot Saturday evening and then turned the weapon with fatal effect upon himself, will be buried today at the county poor farm. A city ordinance on the duties of city sexton, page 305, Revised Ordinances of Ogden City, provides that “there shall not be interred within the limits of any cemetery in this city the body of any person known to the law as a murderer,” and as Ross had a double claim to that opprobrious title, his remains can not be laid to rest in a cemetery within the city. The county has the responsibility of burying the pauper dead, and as Ross had neither funds nor valuables, his body will be buried at the poor farm.
A letter from the aunt of the dead man, Tillie Taggart of Hamilton, Ohio, was received by Justice Ternes yesterday which stated that “the relatives had no money with which to pay funeral expenses.” This leaves the county no alternative but to dispose of the body in the manner indicated above. (21)
The Poor Farm was in Roy. It was a place for the homeless, downtrodden, alcoholics and the mildly mentally ill to live and have their needs met. If the mentally ill became too difficult to handle, they were sent down to the state hospital in Provo. The group grew their own food, raised animals and were basically self sufficient. (22) A plot of land was used for a small cemetery where criminals and those too poor to pay for a plot in the city cemetery were buried. (23)
In 1980 a plaque was donated to preserve the cemetery there but has since been rebuilt upon without moving the graves. (24)
The author researched this plaque, it is as the Utah State Historical Society states
It is at 5460 S 2700 W In Roy, Ut. The graves were not there where the plaque is placed. The cemetery from the Poor Farm is within a mile of the plaque and it is currently an empty field as of February 1, 2014.
John Ross is not found in the list of names buried at the poor farm. The records for burials were not well kept. The records that were kept were patients at the infirmary who died between 1881 - 1906 and were buried in the poor farm cemetery. After 1906 Paupers were buried in city cemeteries in the poor folks section.
The building was used as an infirmary through the 1950’s then torn down. At the present (2014) this property is used as the Weber Valley Detention Center, to the east of the plaque and between the Detention Center and the railroad tracks stands the Roy city public works department. A half a block South there is an old folks home that is with in the acreage that was the poor farm.
Salt Lake Herald, 1897-05-06
So far, little has been learned regarding the career of Jack Ross, who a few days ago killed Glenna Carter at the Union Depot at Ogden and then killed himself. The Cincinnati Enquirer which arrived yesterday, however, gives some particulars regarding the young man. The paper states that:
“John Ross, better known as Jack Ross, was born at Hamilton, Ohio 25 years ago and was an illegitimate child. He was educated in the public schools, and at the age of 13 commenced to earn a livelihood for himself. He left Hamilton last May for the west, and his aunt, Mrs. Mary Taggart of North Second Street, had kept up a correspondence with him since. Last November, she received a letter from Jack stating that he was married, but it did not give his wife’s name, only to say that she was an actress. Ross bore a good reputation in Hamilton and had many warm friends.”(26)
Several letters were found in Ross’s pockets. Ross apologizes to the “public” and states his purpose for the shooting.
Spelling and grammar have not been corrected in these items.. They are copied exactly the way the Ogden Standard Examiner printed them.
“To Whom It May Concern”
Salt Lake City
April,
To The Public,
I wish to ask the Public to pardon me for the act I am about to commit. I tried to drive it off but I cannot, it must be done sooner or later. I love the Girl with all my heart, and I can’t live without her. I wish that the officers will notify my Folks..
The address
Mrs. Minnie Taggart,
845 North second st.
Hamilton, Ohio (
Hamilton, the 15, April 1897
Dear Johnie and wife.
I recived your very kend letter and seen so you were all well it leaves us all the same at present.
Johney you said to let you new weather we got your wifes picture we did get and doo think a great deal of it. We all think Mamy is all right, fare better than the one in twoon heir we think you done better the more your age and I think you will get along better together Mamy looks better nature than Tillie and we all think you done a great deal better.
From your aunt
Minnie Taggart
Another letter which exhibits Ross’ interest in the girl and his anxiety lest she love someone else is as follows:
Park City, Feb. 19, 1897
Mr. Johnie Ross:
Mr. Ross:
Your unexpected letter came to hand on 16th, the contents noted, if it is information you would like I will give you all I can. I know Mamie answers every one of your letters and that there has been 11 days that she has not had one letter from you. I can assure you that there is no one that can take your place in Mamie’s hart for her one thought is of you and all we here from her is Johnie will soon be here. Their is something wrong with the mail. it is no falt of Mamie’s for the poor girl feels just as bad as you do. When she received your last letter she cried like her poor hart would brake to think that she writes to you and you don’t get them. I don’t know what more I can say eney moar than for Mamie’s sake don’t go up north with the company untill you see Mamie for it would just kill her.
I hope you will soon be with us in Park. Mamie sends his regards and says if you come here sh he will do all she can for you
Yours truly,
Nora Dee
The company referred to is the J.S. Lindsay Dramatic company, of which Ross was a member and advance agent during the month of December, January and February. The telegrams on his body, with one exception, were all orders regarding the billing of the company, and the exception was the following in reference to the miscarriage of letters between the two:
Park City, Feb 17
Johnny Ross,
Care J. S. Lindsay Co.,
Fillmore, Utah
Have answered every letter, Something matter with mail.
Eleven days since received letter.
Mamie Evans.
Salt Lake City April 12th, 1897
Miss Glenna Carter
My Dear Darling Mamie
I received your letter this morning and was very glad to hear from you I know that it is very lonesome up there for you and how do you think I must feel about U my god Darling don’t stay up there any longer then you can help for Darling it is awful lonesome without you so Darling come back as soon as you can well Darling I had to give up my room up there as I dident have any money to pay in advance I went up to see Gates but he said he couldent give me any money to pay in advance I went up to see Gates but he said he couldent give me any money so Darling I had to go back to Mays to live but Darling don’t get mad for you know I dident have any place else to go so I had to go there and dont have no fear I wont do any thing wrong oh no Darling I will always be true to you well I am glad to hear that you are geting out of debt and Darling as soon as you gett the $7.50 payed dont stay up there for I cant live away from you oh my god Darling don’t stay up there any longer then you can help so Darling come back as soon as you can now Darling promis me that as soon as you gett out of debt you will come back down here now come as soon as you can no Darling I wasent mad that night but I was so sleep and I thought you was the same oh Darling tell me when you will be back for I am very lonesome with out you so Earling now come back as soon as you can well Darling will you be down to see the Minstrels Thursday or Friday well Darling this is the only piec of writing parer that I could find well Darling I will close for the time hoping to be with you soon so goodbye Darling Ta Ta Pet
From You Darling Boy
Johnnie
(27)
Again the author has typed this word for word right from the newspaper article.
They printed it word from word from the letter found in Mamies valise.(28)
*HER FATHER
“Gen” H. E. Carter, father of the girl is a carpenter by trade and has resided in this city for a number of years. “Gen.” Carter’s “title” was won during the troublous days of the “Industrial Army” craze in 1894, when unemployed men throughout the country formed themselves into companies and began a march to Washington.
“Gen.” Carter formed a company in Salt Lake and early in May, 1894, the little band marched out of the city and made the first stop at Murray. The following day the march was resumed and finally Lehi was reached.
At that point the “General’s” men stole a Union Pacific train, but they were stopped at Provo and placed under arrest. As the road was at that time in the hands of receivers, the men were charged with a contempt of court . They were tried before Judge Merritt in this city, and on May 18th were convicted and sent up. “Gen” Carter was fined $100 and sentenced to five days in the penitentiary, and nineteen of his men were given various lighter sentences.
This terminated the “General’s” military career, and he has since devoted himself to his trade.(29)
Love and the Red Light references
(1)Well Known Here Salt Lake Herald, 1897-04-25
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slherald21/id/17192
(2) An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(3) Ibid
(4) Two robbers caught Salt Lake Tribune 1894-10-23
A Few Minor Affairs. Salt Lake Tribune 1894-10-25
(4) An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(5) Murder and Suicide Ogden Standard Examiner 1897-04-25
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ogden5/id/44348
(6)An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(7)Merriam-Webster online dictionary
(8)Well Known Here Salt Lake Herald, 1897-04-25
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slherald21/id/17192
(9)Barnes, Lyle Notorious two Bit Street
(10)Olsen, Jalynn: Building By The Railyard
ogden planning commision 1998
(11) An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(12)Murder and Suicide Ogden Standard Examiner 1897-04-25
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ogden5/id/44348
(13 )Last Sad Right s Ogden Standard Examiner 1897-04-27
(14) An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(15))Murder and Suicide Ogden Standard Examiner 1897-04-25
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ogden5/id/44348
(16)An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(17) ibid
(18))Murder and Suicide Ogden Standard Examiner 1897-04-25
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ogden5/id/44348
(19) ibid
(20) ibid
(21)To Be Buried Today Ogden Standard Examiner 1897-04-30
(22) Carbon County News 1913-09-18 Utah State News
On the weber county poor farm this year it Is expected to harvest
about 175 tons of hay about 50 tons of tomatoes and more than 800 bushels
of peaches in quality the fruit was never better.
(23) Weber County Poor Farm Cemetery Roy, UT
(24)
An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(25) Weber Poor Farm Plaque
(26)Little learned about Jack Ross
An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(27) An Ogden Tragedy Salt Lake Tribune 1897-04-26
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt17/id/10673
(28)Letter in Mammies valies
