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Show FUEDCrNNIXfJHAM S DKAT1I Tim Jury Kinds Hint, it m Due to the Olttclal Neglltcfinre of the llnad. Tho Inqt'est over the body of poor young Fred K. Cunningham, who was killed at t!.e north yard of the 1'nton 1'aeitic on Saturday, was held by Coroner Harris at 12 o'clock to. (lay. The examination showed that the death was tlm result of grnit carelessness on the part of the. railroad authorities, and that Cunningham met his death In the faco of what had almost prescience as well as a pressure that almost forced him to go to work against his will. CunningliBiu's terribly mangled remains which were viewed by tho coroner's Jury, will be sent home to his family at Sioux Kitplds tomorrow morning at 7 o'eloek. On his body was found a letter from his mother and sister acknowledging the receipt of an liisuruiK o policy from him and expressing the greatest desire to see him and hi In. tended bride, Miss Nettie Springer if Mid. way. iu this territory, to whom Cunningham was to have been married In April. At the inquest K.phraim Jeffs tho engineer of 1 107 was the first witness examined. He testified to the fact that the step on the engine en-gine bad been broken off about 5 p. in. on going uii Into the coal sliule and that If the step hail been replaced or another engine substituted sub-stituted the accident would not liHve occurred. II. A. Hrown, the foreman also testified to the same effect, ti Ming tho story of how they were shifting their empty cars and that Cunningham was switching at the time. I.fe Downey the foreman got on the engine with Cunningham Cun-ningham while they were switching. He missed Cunningham at switch No. 2, and the next time he saw him he was s mangled corpse. He could not describe the position of the corpse, as w hen he saw It, It was all twisted and contorted. His impression was that Cunningham had fallcu on the track after being struck hy the engine. Cuuoing-haiu Cuuoing-haiu had complained tohim about the broken foot board on the engine and said that It ought to be llxed, as it was so easy to forget it, and thus run the chant e of being killed. He had declared that he had a great mind to lay off rather Hum work with the broken footboard, as he felt sum that it would some day result fntally. J. W. Johnston, the switchman, testified that the footboard was broken off 1107 be. cause it was put on one Inch too low. He said that Cunningham had complained very bitterly to him about having to work with the broken footboard. Johnston said that tho north yard is very rough and tilled with stones, where It is easy for a man to step and f ill. His theory was that Cunningham had fallen down on his face after being struck by the engine which broke his neck, and had then been dragged both up and down the road. He said that had the footboard been on the acci. dent would never have occurred. The jury then found a verdict in accordance with that testimony and declared "t lint Cunningham's death was due to the absence of the footboard, which fact was palpable and unpardonable negligence negli-gence on tlio part of the authorities of the L niou Pacific company. Vj . . |