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AUTHORITIES PROBE NOTES AND DEATH OF BLAIR MAN

George Colgan, 52, Found Frozen on Herman Railroad Tracks

MYSTERIOUS NOTES CAUSE DEATH PROBE

Washington County authorities are investigating the death of George Colgan, 52, of Blair, who was found dead last Sunday morning on the railroad tracks in the switchyards at Herman. The body was partially frozen when discovered.

According to information which County Attorney C.N. Sutton has pieced together, Colgan had attended the Monte Carlo festivities at the Legion Hall in Herman the night before his death. He had gone to Herman with two acquaintances. Just how the trio became separated or why he did not return with them has not been definitely established.

The body was found early Sunday morning and indications were that death had occurred some hours earlier. Temperatures that morning registered nine degrees below zero and it was first thought that he might have fallen while walking across the tracks, rendered unconscious and frozen to death. Authorities, however, found no marks of injury or indications of any sort of violence on the body and they prepared to pronounce death had occurred from natural causes.

News of several mysterious notes apparently related to the case came to light, however, and a full investigation is now going on.

It was revealed that Mrs. Rose Vaughn, of east Blair, had been called to the door of her home early Saturday morning by a loud rap. Upon opening the door she found no one but discovered a note written on a paper sack saying “Mrs. Penry see George Colgan”. Mrs. Vaughn is a sister of Mr. Colgan and Mrs. Vernon Penry, a niece.

A second rap was heard at the Vaughn door Saturday evening and opening it no one was found. Later, on Sunday morning, a note was found in the Vaughn mailbox bearing the same message as the one before. The handwriting appeared to be that of a woman, County Attorney Sutton stated.

With this new turn of events revealed, an investigation into the possible causes of death was launched. The contents of the dead man’s stomach was taken to Creighton University at Omaha for study. Several individuals who might shed some light on the matter are now under questioning.

Mr. Colgan was born in Illinois and came to Nebraska thirty years ago. He located at Blair and has made his home here since that time.

Being of a considerate, quiet nature, he made many friends in this vicinity.

His wife passed away twenty-three years ago as did a son, Harold, ten years ago.

He is survived by three children, Mrs. Ruth McMillen, of Lebanon, Missouri, Ralph Colgan, who farms south of Blair, and Mrs. Kenneth Hineline, of Blair. Also surviving are four brothers, Tom and Frank, of Blair, Tim, of Tekamah, and Walter, of Illinois. He has two living sisters, Mrs. Rose Vaughn, of Blair and Mrs. Mary Tiltenington of Marshall, Missouri.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at 2 P.M. at the Campbell Mortuary and interment was made in the Herman cemetery.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Find A Grave Memorial# 58613056