Thursday, 17 Oct., 1929 - The Pilot-Tribune

JOE JOHNSON IS KILLED SATURDAY

Body is Caught Under Wheels of Coal Car

Joe Johnson, 36, was killed shortly after 10:00 o’clock last Saturday morning when he was pinned beneath the wheels of a coal car near the Holmquist Grain & Lumber Company elevator on east Lincoln street. Johnson had been unloading some coal for the Holmquist firm and after one of the coal bins had been filled from the car, the coal car was to be moved to the next bin by the local freight of the M.&O.

Witnesses stated that Johnson had seated himself on the end of the coal car waiting for the car to be moved, and the switch engine had to push a number of gravel cars ahead of it to move the coal car. The coupling from the engine to the front gravel car did not catch, but the impact with which the engine struck the head car started the cars rolling, and Johnson fell between the cars. The witnesses said that Johnson fell in front of the car wheels and that the cars did not pass over him, but that his body was shoved ahead of the car wheels along the rails for some distance. Johnson called for help, and as soon as the cars were pushed from his body, he died.

The deceased was a son of J. W. Johnson of this city, who is employed with the state highway department, and for a number of years he was engaged in farming pursuits, having farmed on the bottom north of Blair. A year ago he disposed of his farm equipment, and he and his wife removed to Iowa where they lived until this summer. His mother died this year and since that time he and his wife kept house for his father.

The body was taken to Greenwood, Nebraska for burial on Monday afternoon. Surviving him are his bereaved wife and his father, J. W. Johnson.

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

FindaGrave #73152614