OBIT: Coroner's Inquests, 1899, Morning Tribune, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ INQUESTS HELD. The Year 1899 Was Quite a Busy One for Coroner McCartney. During the year 1899 Coroner T. C. McCartney held inquests on the bodies of the following named persons, whose death was caused by accident or other causes: FEBRUARY. 2 - On body of Thomas J. Sanker, killed January 29. Verdict - Struck by an engine at the west end of the Gallitzin tunnel and accidentally killed. MARCH. 13 - On the bodies of John B. Tarr and George W. Kern. Verdict - Death was caused by a wreck on the main line of the Pennsylvania railroad at a point one and one-fourth miles east of AG tower on Thursday, March 9, 1899, at 1.37 p.m., the wreck being caused by the criminal negligence of Harry E. Eckley, operator at IA tower, who gave the passenger train No. 31 the wrong signal resulting in a collision with a freight train on the same block. 19 - On the body of John Maier, Altoona. Verdict - Death was caused by heart clot. MAY. 15 - On the body of Harry Mench, killed at the new boiler shop of the Pennsylvania Railroad company at Altoona, May 9. Verdict - Death was caused by negligence. JUNE. 9 - On body of J. Ale Thomas. Verdict - Death was caused from injuries received in an accident at the Morris quarry near Tyrone, operated by the Pittsburg Limestone and Stone company. JULY. 3 - On the body of Thomas W. King. Verdict - Death was caused by heart failure superinduced by loss of blood due to a hemorrhage of the nose on July 2; that the blood of the deceased was in a diseased condition and that he was subjected to severe hemorrhages of the nose; the evidence further showed that the deceased was struck on the nose by James D. Williams in the bar room of the Behm house, Altoona, in the afternoon of June 30, the said blow hastening King's death. 19 - On the body of Mrs. Gertrude Wissinger. Verdict - Death was caused by strychnia poison self-administered on June 26; whether taken with suicidal intent or accidentally the jury was unable to decide. SEPTEMBER. 1 - On the body of Walter McMahon. Verdict - Death was caused by being run down by a car in the Altoona yard, his death being accidental and unavoidable. OCTOBER. 9 - On body of John Rowe. Verdict - Death was caused by a slide of slate in Altoona, while deceased was digging a sewer ditch; that the occurrence was purely accidental, no blame being attached to anyone. 28 - On body of George L. Ulrich, died in Altoona. Verdict - Death was due to heart failure, superinduced by acute alcoholism. 31 - On body of Furlander L. Patterson, Altoona. Verdict, Death was caused by a pistol shot in the immediate vicinity of the heart, fired presumably by his own hand with suicidal intent, on the night of October 30. NOVEMBER. 10 - On body of Harry McGregor, killed in the Altoona yard November 8. Verdict - Death was caused by an accident resulting from carelessness through the negligence of the Pennsylvania railroad officials not affording the proper protection while dropping down freight trains through the yard. 23 - On the body of John P. Fox, Fairview. Verdict - Death was caused by heart disease. 27 - On the body of John J. Shaheen. Verdict - Death was caused by a compression of the brain caused by a blood clot from an artery ruptured by a fracture of the skull two and one-half inches back of the left eye bordering on the hair, the said fracture being caused by a blow from a neck yoke in the hands of Dashiel Williamson alias Dashiel Jury, between 11.30 and 12 o'clock, on the night of November 21, 1899, on Fourteenth street near Tenth avenue, in the city of Altoona, Shaheen dying at the Altoona hospital about 1.40 p.m. Thursday, November 23, 1899. DECEMBER. 14 - On body of Thomas Scott. Verdict - Death was caused by acute peritonitis, caused by traumatism, the result of a gunshot wound being inflicted by the hand of George Woodson, at Spruce Creek, Huntingdon county, on December 9. He was admitted to the Altoona hospital, dying there December 10. The said shot was evidently fired with murderous intentions. In addition to the above cases Coroner McCartney was called to investigate causes leading to the death of sixty other persons. At the conclusion of his investigations he decided inquests were unnecessary. Morning Tribune, Monday, January 1, 1900