James Farran
Kentucky Post, Thursday, 24 December 1903, page 5
CUT TO PIECES-Lying on a cot, terribly mutilated, Charles (sic) Farran is causing the physicians and nurses at the Speers Hospital much wonderment. It is a case of unnatural vitality and apparently that of one insensible to all pain. Farran is a hobo, who says his home is near Dayton O. Monday night while attempting to steal a ride on the trucks of a C&O train, he fell on the tracks at the head of York Street, Newport and was almost crushed to pieces.
When picked up it was found that one arm was torn from the socket, the other was mashed into a pulp, the right leg was crushed, five ribs were broken and his head was cut and bruised. He was hurried to the Speers Hospital. Not a groan or a word escaped Farran to indicate he was suffering any pain. It was first thought the man was unconscious, but at the hospital it was found that he was in perfect control of his senses. One of the nurses asked him if he wanted a drink of water. Farran glanced at his helpless arm, which was crushed, then at the empty socket where his other arm had been torn away. Looking up at the doctor he said with perfect calmness, "Say, Doc, will you please take this chew of tobacco out of my mouth; I can't do it and I want a drink of water."
The physicians found it necessary to cut off the remaining arm and to also amputate his leg. Despite all this Farran was still alive Thursday morning.
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Kentucky Post, Saturday, 26 December 1903, page 5
CHRISTIAN BURIAL-James Farran, the hobo, who was so horribly injured last Monday
night by a C&O train in Newport, died at the Speers Hospital Friday afternoon.
Farran claimed that he had no relatives, but the body will not be buried in
potter's field.
Rev Father Schmidt of St Francis, will take charge of the body, and it will be buried in consecrated ground.
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Kentucky Post, Monday, 28 December 1903, page 5
POST-MORTEM-A post-mortem examination was held Saturday on the body of James Farran of Dayton O. who was run over by a freight train in the C&O Railroad yards at the head of Putnam Street, Newport Tuesday night and subsequently died at Speers Hospital in Dayton Ky.
Father Schmidt, of St Francis Church, Dayton, administered the last rites of the church to the dying man Friday and the body will be buried by Undertaker Costigan in St Francis Cemetery in Dayton.