FRAZIER, James

–––––

The body of James Frazier was run over at an early hour Saturday morning about a quarter of a mile northeast of Branch’s Station by the Big Four passenger train. The body was badly mangled but according to Dr. Ross Payne, Big Four physician, who was called to the Big Four station to examine the body, the old man was dead before he was struck by the train.

The members of the train crew also believe that he was lying dead on the track.

The body was lying across the track just beyond the point where the railroad bed makes a sharp bend, and according to the story told by Engineer J. S. Mc­Kibben, the train had rounded the curve and was almost upon the body before he could apply the brakes and bring the train to a stop.

As soon as it could be brought to a standstill the members of the train crew rushed back and gathered up the body, which they placed on a stretcher and brought to the Big Four station in Franklin.

The head was entirely severed from the body, the legs were cut off and the trunk badly mangled. The body was in such a condition that it was almost impossible to distinguish any of the features, but the victim was finally identified by Marshal Harrison as James Frazier. Marshal Harrison had provided shelter for the old man on Thursday night and was one of the last persons in Franklin to see him alive.

According to Mr. Harrison, Frazier arrived in Franklin Thursday night, on a truck and was at the time half dead from exposure to the rain and from lack of food. Marshal Harrison provided food and lodging for him for the night, and finally, after conversing with him for some time, found that he was a resident of Franklin approximately fifteen years ago and, although he had not been in Franklin for years he clearly remembered a number of people there. He was at one time en­gaged in the carpenter trade in Franklin, and after that time was employed for a number of years by the late Mathew Hazelett.

The next morning, Friday, he left town presumably on his way to the home of his son in Trafalgar. He re­fused any assistance and started walking southward on the railroad track.

About 5:10 Friday afternoon at the time the train goes south, he was seen walking along the track by John E. Shepard, a farmer of the Braner’s Sta­tion neighborhood. When the train ap­proached, he walked from the track down a steep embankment, but after it had passed, he was in such a weakened condition that he was unable to climb the embankment back to the track.

His plight was discovered by Mr. Shepard, who assisted him back to the track and offered to assist him to his home for the night. However, the old man refused the offer and started down the track again.

Mr. Shepard returned to his home and according to a statement made by him this morning, the body was run over not more than a quarter of a mile farther southwest from the place where he assisted Mr. Frazier back upon the track.

The members of the train crew stated that the body was in such a position as to indicate that the old man had laid down on the track to sleep. He had removed part of his clothing to provide a pillow and his shoes were removed. All of his personal belongings, which included a pocketbook with a small amount of change in it, a knife, some tobacco and a pipe, were found scat­tered along the track by section men who came along a short time after the accident.

Dr. D. L. Phipps, coroner, was called after the body had been removed from the train here. He viewed the remains, but owing to the fact that some of the persons who are to be used as witnesses could not be present he postponed the inquest.

Relatives who survive include his sons, Clarence Frazier, of Trafalgar, a nephew, Otie Frazier, also of Trafalgar, and four nieces, Mrs. Albert Bowman of Peru, Mrs. Albert Badgley, Mrs. Noah Vandivier and Mrs. R. A. Van­divier, all of Franklin.

Burial took place Saturday afternoon and the funeral services were held at the grave.

Submitted by Mark McCrady and Cathea Curry