Grayson County TXGenWeb

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, June 26, 1892

Monday morning about 4 o'clock Joe Scotto, foreman at the Perry brick yard south of Denison 2 miles, was knocked off the Mineola track near the Dr. Williams property and instantly killed by the south-bound passenger train. The train left the Union depot at 4:45, and while making the curve in the deep cut south of the Monteray street crossing the engineer noticed his engine brush a man from the track but did not think serious injury had been sustained. At Belle he telegraphed the particulars back to Denison and in a short time Justice Hughes, Officer John Preston, together with a number of railroad men, went out on a switch engine to the point indicated. Scotto's body was found in the ditch a few feet from the track and from the nature of his wounds death was instantaneous. The skull had been crushed in, the neck broken, an ugly wound across the breast. The body was brought back to Denison and turned over to Undertaker Lindsey for preparation for interment. Scotto was an Englishman by birth, was 30 or 35 years of age and leaves a wife and one child. He was a splendid brick maker and had been foreman at the Perry yard for 3 years, lacking about one month. He had spent the night in town, was drinking and had started home down the track on foot. When first seen by the engineer he was sitting on the end of a cross tie, but as the train was under full speed and he did not see him until his engine was almost over him the accident occurred before air could be applied. The body was interred in Oakwood, Mr. Perry defraying the expenses of the funeral.