William Chessan

Kansan, Friday, September 28, 1906

JUMPED TO HIS DEATH

LEAPED FROM A CAR ON TRAIN NO. 1 AND STRUCK HIS HEAD ON AN ENGINE PILOT, INSTANTLY KILLED.

William Chessan, a Russian Pole, jumped from train No. 1 at Walton last evening, struck his head on the pilot of the engine drawing freight train No. 36, and was instantly killed. The body was viewed by the coroner Dr. F. L. Abbey, at Walton and was by him ordered brought to Newton by W. G. Keuneke and taken to the later,s undertaking rooms, where it now lies.

It is the opinion of the coroner that the man deliberately committed suicide. He was traveling with a car load of Russian Poles who were on the way to Trinidad to work in the mines. As the train neared Walton, he walked to the end of the car and then onto the platform. As No. 1 passed freight train No. 36, he jumped, striking his head against the pilot of the freight engine with force enough to break a section off an oak board on the pilot. He narrowly missed striking the brakeman on No. 36, who was standing near the engine. His absence was not noticed by the trainmen in the car or the other laborers until they notified by wire of the accident.

So far as known, the dead man had no relatives in this country.

Chessan's body was fearfully mangled. His head was crushed and his right leg broken. His right side was badly bruised. He wore laborer,s clothes and a blue cap. On one of his fingers was a plain gold ring with the name William engraved upon it.