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Wesley McCune

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Birth	:	3 Apr 1898
Death	:	18 Mar 1915
Burial	:	Bayview Cemetery, Crematory and Mausoleum, Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate	:	43.2883000, -79.8760500
Inscription	:	Son of HE & E
Description	:	Birth name: Thomas Wesley McCune Iowa City Daily Press Published in Iowa City, Iowa Friday, March 19th, 1915 AWFUL DEATH OF WM. M’CUNE ON CRUEL RAILS Leaps Before Rock Island Passenger and is Instantly Killed TWO COMPANIONS ESCAPE Jumps From Work Train and Leap Leads to Terrible Destruction. “We, the jury, do find that Thomas Wesley McCune came to his death by being struck by a C. R. I. & P. passenger train, while trespassing in said company’s yards.” Thomas Wesley McCune was instantly killed, and Bernard Woods and Dan O’Donnell, his young companions narrowly escaped a similar fate,... Read More	Birth name: Thomas Wesley McCune Iowa City Daily Press Published in Iowa City, Iowa Friday, March 19th, 1915 AWFUL DEATH OF WM. M’CUNE ON CRUEL RAILS Leaps Before Rock Island Passenger and is Instantly Killed TWO COMPANIONS ESCAPE Jumps From Work Train and Leap Leads to Terrible Destruction. “We, the jury, do find that Thomas Wesley McCune came to his death by being struck by a C. R. I. & P. passenger train, while trespassing in said company’s yards.” Thomas Wesley McCune was instantly killed, and Bernard Woods and Dan O’Donnell, his young companions narrowly escaped a similar fate, on the Rock Island tracks, last evening a little after 4:30. Dies in Train’s Pathway. McCune, the 17-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry McCune, Salvation Army workers, was killed when he leaped from a work train to tracks, in front of the incoming passenger train. The others made the same sort of a jump, but managed to cross the fatal pathway, and avert a collision, but Wesley was a shade too late, and the passenger train, going west, just caught him at a point close to the outer rail, near the Summit street viaduct. All Over in a Few Seconds. The tragedy was enacted in a few seconds. McCune was caught seemingly, by the ankle, just as he was striving to cross the north rail, a little east of the bridge. Woods and O’Donnell, in the order named, had leaped on the west side of the bridge, and escaped, as noted above. McCune had waited a few seconds, and thus was on the other side of the bridge, when he jumped. He was dragged, or rolled the (unreadable) from the east end of the bridge to the point a bit west thereof, where he lay, just north of the north rail. A gasp, a wordless moan, and all was over. Smoke and Steam Obscure. The smoke and steam from the work train tended to obscure the boys from the sight of the engineer on the passenger train, he said - for the work train was going east, almost directly parallel with the west-bound passenger, and it was only 40 feet away from the latter’s locomotive when the boys jumped. Even had the engineer been able to see the lads, he could not have stopped the train in time to aver the deadly meeting, it was said. Five Lads are Playmates. Five lads were playmates, together, yesterday, prior to the fatality. They were the ill-fated youth himself; and Dan O’Donnell, Bernard Woods, Raymond Letts and G. Hogan. Watched Wrecking Crew Long. The boys had been watching the wrecking crew a good part of the day. The derailing of the engine near the Maiden Lane bridge, recorded herein yesterday, called the crew hither, and the men were busy a good while thereabouts. The lads and others jumped on and off the train, at different times, during the afternoon, it is said by observers, and the tragedy was due to the unfortunate youth’s selection of a most critical time to make his last leap - to death, as it developed - as the train was moving far out of the yards. Coroner Hurd Called. Coroner Charles K. Hurd was summoned to the scene of the accident, and the dead youth was taken to the Rock Island station’s baggage room. There, an examination was made by the coroner, but the holding of the inquest was postponed until today. At 10 o’cock, this morning (it was announced last night) an inquest will be held. The coroner began to gather evidence immediately, and he instructed Deputy Chief of Police Burger and Constable Rittenmeyer to detain a large number of onlookers, boys and men; home people and nomads, as well as others, who saw the tragedy. Many of these were subpoenaed, and a goodly number were given overnight quarters with Sheriff Rowland, to insure their presence today. Among the summoned or detained witnesses are the following: Dan O’Donnell, Bernard Woods, Thomas Patterson, Charles Hill, Ed. Curry, Jacob Pollak, Lonis Krohn, Stanley Sun and Ed. Boiler, and many others. Coroner’s Jury. The coroner’s jury met, as planned, today, and the jurors impaneled were Dick Miller, John Roberts, and John Greulich. They examined many witnesses, and found that the facts were largely along the lines indicated in the unofficially-secured story, above printed. It is believed the verdict will be “accidental death.” Autopsy Is Held. In order to place definite knowledge of the injuries to the youth before the coroner’s jury, today, an autopsy was held. Horribly Mangled. The post mortem revealed that Wesley’s neck was broken, his right arm was fractured, and his left leg, both above and below the knee was broken. The jurors also found, from officially-taken testimony that the witness(es) did not all agree as to exactly where the boy was struck, in reference to the distance from the viaduct, and the like, but there were not important differences in their testimony. Not all of the observers of the tragedy had the same ideas as to east, west, distance dragged, etc., but, in the main, their testimony coincided in vital points. “Trespassing” Says Jury. The jury, after long and careful investigation, returned its verdict, this afternoon, at 3 o’clock. It appears above. The Bereaved Family. The community will extend sympathy to the lad’s bereaved parents; brother and two sisters. Wesley was 16 years, 11 months, and 14 days of age. The funeral will take place Sunday morning, at 10 o’clock, from the family residence, 131 West College St. The interment will be at Pleasant Valley in the Morford cemetery. Iowa City Republican Published in Iowa City, Iowa Friday, March 19th, 1915 WESLEY McCUNE KILLED WHEN HE IS HIT BY TRAIN WAS STEALING RIDE ON WRECKING TRAIN Was with Bernard Woods and Daniel O’Donnell - Accident Happened at 4:35 Yesterday Afternoon - Several Eye Witnesses - Inquest is Held Thomas Wesley McCune, the 17-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry McCune, of 131 North Capitol, was instantly killed yesterday afternoon when he jumped from a moving wrecking train in front of the passenger train No. 315, due in Iowa City at 4:35. Bernard Woods and Daniel O’Donnell, who were with McCune had jumped from the wrecking train just a moment before and they narrowly missed the same death. The passenger train was pulling into the city and the wrecking train was just leaving for Davenport, after it had cleared the wreck of the switch engine which left the tracks early yesterday morning. He leaves a father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Henry McCune, two sisters and one brother. The funeral will take place Sunday morning at 10 o’clock from the family home, 131 West College Street. Burial at Pleasant Valley in Morford cemetery. The boy was not thrown a great distance when struck by the engine. Eye witnesses state he was hurled ahead of the train and alighted on his head, just outside of the tracks and then rolled clear of the tracks. He was dead when reached, and it was found that his neck was broken, also his left leg below the knee, and his right arm. There were several cuts and bruises on his head and body. The three boys had been watching the wrecker at work, and when it pulled out for Davenport, they took a little ride, intending, it is believed, to jump off before the train gained much headway. It is said that a brakeman found them and ordered them to get off the train. Evidently they did not see or hear the passenger train coming, and this is possibly owing to the fact that the train was coming into the station under its own momentum. Johnson County Independent Published in Iowa City, Iowa Thursday, March 25th, 1915 KILLED BY TRAIN T. W. McCune, a lad of seventeen was killed on Tuesday afternoon last when leaping from a work train. A passenger train coming on at the time caught the poor young fellow as he jumped. Two companions, it seems, Bernard Woods and Dan O. Donnell who were also on the work train, had a narrow escape in leaping therefrom.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Wesley McCune's memorial?
Wesley McCune's memorial is located at: Bayview Cemetery, Crematory and Mausoleum, Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada.
When did Wesley McCune death?
Wesley McCune death on 18 Mar 1915 in
Where are the coordinates of the Wesley McCune's memorial?
Latitude: 43.2883000
Longitude: -79.8760500

Family Members:

Parent

Eva Rachel Kimes McCune

(1872 - 1927)

Siblings

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Bayview Cemetery, Crematory and Mausoleum
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2883000, -79.8760500

2. Woodland Cemetery
Hamilton, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2865200, -79.8807200

3. Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2910840, -79.8720860

4. Beth Jacob Cemetery
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2957230, -79.8825680

5. Grand Order of Israel #2
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2962000, -79.8831000

6. Hamilton Cemetery
Hamilton, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2735176, -79.8885040

7. Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3076300, -79.8939600

8. Hopkins Family Plot
Dundas, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2972570, -79.9056460

9. Adas Israel Cemetery
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3101200, -79.8954060

10. Christ's Church Anglican Cathedral Cemetery
Hamilton, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2629800, -79.8660300

11. Saint Matthew on-the-Plains Anglican Cemetery
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3096900, -79.8483820

12. Notre Dame Convent Cemetery (Defunct)
Waterdown, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3190800, -79.8909900

13. St. Paul's Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Hamilton, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2548380, -79.8704070

14. East Plains Cemetery
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3165180, -79.8411880

15. Saint Thomas Roman Catholic Cemetery
Waterdown, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3278900, -79.8993000

16. Rock Chapel Cemetery
Dundas, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3009987, -79.9347000

17. Harcar Lyons Family Cemetery
Dundas, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2770080, -79.9376430

18. Marx Binkley Cemetery
Dundas, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2611050, -79.9280910

19. Waterdown Union Cemetery
Waterdown, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3366013, -79.8905029

20. Job's Lane Cemetery
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3253450, -79.8288540

21. Grace Anglican Church Cemetery
Waterdown, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3373490, -79.8970480

22. Henry Binkley Cemetery
Hamilton, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2593060, -79.9372100

23. Greenwood Cemetery
Burlington, Halton Regional Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.3176689, -79.8148880

24. Grove Cemetery
Dundas, Hamilton Municipality, Canada
Coordinate: 43.2713013, -79.9461975