Talk of the Town **Feature Story
Abner E. Thompson
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LeMars Sentinel, LeMars, Iowa.
T*H*O*M*P*S*O*N
8 Oct. 1900
Killed by the Cars.
Word was brought to LeMars yesterday of the death of Abner E. Thompson, who until recently resided in LeMars. Thompson was engineer on a stationary engine used on flat cars for dumping gravel and was killed on the Great Northern railroad near Maynard, Minn., on Saturday. A card found in his pocket bore the address LeMars, and stated in case of accident to inform Sarah Thompson. Fowler Seaman, agent of the Northwestern was here yesterday trying to locate the Thompsons. They lived here until last July when they moved to Sioux City. Mr. Thompson worked here for some time, having been employed in the different machine ware houses here.
Mrs. Thompson is related to the Higdays residing south of LeMars and Mr. Thompson's father resides in cherokee County.
The deceased was a member of this city but he had permitted his dues to lapse, otherwise he would have been entitled to $1,000 insurance in that order.
15 October 1900
Was Not His Fault
Mrs. Thompson, of Morningside, Sioux City, widow of Abner E. Thompson, who was killed on October 6 by an accident at Maynard, Minn., writes in regard to the statement made that her husband's dues in the Forester's Lodge of this city had lapsed. Mrs. Thompson writes:
"Regarding his letting his dues in the lodge lapse. It was decidedly not his fault. Mr. Thompson left money with me to pay his dues, supposing the lodge at LeMars would notify him of the amount of dues at Sioux City as they had done for the months of May and June. But I have proof that I received no notices from the lodge. Then I concluded some of the brothers in the lodge were paying his dues and would send me a statement of the amount paid by them. If the notices had been mailed they would surely have reached me as the ones for the two previous ones did. Surely there is a mistake or failure somewhere. Mr. Thompson knew nothing of the affair, supposing I was attending to it if I received the notices. Kindly have this printed in your next issue. I would have no blame of which he is not guilty cast on the departed.
Mrs. Clara Thompson
Wife of Deceased.
25 October 1900
Company Settled With the Widow.
Mrs. Thompson, the widow of Abner E. Thompson, who was recently killed at Maynard, Minn., by the breaking of a chain on an engine while employed on the Great Northern railway, was in town last Friday and stated to friends that she had effected a settlement with the Great Northern company for the loss of her husband, the company paying her $2000 in full settlement in the case and defraying the funeral and other expenses.
Henry Thompson of Afton, father of the deceased, made a thorough investigation after the accident and finds that the facts were about as stated in a dispatch sent out from the place where the accident occurred.
"Freight train No. 55, on the Great Northern crashed into a work train one mile north of Marshall at 5 o'clock Saturday morning. A.E. Thompson, on the work train, a resident of Sioux City, and married, was killed. Brakeman Miller had his face and neck cut. No. 55 was on regular orders and was running at full speed. The work train was backing into Marshall slowly. The engineer of the freight train saw the red lights, but not in time to stop. The engineers and firemen on both trains jumped in time to escape injury. Both engines were wrecked."
The Cherokee Democrat
October 9, 1900
A.E. Thompson Killed
Was Working on Railroad at Maynard, Minn.
Body Brought Here Last Night
Mystery as to How It Happened.
Abner E. Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Thompson of Afton Township, was killed at Maynard, Minn., on Saturday last. The remains were brought here from Sioux City last evening and taken to the undertaking room of Chas. M. Maynard.
At this writing there seems to be little information as to how Mr. Thompson's death occurred, as no one connected with the railroad company seems to have been willing to give out any information. The best information obtainable is that he was working on a steam shovel at Maynard, when a chain broke, the parts striking him and causing instantaneous death. The remains were taken to Sioux City and placed in charge of an undertaker. A letter or card in the dead man's pocket indicated that his wife resided in LeMars, but an effort to find her there proved futile. It is said that the company sent a man up there to search for her, and it was learned that they had moved to Sioux City. After a day's search Mrs. Thompson was found at Sious City. The parents of the yound man were then notified. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson went to Sioux City yesterday morning and brought the remains here last night on the Clipper. They were unable to learn anything definite regarding the nature of his death.
When the remains were brought here local physicians examined the body and were unable to find any wounds that would necessarily cause death. There were no broken bones. The calf of one leg was badly mashed, there was a slight cut over one eye and other slight bruises. There were no indications of internal injuries, judging from outside appearances.
The deceased was 33 years of age. The funeral will take place this afternoon and the remains will be interred in Oak Hill Cemetery.
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