Andrew J. Johnson, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
Andrew J. Johnson
TWO MORE VICTIMS.
A. J. Johnson and August Swanson, Two Chesterton Citizens, Killed By a B. & O. Limited At Whiting.
Inhuman Treatment By Whiting Authorities Condemned.
Last Thursday evening, Jan. 16, two citizens of Chesterton, A. J. Johnson and August Swanson, were struck by an east-bound limited express on the B. & O. railroad at Whiting, and instantly killed. The two men had been working for the Standard Oil Company at that station for some time past, and Johnson lived in a shanty on the beach of Lake Michigan, where he and three other men from this place boarded themselves. Until Thursday night, the men employed at the Works, quit at 4:30, but that night the quitting time was extended to 5 o'clock. On finishing his day's work, Mr. Johnson went to his shanty with the other men who lived with him, and on arriving there, found themselves out of provisions. Johnson left the men to cook the meat and potatoes, while he went down town for bread, molasses and matches. When in the store, making his purchases, Jno. Walker, an old acquaintance, who had been sick, came in, and the two talked a few minutes. The store was the last place Johnson was seen alive. He walked across lots until he got on the B. & O. track, and walked down it on his way home. In the meantime, August Swanson, who lived with John Rieland, just below Johnson's shanty, had eaten his supper, and started down town on the B. & O. road. The town men met just opposite Johnson's shanty, and stopped to talk. At this time, the Lake Shore limited express, east-bound, was standing at the depot, just opposite them, waiting for the west-bound mail train, due there at 5:54, but which was thirty minutes late that evening. The supposition is that the two men stood watching these two trains. The roar of the lake drowned the noise of the train on the B. & O. track, which came along at a high rate of speed at this time. The men must have beens standing partially facing each other, sideways of the track, for when found, Johnson's right shoulder and left leg were broken, and Swanson's left shoulder was broken and left leg cut off.
The men at the shanty after waiting until 7 o'clock, became impatient at Johnson's long absence, and James Crumey started out with a latern to look for him. He had left the shanty hardly two minutes before he came rushing back, with a look of horror in his face, and told his comrades that "Jack was out on the track dead." The police were at once notified, and telegrams sent to the Chesterton relatives. When found, the bodies were lying about six feet apart, across a side track. The groceries were scattered promiscuously, and Swanson had bled freely, a pool being found near him. When the Chesterton people went to get the bodies, they arrived in Whiting early Friday morning. Mr. Charles Hylander, a relative of August Swanson, tells his experiences as follows:
"When I got in town, I at once hunted up a policeman. On finding one, I asked permission to see the bodies, and fix them up for shipment home. His reply to me was, "No sir." All argument proved useless. In the meantime this important personage was talking to me in a saloon, and during our talk he drank not less than ten glasses of whiskey. After some time another policeman came in, and I stated my business to him. Policeman No. 1 put in an emphatic objection to our seeing the bodies, but Policeman No. 2, who, by the way, is an ex-citizen of Valparaiso, by the name of Allpeter, said 'yes.' He went to the calaboose, smashed the lock, and said if the authorities had anything to say about it they could say it to him. But the sight that met our eyes was horrible beyond description. The place where the men lay was something similar to the abandoned lock-up in Chesterton, except that it was swarming with lice, filth, and human excrement. The bodies had been dumped into this place, and were unrecognizable. With the aid of those who came with me, we washed, dressed and coffined the remains. The deputy coroner of Lake Co. Mr. Crawford, held an inquest, or rather a court of inquiry, for he never touched the dead men, nor in fact, did anything, except to notify me that his bill for services rendered, amounted to $21.65, but that he would throw off the fraction, and make it $21 even. I told him I would see about it, and that if I didn't pay his bill, Lake county probably would."
Mr. Lundberg says that after the deputy coroner had talked to Mr. Hylander about his bill, he called him, (Lundberg) in. Lundberg stated that in his experience as a county commissioner of Porter county, he could not from knowledge, say, the county in which the inquest was held, was alone responsible for bills of inquests. The Deputy then excused himself by saying he thought the relatives would prefer paying the bill, and that he was a new hand at the business anyway, and did not understand much about it. Mr. Lundberg says Crawford is an honest-appearing, easy-going old farmer, who once lived in the neighborhood of Jackson Center, this county some time ago and is now a Justice of the Peace in Lake county.
The funeral services of August Swanson were held at the home of his sister, Mrs. Charles Hylander on Saturday afternoon, Rev. Sherman, of the Swedish M. E. church, officiating. The funeral was largely attended, and the remains interred in the Chesterton cemetery. Deceased was unmarried, and 44 years of age.
Andrew J. Johnson was born in Lewanee county, Mich., Jan. 4th, 1837, and came to Porter county when 10 years old, and has made his home in the county ever since. In 1861 he was married to Stacy Ann Coslet, who, with three children, Della C., Gerry H., and Elmatie, and an adopted daughter, Annie Shultz, nee Scott, survive him. In 1865, deceased enlisted as a private in Company B, 151st Indiana Volunteers. He was an active member of A. B. Wade Post, G. A. R., and held in high esteem by his comrades. The funeral services were held in the English M. E. church Sunday, beginning at one o'clock, p. m. The funeral was in charge of A. B. Wade Post, and the services at the church conducted by Rev. Hall. The church was crowded to it utmost, and many were obliged to remain outside, unable to find standing room. At the grave, the G. A. R. held the regular Post funeral services, and laid their comrade away with all the honors of their organization. Of him a friend pays the following tribute:
"His life was one of toil and filled with many cares, yet he frowned on discouragement and impatience, living a cheerful and worthy life. A rare and appreciative friend, a noble citizen, a faithful and loving husband and father. We shall greatly miss him in our earthly walks, while we realize that he is free from earthly cares and trials."
Newspaper: The Tribune
Date of Publication: January 23, 1890
Volume Number: 6
Issue Number: 41
Page: 1
Column(s): 1 and 2
Key to Newspaper Publication Locations:
Newspapers Published in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana
Chesterton Tribune
The Tribune
Westchester Tribune
Newspapers Published in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Porter County Vidette
Practical Observer
Valparaiso Practical Observer
Vidette and Republic
Western Ranger
The obituaries and death notices appearing on this website have been transcribed exactly as they were originally published in the newspaper.
Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of obituaries and death notices
appearing on this website.
Obituary/death notice transcribed by Steven R. Shook