This case contains graphic content that may not be suitable for all readers.
Bernalillo County John Doe is a man who was killed in a freak train accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Case
On June 9, 1913, at around 4:15 PM, the Santa Fe No. 2 train was starting to pull out at the Central Avenue Crossing for the east. The victim was waiting around the Alvarado Hotel at the time.
When he saw the train start, he ran towards it and attempted to swing underneath the rear truck of a tourist sleeper. Unfortunately, he got his foot got caught and he was jerked from the train. The train stopped before the man was dragged eight feet at a signal from Stationmaster Ed Sinclaire, but by then it was too late. The man's head was torn to pieces, separated from the rest of his body, which was also left severely mangled. Over a hundred people were witnesses to the gruesome event.
It is generally believed that the victim was a transient who had attempted to hitch a ride on the train, and that he had only been in Albuquerque for a short amount of time. As a result, the police stated that suicide was ruled out, and that his death was instead accidental in nature.
A travelling man referred to by the name Cummings had reportedly told the police the next day that he actually spoke with the victim just before the accident, and that the decedent had asked Cummings for a quarter. The decedent reportedly also told Cummings that he was from St. Paul, Minnesota. Blacksmiths working at Korber’s shop said the victim may have been a homeless Danish blacksmith who applied there for a job.
The victim is now buried in a paupers' grave at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque.
Accessories
- Filipino penny.
- Bar of soap.
- Tobacco box.
