Source; The Mining Journal
Marquette, Mi.
August 10, 1889 Saturday

Whiskey Did It

Yesterday's morning issue contained a notice of the horrible
accident which befell John Miniter. The accident happened so
short a time before the paper went to press that full particulars
could not be given. The inquest held before Justice Crary yester-
day afternoon developed all the facts in the case.

John Miniter, the victim, was a brother-in-law of Mr. William
Brown, a painter, who works for Trethewey & Cooper, and who re-
sides in the rolling mill district. Miniter was boarding with
Brown's family. At 11 o'clock he retired, having first taken a
drink of whiskey, but not a heavy one. He was in bed but a few
moments when he was called up by some men on the pretext that some
ears were off the track. Miniter, being a section hand, responded
to the call.

His further proceedings are unknown until the arrival of the St.
Ignace freight at about 1:30 a. m. The train stopped just outside
the yard and a brakeman was sent ahead to look after the switches,
and the engineer meanwhile oiling and cleaning his engine. While
he was engaged in this a man approached staggering as though drunk.
The engineer warned him away from the train and some words result-
ed. The man threw a handful of gravel at the engineer, who there-
upon seized him, but giving promise that he would go home, the man
was released. Instead of going home, he staggered to the other side
of the locomotive, picked up a sharp rock, and threw it, striking
the engineer's cheek and cutting it. He then made for the rear of
the train. In the meantime the switches had been set and the train
was put under motion. It is supposed the man attempted to board
the train, or that, in his drunken stupor he fell under the cars.
His right leg was crushed to a pulp, his left hand cut off, his
back broken and his body otherwise horribly mangled. He was dis-
covered a little later and the section foreman was called. ‘The
latter recognized him as Miniter.

The poor fellow was put into a baggage car and taken up to the
Third street crossing, where he was attended to by the company's
surgeon. His relatives have also been notified and they gave him
what attention they could. He was taken to Brown's house about
six o'clock and he died there a short time afterward.

The mysterious part of the tragedy was the call Miniter received
from the persons who claimed there was a train off the track. This
is explained in this way: Miniter was accounted a good singer in
jovial company. He had been asked by his comrades to sing that
night, but he declined. The remark that the cars were off the
track was probably a ruse to get him out into the company. Very
naturally a good deal of liquor would be drunk under such circum-
stances, and instead of going home after the carousal, the young
p. 2 Whiskey Did It. Aug. 10, 1889

man, for he was not more than 28 years old, wandered off into the
yards with the fatal result stated.

The coroner's jury after listening to all the evidence decided
that John Miniter came to his death while under the influence of
liquor, by trying to board a moving train.