Friend I. Stone

Elko Daily Independent

September 25, 1907

A Fatal Accident

A deplorable accident happened in the railroad yards at Carlin about 11:30 Tuesday night in which Fred Stone, the night watchman, was so badly injured that he died at 8:30 Wednesday morning. The particulars of the accident as given to us by Deputy Constable Kappler, who was with Stone, are as follows:

Stone and Kappler were watching three tramps who were acting in a suspicious manner and whom they suspect were trying to break into a freight car. In watching these men, Stone and Kappler would crawl under the car couplings from one side of the track to the other. Stone carried a pistol in a holster around his body and as he was crawling under the cars his pistol dropped from the holster and was discharged. Mr. Kappler was the length of two or three cars from Stone when he heard the report of the pistol and Stone’s cry for help. He went to his assistance at once and found Stone staggering from under a car with his pistol in his hand. Stone told him what had happened and the two started for town, but before going very far Stone became so weak that he asked Kappler to lay him down and go for a doctor. Kappler made the injured man as comfortable as possible and then went for the doctor. On his way he met several men whom he sent to Stone’s assistance. The doctor was soon at Mr. Stone’s side and rendered him all assistance possible. A stretcher was procured and he was taken to his home.

An examination showed that the bullet had entered Stone’s left side about two inches below the heart and had passed clear through his body. He was put on board a freight train and brought to Elko and taken to the Bolling hospital, where he died at 8:30 this morning.

Mr. Stone had been night watchman at Carlin for the past six months. He was a quiet, industrious man and had many friends who are shocked by the untimely death.

He was a native of Utah about 45 years of age. A wife and seven children are left to mourn his loss. God pity them in their bereavement.

Coroner Bruce held an inquest on the remains this forenoon and the jury rendered a verdict of accidental death. The remains were prepared for shipment by Undertaker Keyser and left on No. 4 this afternoon for Ogden. He was a member in good standing of the Eagles and that Order will probably conduct the funeral services.

(Fred Stone’s real name is Friend Ivers Stone.)

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