The most shocking railroad accident that has occurred on the Iowa division for several years happened last Saturday, about half past eleven in the morning, and John A. Mabon and Wesley J. Munn lost their lives. Mabon was engineer of the freight train, and Munn conductor. Passing the little station of Crescent, on a down grade and with a heavy train behind, the switch at the end of the yard was open, and before the men could save themselves the engine was off the track and ten cars were piled up promiscuously. The fireman on the engine had time to jump off, being on the opposite side from the conductor and engineer, but those two went down in the wreck, and were instantly killed. Both men were caught under the heavy engine, and death must have been almost instantaneous.
The cause of the disaster has been found to be the criminal carelessness of a section man. A gang of men with a hand car loaded with iron came in from the opposite direction, and after Mabon had whistled for the station. The hand car was run in on the side track, and the switch was left open behind. As there is a curve at this point, the engineer could not see the switch until too late. We get these particulars from a gentleman who was out to view the wreck Saturday.
The body of Mabon was recovered in time to send home to his sorrowing family Saturday night, and the funeral took place Sunday afternoon, from his residence on north Story street, his remains being followed to the grave by a large concourse of friends. The deceased was a man universally loved and respected, and leaves a wife and two children to mourn his sad and sudden death. They are left poor, Mr. Mabon having been unfortunate in business years ago, and it taking his savings to pay his losses. He had only lately got out of debt, and was just beginning to feel comfortable, and his family looked forward to a happy future. The hopes were suddenly blasted Saturday, and the once happy home is now desolate.
The body of J.W. Munn was so badly covered up by the wreck that it was late Saturday night before it was reached, and it was sent home on the Sunday train. The funeral cortege that escorted Mabon's remains to the cemetery went from there to the depot and followed Munn's remains to his residence, from whence the funeral took place on Monday afternoon. The deceased leaves a wife and one small child.
died Crescent City IA from train accident, was a conductor on freight train that derailed, res Boone, from Boone Co Stand 8 Sep 1883
The Davenport Gazette
Sunday, September 2, 1883
page one
CASULATIES
An Open Switch
Council Bluffs, Sept. 1 - A terrible accident occurred at Cresent station on the Chicago & Northwestern road near this city this afternoon. Freight train No. 19 coming West ran off an open switch, ditching the engine and six cars. Conductor Wesley Munn and the engineer John Martin (sic) were buried under the cars and instantly killed. The fireman escaped by jumping clear of the wreck. A tramp aged 75 years was buried beneath the train but was taken out alive. It is not known who is to blame for the switch being left open.
The Daily Iowa Capital
Tuesday, September 4, 1883
page one
A freight train on the C. & N. W. R. R. was wrecked at Crescent City, Inst. Saturday. The conductor, Wesley Munn, and the engineer, John Mabin, were crushed to death beneath the engine. The fireman, F. M. Bollinger, escaped, although somewhat injured by jumping against a wire fence. A switch misplaced, whether through negligence or design does not appear, caused the accident. An old man, 75 years of age, searching for work, was on the train, and considerably injured in the head. We gather from the Nonpareil.
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The Evening Gazette (Cedar Rapids)
Thursday, September 6, 1883
page eight
The coroner's jury found that the accident on the C. & N. W. R., at Crescent City, on the 1st inst., by which Wesley Munn and John Mabin lost their lives in the wreck, was the result of criminal carelessness of G. Larson, section foreman, in not properly securing the switch after using it. Larson has been arrested for manslaughter.