Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area
1905, October 2 - Two Killed While Trying to Board a Moving Passenger Train at Ironsides, Canadian Pacific Maniwaki Subdivision
TWO MEN FOUND DEAD NEAR IRONSIDES TO-DAY One May be Stephen Lalonde of Cornwall Hockey Team. The Other May be Peteau, Also of Cornwall Both ; Above Men Were Hireg by Transcontinental Railway Commission. Section foreman A. Labroeee, ef the Canadian Pacific Railway, found the mangled remalna e( two unknown men nat the crossing near Ironsides on the Gatinneau Branch of tha C. P. R. at 7.30 o'clock thia morning. Whem the car cleanere examined the wheelss ot the train that arrived at Union Depot front Maniwaki at7.45 p.m.. yesterday, they found a great many blood stains. The men also found a coat torn and blood spattered, in the pockets of which were two letters, one addressed to "Stephen Lalonde". It was from the Transcontinental Railway Commission. By its means the identification will be made complete as both men were employed by the stores Department of the Transcontinental Railway Commission. Lalonde came from Cornwall and was accompanied by a man named Peteau also from Cornwall. Both were hired by the commission to go in a party of 12 to baskatong.. The T. R. Commission is informed by the C. P. R. That there were 13 men trying to go up the Gatineau last night with passes for only 12. Mr. D Stewart, who hired the men will attend the inquest and possibly identify both certainly one of the victims. It has been ascertained that the victims were killed by the southbound train. They lay at Ironsides all night. Mr Labrosse was accompanied by two section men, Simon Leblanc and Onesime Teck, of Hull when he found the bodies. One seems to have been a man of 35 years of age, fairly flashy, and wore a brown moustache. He had a white shirt, and as far as can be made out he wore dark clothing, which was torn to shreds. The body was fearfully mangled. Both legs were broken and twisted, the feet cut off entirely. The neck was twisted at least twice around and the lower part of the jaw torn away. When found, scattered, the remains lay inside the rails. The other, or younger man, was not so mutilated, though the head boar many bruises, one on the forehead and several about the ears jaw and back of the neck. He was a dark man of medium height, clean-shaven, and wore a dark suit with light stripe. His shoes were thin, and not new. This body was found a few yards from the other one, and lay outside the rails. They wore soft hats, one a grey knockabout and the other a brown cloth peaked cap.. Section Foreman Labrosse gathered the remains of both victims and gathered the shattered body of the older one in sacking and brought both down to Hull Junction on a lorrie. Dr. H. F. Lyater, coroner, was notified and viewed the remains at the junction this morning. Accompanied by a Sheriff Wright, he made an examination of the pockets of the younger victim, whose clothes were not torn. He found a pocket mirror, shell frame and swinging cover; a large white bone handle knife, and a small leather pouch, with a 25-cent piece in it. The coroner ordered an inquest to be held at whole Junction at 4 p.m. today. As to the identity of the victims many rumors were afloat, but it is surmised by the authorities that they are the two passengers who got off the north - bound train at Ironsides last evening one of them, it is said was engaged on the Transcontinental survey, and was accompanied by a friend who had not transportation. The conductor ordered the latter off the train, and the other would not proceed alone. Both went to Desjardins' hotel at Ironsides, and left there before the down train passed. Another rumor, unfounded, connects them with a report received from an unknown man last evening by Chief Genest of Hull, to the effect that they had to chased him near the International Portland Cement Company Works, outside of Hull. They were also said to have been bound for Cornwall and to have boarded the wrong train. This is also upset by the fact that have come to light. Constable D'Aoust has summoned the jury to meet at Hull Junction at 4 this afternoon. From the Ottawa Citizen 4 October 1905 HORRIBLE DEATH OF TWO CORNWALL MEN Attempted to Board Gatineau Train in Full Speed At Ironsides and Were Cut to Pieces-Was a Terrible Sight Were Identified As T.Lalonce (sic) and P. Peteau, Cornwall Stories As Told By the People Ironsides. Two men, one of whom is practically certain to be Stephen Lalonde, and the other Philip Peteau, both of Cornwall, were killed on the C. P. R. track at Ironsides, Monday, by the Ottawa bound train which passes there at 7.17 o'clock:. They had got off the 5.15 train at Ironsides and it is supposed that they were trying to board the train while it was in motion to return to the city, when they met their death. Several people in Ironsides saw them walking from the station platform after the 5.15 train had gone. Both had apparently been drinking, the short, fair one, being, perhaps, worse than the tall, dark one, though both were quite able to take care of themselves. They called at Mr. Smith's Temperance house in the village. They wanted drinks and Miss Smith gave one a glass of ginger ale and a plug of tobacco. The other, the fair fellow, wanted gin and would take nothing else. They said they were engaged to go on a surveying party for the Grand Trunk Pacific and had got on the wrong train at Ottawa. They wanted to telephone to the city, to hire a rig to be driven back or to engage a room to sleep in. Miss Smith told them that their horse was away with Mr. Smith and that they were not allowed to keep lodgers, as they had no license. They then crossed the street, made similar enquiries and were directed to the Beaver hotel, which is kept by Mr. E. Desjardins. Mrs. Smith, however, told them that if they were stuck to come back as though she was not allowed to charge she would give them a bed as she would not see a dog kept out all night. This was between 5.30 and 6 o'clock. About 6.30 or 6.45 o'clock Mrs. Smith and other members of the family, state that the fair fellow, identified as Lalonde, came back. This time they say he was much more intoxicated than when he had been there before and that he climbed on his hands and knees on to the stoop. He enquired for his chum and then left to find him. HOTELMAN'S STORY. Mr. Desjardlns, who keeps the only licensed house in the village, to the Citizen representative stated that the two men came to his hotel but that he did not give them a cordial welcome as they had been drinking. The dark man, he stated, was the worse of the two. They wanted to engage a rig to get back to Ottawa. Mr. Desjardlns says he told them that he did not want his horses to go to Ottawa as his wife was sick and he might need them any time. Then the men wanted to telephone and Mr. Desjardins states that he hitched up and drove the fair man to the government survey camp, where there is a telephone. The man in charge, however, told them they would not be able to reach any one in Ottawa at that time. When he drove to the camp, about 6.15 o'clock, Mr. Desjardins says he left the dark man at the hotel. When they got back he had left and the fair man started out to find him. Mr. Desjardins states that neither of the men got liquor in his hotel and that the fair man was all right when he said au revoir and went to find his chum. Desjardins says he charged him 50c for the drive. It will be noticed that this story of Desjardins as to the sobriety of the fair man does not tally with that told by the Smith family to whose house he went after. From the Smith place the fair man started for the Mine road, which leads to the station. About 7 o'clock they were at the home of Mr. P. Gardner and his daughter, Mrs. Hoff. The fair man came to the door while the other remained on the road. The fair man, Mrs. Hoff said, stood with a hand on either side of the door as if bracing himself, but was able to talk intelligently. He said that he had got on a spree and had taken the wrong train. He complained that they could find not one to give them lodgings and that he had been charged $2 for being driven to the government camp to try to telephone. Mrs. Hoff told them that a train went to Ottawa in a few minutes and directed them how to go. This is the last time they were seen alive. GRUESOME FIND. Yesterday about seven o'clock a.m., section men found their dead bodies. Peteau's body was found beside the Mine road crossing. His head was completely and cleanly severed from his body and lay in the culvert. The decapiiated body was lying outside the rails and the clothes were not torn or the body cut. The body of the other man was found about 100 yards down tracks, towards Ottawa. His body was horribly mangled. The head was ; crushed and severed from the body, arms and legs were cut off and were found in different places on the track. All the clothes were completely torn off. His coat was found on the truck of one of the cars at Hull, but was not torn in any other way. Other pieces of clothing and several silver coins were found on the track. Blood marks also showed the body had been dragged The down train does not stop at Ironsides except when signalled to do so by passengers. It did not stop Monday. It is supposed that the men did not get to the platform. but attempted to jump the train while in motion. Mrs.Gardner and Mrs. Hoff both noticed that the train did not stop and the thought flashed through their minds that the men had been killed on the track. Later they concluded that they had got into a car on the siding where three section men sleep. The bodies were brought to Hull Junction on a hand car yesterday From their conversation in Ironsides it is thought one was a widower with four children and the other a married man. IDENTITY CERTAIN There is now no doubt that the two men were Stephen Lalonde and Philip Peteau, both of Cornwall, Ont.. who had been engaged for work on the Trancontinental railway. They were two of twelve men who had been engaged by the transport department to go up the Gatineau above Maniwaki. They came to Ottawa and with the others engaged, left on the five o'clock train Monday evening. Their transporation was arranged for but for some reason both got off at Ironsides. The fatality it is supposed happened when tney were attempting to board the 7.17 o'clock train coming to Ottawa. An inquest was opened yesterday afternoon at Hull Junction but was adjourned till four o'clock today to enable friends of the dead men to be present. The identification of both was learned from letters and papers in their coat pockets. In the coat pockets of the tall, dark man were found letters, blank check and other forms from the transport office which identified him as Philip Peteau. In his pockets were also found an occorina, pair of bones, pipe, tobacco, etc. These were taken out at the inquest and given to the constable for safekeeping. Papers in the short. fair man's pockets led to his identification as Lalonde yesterday morning. Mr. D. Stewart, of the transport office, remembered Peteau as having been in his office. He also identified papers which he had sent the men. The bodies were taken to Desjardins' morgue last evening. The inquest will therefore be held at Desjardins' undertaking establishment From the Ottawa Citizen 6 October 1905 ADJOURNED. Inquest into Death of Peteau and Lalonda KILLED AT IRONSIDES. Jury Will Hear Evidence of Gang Foreman on 17th. Peteau Had Bsen Put Off Train. The inquests nto the deaths of Stephen Lalonde and Philip Peteau, the two Cornwall men who met such a horrible fate at Ironsides on Monday night, was held yesterday afternoon at Desjardins' undertaking establishment in Hull. As Lamothe, the foreman of the gang to which the two men belonged, was considered by the jury to be one of the most important witnesses, and as he is up in the woods above Maniwaki, an adjournment was made until the 17th instant at 10 a.m. The jury is composed of Marcel Dagenais, sr., foreman; Cleophas Sauve. George Laramee, Marcel Dagenais, Jr.. Pierre Pauze, F. Lefebvre, Martin Murray, Joseph Morisette, Antolno Meloche, jr.; Delphis Savard, Emery Fournier, and Omer Cousineau. Dr. Lyster, Hull, is the presiding coroner. It was brought out yesterday that both Peteau and Lalonde had been supplied with transportation. Mr. D. Stewart, who handed the transportation to Foreman Lamothe, of the gang to which the two men belonged, testified that the "gang ticket," as it is known, was made out in favor of the foreman and ten men, but that a separate ticket had been given to one of the number afterwards, making twelve altogether in the gang. The first witness called was Louis Lashomb, brother-in-law of Peteau. Other relatives present were Joseph Bergeron, brother-in-law of Lalonde; F. Peteau, brother of P. Peteau. and Angus Lavlgne, father-in-law of Peteau. Lashomb was called upon to identify the victim. This he did, as did also the other relatives. He also testified to seeing the two men as they boarded a street car in Cornwall to go to the railway station. Conductor Hoollhan, who was in charge of the train on which Peteau and Lalonde left the city, said that the reason he had put Peteau off was that he did not appear to have any ticket. The foreman in charge of the gang had pointed out the ten men to him and Peteau was not one, although he had previously stated that the foreman had his transportation. He could not explain why Lalonde had got off with Peteau, unless it was that he (Lalonde) didn't want to see his chum left behind alone, as he had had his transportation all right. He could not identify the two men, but he identified the grey hat worn by Peteau. Engineer Goode and Car Inspector James Reid gave evidence as to the finding of the coat and marks on the cars and engine. Mr. Goode knew nothing of the accident until Wednesday morning, when he went to work. He examined the pilot of his engine but found no marks or blood stains. Mr. Reld had discovered the coat on the truck of the fourth car from the engine. There were also pieces of flesh on the brake beam. He had handed over the coat to Constable Wilson. He also testified that Ernest Ingram, assistant turner at the turn table, had stated that there were marks of blood on the pilot of the engine. Mr. Desjardins, the hotel keeper of Ironsides, where the men stopped, repeated his story as already given in the Citizen, as to their actions while in Ironsides. He swore that they had had no liquor at his place, although they had asked him to have a drink. Mr. Stewart, was called upon to answer a few questions by Mr. E. B. Devlin, who, In conjunction with Mr. R. Smith, barrister of Cornwall, is acting on behalf of the relatives of the deceased. Mr. Stewart, when questioned as to whether the men were under, the influence of liquor or not, said: "I believe the men had been drinking, but they were both able to take care of themselves. I went down to the station with them. We took a Chaudlero line car, and got off at the corner of Bridge and Queen street west, and they walked easily from there to the station, where I introduced them to Foreman Lamothe." Mr. R. Smith, who secured the positions for the two victims, said that he had received a communication from Mr. Stewart, asking for four men. In company with the four men and Assistant Engineer Milden, they went down to the station and saw them off. Two of the men, however, had returned the same day, Monday. They were Hart and Leclerc. Dr. Ouimet was the last witness. He testified to having made the medical examination of the bodies. Both, he said, had been well developed and healthy, and about twenty-five years of age. In his opinion, they had been struck by some heavy object, as the injuries went to show. It was probable, he said, that they had attempted to catch the moving train. Lalonde, whose head was badly crushed in on the left side, had. he thought, probably caught hold of the end of a car, and been swung against the front of the next one the force of the blow to his head fracturing the skull. After being struck on the head the doctor said it was probable that he fell between the cars, and that this was the reason for his being so badly cut up. As the majority of the jury wanted to hear the testimony of Mr. Lamothe. as adjournment was made until the 17th. Boh the victims were men with families. Lalonde was a widower, and leaves four small children to mourn his loss, the eldest of whom is fourteen. Peteau leaves a wife and five children, the eldest of whom is nine. There will be a double funeral this afternoon from Desjardins undertaking establishment, to the Cenral depot, whence the remains will be taken to Cornwall on the Ottawa and New York train. From the Ottawa Journal 17 October 1905 The two deaths at Ironsides No progress made in the inquest at Hull. Witnesses will be examined tomorrow No progress was made in the inquest at Hull this morning in the inquest into the Ironsides fatality, when Phillip Petaud and Steven Lalonde, of Cornwall, met their deaths under the wheels of a southbound Gatineau Valley train. H. F. Lyster, Cornell, and ten of the jury, with Messrs. Ernest Ingram, hostlerr of the Union Depot round house, and Chas. Murphy, of Ironsides, were present, but owing to the lack of a complete jury, the inquest was adjourned till tomorrow at 11 a. m. at Desjardins' morgue, corner of Alma and Victoria streets, Hull. Mr. Louis Cousineau, advocate, Hull, was present in the interests of the late Philip Petaud's family, and Mr. W. H. Curie, of Scott, Scott, Curie and Thompson, Canadian Pacific Railway solicitors, was present to watch the proceedings for the company. From the Ottawa Journal 27 October 1905 Inquest on Ironsides victims again adjourned. One of the jurymen failed to show up. Inquest again this evening. The inquest into the death of the two men, Stephen Lalonde and Phillip Peteau, killed at Ironsides on October 2, was resumed on Wednesday evening, but was again adjourned until this evening. One of the juryman failed to turn up. The Attorney - General in a letter which was read by the coroner stated that it was unnecessary to summon Lamothe, the foreman in charge of the gang to which the two men belonged, and the verdict will be arrived at without him. From the Ottawa Journal 28 October 1905 Insufficient care is exercised Inquiry at Hull into the death of Lalonde and Peteau at Ironsides on October 2. At last night's session of the coroner's jury at Desjardins' morgue., Hull, in the matter of the death of Stephen Lalonde and Phillip Petaud (sic), of Cornwall, the following verdict was rendered: "We find that Philip Petaud and Steven Lalonde came to their death on the evening of October 2, at about half-past seven, by being struck by a Canadian Pacific Railway train at the crossing at Ironsides. "We are furthermore of the opinion that the Transcontinental Railway Commission, through its employees, did not exercise sufficient care in regard to the transportation of its men." From the Ottawa Citizen 30 October 1905 BLAMED THE R.C. Jury's Verdict on Victims Ironside Tragedy. LAMOTHE DIDN'T COME Held That Commissioners For National Railway Didn't Exiercise Proper Care of Men. "That Philip Petaud and Stephen Lalonde came to their death on the evening of October 2, 1905, at about 7.30 o'clock, by being struck by a Canadian Pacific railway engine at their crossing at Ironside, P.Q. We are furthermore of the opinion that the Transcontinental railway commissioners, through their employes, did not exercise sufficient care in regard to the transportation of their men." After having adjourned four times, the jury on the Ironside tragedy returned its verdict Friday night. The adjournment were caused by the jury being insistent that Foreman Lamothe, who had charge of the gang to which the two victims belonged, should give his evidence. Lamothe had been given transportation for both, while the conductor stated that Lamothe had none for Petaud. Lalonde got off because, he told his friend, he didn't want to see Petaud, who was put off the train, stuck in a strange place. Although Coroner Lyster wrote the attorney-general asking that Lamothe be brought down, he was not, as the answer received intimated that it didn't seem necessary, when Lamothe was so far up. He is at The Forks, about fifty miles above Manlwakl. the northern termlnus of the Gatineau line. |
Updated 30 April 2019