MANGIN

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Friday, May 03, 2013 at 06:49:31 :

The Marin Journal
Thursday, October 9, 1902
page 5

Pioneer Killed at San Rafael on Monday
John Mangin Knocked from Trestle and Received Fatal Wounds

John Mangin, a pioneer citizen, met with an accident on Monday which resulted in death. An inquest was held on Tuesday before Judge Rodden, acting coroner, and the jury rendered a verdict of accidental death. According to the evidence, Mr. Mangin, who resided at the corner of E and Second Streets, started from his house to go to the West End depot to meet his wife, who was expected home on the North Shore train arriving in San Rafael at about 3 o'clock. He was walking alongside the track on the trestle west of E Street when the train approached. He apparently did not see or hear the train until it was within 40 or 50 feet of him. He then took a sudden start and attempted to cross the track in front of the train, apparently with an intention of jumping off on the south side to get out of danger from the train, but before he was entirely across, the train struck him, throwing him into the creek below, a distance of about 10 feet.

The train was running about 9 miles an hour, and soon as the man was seen, the engineer reversed the engine and stopped a distance of about 50 feet. Mr. Mangin was put on the train, taken to the depot and from there to his home and medical aid summoned. The injuries were dressed by Drs. Wickman and Jones and it was discovered that in addition to a scalp wound, his arm was badly shattered and two ribs were broken, one of them apparently penetrating a lung and causing other internal injuries. He lived about three hours after the accident and was conscious up to the last, but did not seem to realize the exact cause of the accident. It is somewhat uncertain whether the fatal injuries were caused by the fall or by the engine striking him, but in all probability it was both.

Mrs. Mangin was on the train at the time of the accident.

Mr. Mangin was a Mexican War veteran and the courthouse and city hall flags were at half mast in his honor. He was an old and respected resident, aged about 70 years. The funeral took place Wednesday morning.