MERSMAN

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Friday, September 05, 2008 at 05:28:02 :

Marin Journal
Thursday, July 12, 1923
Page 1

Fatal Injuries In Leap From Train

Achilles Mersman, gardener, former resident of San Rafael and more recently of Novato, was fatally injured Monday night when he alighted from a train at B street and was dragged under the wheels by the shoe of one of the coaches.

Captain William Kane was at the station at the time. Hearing an unusual noise behind him as the train started to pull out for the Union Depot, he turned in time to see Mersman leap off the step after he had thrown his suitcase and a bundle of blankets to the platform. Captain Kane took charge of the situation and signaled for the police alarm. It was answered by Lieutenant Buchanan in a car. The injured man was removed in the car to the Emergency Hospital, where Dr. Kuser and Dr. Dufficy pronounced the injuries fatal. Mersman passed away shortly after he reached the hospital.

He will be recalled here as having been employed by Neil McPhail in the livery stable at the time of the armistice. He was a native of Belgium and was an enthusiastic celebrant in the parade held here on Armistice Day. He was about 55 years of age and, so far as Coroner J. Ray Keaton has been able to learn, has no immediate relatives in this vicinity.