| >McClenithan, Stephen, Steve McClenithan, and old
settler of Fort Myers, who has recently been employed as a section hand
on the Atlantic Coast Line, had his arm and leg severed from his body,
by the south bound freight, last Friday night at about 7 o'clock, and died within an hour or two after the accident happened. Mr. McClenithan, with three or four others, was on a hand car, when the freight came along, and not having a light on the car were not discovered by the train men. The others jumped from the car, but for some reason McClenithan remained and was caught by the engine and his arm and leg cut off clean. We learn since writing the above that the widow of Steve McClenithan has sued the A. C. L. Ry. Co. for $10,000. It is said that the glass in the headlight was broken, and that the head light was not lit for that reason, so that it will require evidence in court to show whether the company was to blame or that the accident happened through the carelessness of the men on the hand car. --------------------------------- Source; The Fort Myers Press (Lee County)Thursday September 12, 1907 ; transcribed by: Janine Rickner. |
| >McClenithan, Oscar, Report of Death; Feb.27, 1908 Body of dead man floating in river -- Came in with the tide Man identified as Oscar McClenithan -- Had been out for oysters Quite a good deal of excitement was occasioned on our streets Wednesday afternoon when it was reported the body of a dead man had been found floating in the river at the Edison dock. The reporter in company with Judge A. B. Beall hastened to the Edison home and then to the dock, where he met F. Ott, an electrician at the Edison Laboratory who stated that about three o'clock in the afternoon he saw the body some few feet from the dock. He waited and the tide soon drifted the body to the dock. He secured it with a rope and then went and told his fellow workman of the horrible find. A message was sent to the store of H. A. Hendry. Sheriff Tippins was then notified and he, under instructions from Judge Beall impanelled a jury. The jury went and viewed the body and brought in a verdict that deceased came to his death by drowning. Some few days ago Oscar McClenithan and young Jenkins went down the river for oysters.They have not been heard of since. A few days later Capt. Cates' boat, Free Lance, was coming up the river and found a sail. It is thought the sail was from the boat of the men mentioned above. Later Wednesday afternoon the dead man was identified as Oscar McClenithan. The whereabouts of Jenkins is not known, but it is feared that he also drowned. No trace of violence was found on the body of the unfortunate man, and drowning is believed to have been the cause of death. The body was in a bad state of decomposition. The face was badly eaten away, but this was thought to have been done by crabs and fishes. Deceased leaves a wife and three children to mourn his loss. The sympathy of the community is extended to the bereaved family. ( LATER -- Just as we go to press news reaches us that the body of Martin Jenkins, who was with McClenithan, was found near Four Mile Island. No particulars. ) ------------------------------------- Source; The Fort Myers Press, Thursday, Feb. 27, 1908; transcribed by: Janine Rickner |