Thursday, December 29, 2011

Voices from the Past: The Killer Fishing Rod (1906)



This week in Voices from the Past we get a story about the unluckiest fishing rod owner in history. Check out the last line of the story, printed in The Los Angeles Herald for 12 September 1906.

FISHING ROD COST HIS LIFE

Caught under a Passing Train and Dragged Its Owner Under the Wheel

Special to the Herald

Chicago, Ill. Sept. 11. Charles W. Shippey, 47 years old, a well known real estate dealer, was killed by a Pere Marquette train in Englewood last night. Mr. Shippey was about to board the train to go to Rex Terrace, Mich.

It is thought that a fishing rod in his hand caught under the cars and dragged him after it.

In his pocket was a newspaper clipping containing an account of the death of Webster Batchellor of San Francisco, who had left Mr. Shippey $100,000.


-- Dr. Todd

3 comments:

Doc Outlaw said...

But, what kind of rod was it?

Teal said...

Good question!

FISH TALES said...

my father once told me if I was drowning let go of the rod... good advice I guess.. awsome blog, I have a rather poor collection of other peoples old junk I call fishing gear.. love the Heddons, have a few youve shown here-