Watchman Killed in Street by Auto

Contributed By

The Ohio State Journal

May 2, 1940

E.M. O'Connor

Victim on east side

Edward M. O'Connor, 55 of 617 Grove Street, a bread warpper at night watchman at the Womans Baking Co., last night was fatally injured when he was struck by a car at Mt. Vernon and Jefferson avenues.

He suffered a fractured skull and fractured right leg and was pronounced dead 10 minutes later by a St. Francis Hospital physician who examined him in a police ambulance.

Police said he was crossing Mt. Vernon Ave about six feet from the intersection. The car was driven by Charles Jackson, 38, a negro (** personal aside, why was this pertinent information? Obviously a sign of the times, but still, ridiculous) , according to a police officer who investigated.

KNOCKED 50 FEET

O'Connor was knocked about 50 feet, they said and fell against the north curb.

His brother, Charles M. O'Connor, also of the Grove Street address told police the victim left home about 20 minutes before he was killed.

Jackson was questioned last night at city prison by Lt. Glenn C. Hoffman and was ordered to report again this morning.

O'Connor was born in the Grove Street house and had lived there all his life. He was a member of St. Patrick's Church.

Besides his brother Charles, he is survived by three other brothers, Frank, Joseph and John O'Connor.

Note (from Thomas O'Connor):

Ed O'Connor was an employee of Pennsylvania Railroad probably from 1899 to 1928 or 29 years service when the Pennsylvania Railroad broke a strike by the Union. Ed O'Connor refused to go back to work for the Railroad and for years had no reagular employment partially because of the Great Depression that started in 1929 and persisted through 1941