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MIL WA UKEE JOURNAL
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1899
HACKETT'S HURT DEEMED MORTAL
MILWAUKEE FIREMAN INJURED AT PORT WASHINGTON
BROUGHT HOME TO DIE.
HIS SPINE FRACTURED BY BRICKS FROM A FALLING CHIMNEY.
CAPT. LINEHAN PAINFULLY INJURED AT THE SAME TIME AND
PLACE.
The train bringing to the city the two Milwaukee firemen, who were injured at
Port Washington, pulled into the Northwestern depot at 10:50 o'clock this morning.
There was a detachment of firemen under Chief Foley awaiting to carry their injured
comrades to the ambulance.
The men were on cots in the baggage car. Dr. James H. Hackett of this city
attended them. The men were carried from the car to the ambulance. Michael J. Hackett
was taken to St. Mary's hospital and P. J. Linehan, who was not as badly injured, was
taken to his home in an express wagon.
Dr. Hackett says that there is little or no hope for Fireman Hackett's recovery, as
his spine is badly fractured. Capt. Linehan's spine was injured, but the doctor was sure
that the injuries would neither be fatal nor permanent.
The story of the accident was told to a reporter for The Journal by a train newsboy
who was with the firemen up to a few moments before the chimney fell upon them.
"We were in an alley playing on the fire," said the boy, "and were having a very
quiet time. After a while one of the men called to me and told me to come and have
coffee. I went and left Hackett and Linehan playing on the flames."
"The next thing I heard was that a chimney had fallen on the men and killed them.
I ran to the place and we found the men under bricks and plaster and that kind of stuff.
The men were not dead, but the doctor at Port Washington said that Hackett's neck was
broken, and he couldn't live. I came down with them on the train. They didn't seem to be
suffering much, although Hackett was very anxious to know to what hospital he was
going to be taken." r
Mrs. Linehan, wife of Capt. Linehan, heard early this morning that her husband
had been badly injured at the Port Washington fire. She communicated with her brother-
in-law, who is a policeman, and was told that a train was going up to the scene of the fire
leaving at 7 o'clock. Although she had less than an hour she reached the depot in time
and went to Port Washington and took care of her husband.