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Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Struck by train
Date/Time of Incident:
Monday, July 12, 1909
Incident to Death Duration:
Same day
Incident Location:
Near Otis
Incident County:
LaPorte
Incident Township:
New Durham
Weapon Used:
None
Suspect Disposition:
None

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Railroad Detective Charles Frederick Silversides

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Railroad Detective
Charles Frederick Silversides
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Police Department
Monday, July 12, 1909

Not Included
Not Included

   Railroad Detective Charles Silversides was killed after falling between two train cars near Otis.

   He was guarding freight train No. B.A.4, which was transporting a load of copper from Chicago, Illinois. A group of five tramps had boarded the train at Chicago and had given Detective Silversides trouble as he attempted to eject them from the train several times.

   When the train pulled away from the Otis railroad yards, Detective Silversides advised the conductor he was going to go get the group and bring them back to the caboose.

   As he attempted to make his way to the tramps he fell from the train and was run over. The train crew discovered he was missing when they arrived at South Bend. Another train crew was notified and located his body at 3:00 am near Holmesville.

   Railroad Detective Silversides, from Chicago, was single and survived by his mother, brother and sister.


The responsibilities of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Police Department (1869–1914) are now under the jurisdiction of the Norfolk Southern Railway Police Department.
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This officer, discovered in 2016, has not been submitted for consideration as an eligible line of duty death to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund by the Norfolk Southern Railway Police Department.

Personal Details

Age: 25
Law Enforcement Service:
Burial Place:
Saint James Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada