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Notre Dame Instructor Found Dead On Rails Near Huntington
Huntington - The body of a Notre Dame University ROTC instructor who had been visiting relatives during the Thanksgiving holiday was found lying across the tracks of the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad 2 1/2 miles northeast of here Friday.
Authorities said the upper portion of the body of Army Staff Sgt. Donald Joseph Brown, 30, had been mangeled severely, presumably by one or more trains which passed over the track during a period of several hours Brown was missing.
The body was picked up about 7:30 p.m., shortly after the crew of a train which passed by earlier reported to authorities that an unidentified object was seen lying on the tracks. Officials said Brown had been dead "for some time", and may have been run over by one or more of several other trains which passed through earlier Friday. Visibility was low during the day, due to weather conditions, they noted.
Brown, a native of Huntington, who with his wife and two children had been visiting in the home of her parents over the holiday, left the home at 11:30 a.m. Friday to take his car to a Huntington garage for repairs. Garage employees confirmed Brown had been there and left after his car was serviced.
Huntington County Sheriff Marion Van Pelt and railroad investigator L.t J.E. Zinsmeister said Brown's car was found parked and locked at a county road railroad crossing on the Huntington-Union Township line, about 150 feet from where the body was discovered on the tracks. They said a resident of the area recalled seeing the car parked there around 1 p.m.
The investigation was continuing late Friday, Huntington County Coroner Dr. S.E. Cope said hours after the discovery of the body that he had "not ruled out" foul play in the case, in view of the fact Brown's family said he had been in apparently good spirits.
Brown was the son of Mrs. Cornelius Brown here. His wife's parents are Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Cantrell.
In addition to the wife, Karen; two children, and the mother, Brown is survived by two brothers and four sisters.
The body was taken to Merckx Funeral Home, where friends may call after 7 p.m. Saturday. Rosary will be recited at the funeral home at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, and services will be in St. Mary's Catholic Church at 9:30 a.m. Monday.
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