Benjamin Oden West

Rochester IN Sentinal 1933

Benjamin Oden WEST, aged 76, for many years a resident of this city during which period he was the local agent for the Chicago and Erie railroad, died early this morning at Palmetto, Florida, from shock which followed a fall he suffered two days ago in which accident he fractured the bones in his left hip.

Mr. West was an employee of the Chicago and Erie railroad for over 50 years, retiring in October, 1927. He came to this city with a crew of surveyors in 1881 who fixed the location of the railroad right-of-way across the county. In 1882 he was appointed the agent for the railroad here and served in that capacity until his retirement. At the time he was retired, Mr. West was the oldest employee of the Erie railroad in point of service.

Mr. West was born in Washington, D.C., on January 9, 1857 and was the son of Benjamin and Mary WEST. Mr. West lived in Washington as a small boy during the trying times of the Civil War and it was he who furnished officers with one of the first clues as to John Wilkes BOOTH, who shot and killed President Abraham LINCOLN. Booth on the day of the murder April 14, 1865 tied his horse in the alley back of the West home. This alley also was directly behind the Ford Theatre, where Lincoln was shot while attending a performance of a play. Booth it will be remembered sprained his ankle when he leaped from the president's box to the stage of the theatre after he had shot Lincoln when he caught his heel in the American flag which draped the box. Booth ran limping from the back door of the theatre and mounted his horse which he had tied back of the West home. Mr. West hearing the commotion ran to the alley and told officers about Booth and in which direction he had fled. Mr. West also told the officers that he saw Booth tie his horse earlier in the day and his apparent nervousness at the time.

Mr. West was married in Washington, D.C., to Virginia HELVIN on December 4, 1878. She died several years ago. Since his retirement from the railroad Mr. West has spent the winter months in Palmetto, Florida and the summer months at his home in this city at the corner of Pontiac and Second Streets. The deceased was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Knights of Pythias Lodge of this city. He also was a prominent democrat. Survivors are a daughter, Mrs. Guy BARGER and two grandchildren, Oden F. BARGER and Miss Virginia Emma BARGER all of this city.

The funeral arrangements are incomplete.