The Daily Gazette

SECOND EDITION.
FATAL
HEROISM.
DEATH OF A YOUNG MAN WHO TRIED
TO SAVE A WOMAN'S LIFE.

James Donlon, the young man who on
Monday night endeavored to save an
unrecognized woman from being killed
by a rapid transit train in Atlantic ave-
nue, at Grand avenue, Brooklyn, died at
2 o'clock Tuesday morning, in the City
Hospital in Brooklyn, from the injuries
that he received. The woman, who was
instantly killed, was sixty years of age.
She had grey hair, and wore a black
dress, a black waterproof cloak, black
hat and gloves, and a crape veil. A
plush-covered pocketbook with brass fast-
enings, containing $46 in money and the
business card of William Heller, of No.
91 Chambers street, New York, and the
address of J. T. Ashley, of No. 154 Sec-
ond street, Williamsburg, was found on
her. She was first seen on a Fulton
street car, which she left at Grand ave-
nue. She went down that avenue to
Atlantic avenue, and was about to cross
the track, when the flagman, Thomas
Whalen, called out to her to keep back,
as a motor with a rapid transit train was
already within fifty feet of the crossing.
She appeared not to hear the warning,
and continued to go toward the track.
James Donlon, who, with two young
friends, was standing on the corner, be-
gan to call out to her; but as she appeared
not to hear him, and continued on
her way, Donlon ran to her, reaching
her just as she stepped between the rails.
He grasped her firmly by the shoulders,
and endeavored to pull her away. She
seemed frightened by the sudden inter-
ference, and asked, "What are you do-
ing with me?" She struggled to free her-
self from Donlon's grasp, and as he at-
tempted to lift her off the track by main
strength, the motor struck him and
knocked him aside. The woman fell
across the southern rail, and the train
passed over her legs, cutting both of
them off below the knees. She died al-
most instantly. Donlon was picked up a
few feet from the track, bleeding from
wounds in the head. On being taken to
the hospital it was found that his skull
was fractured, and from this wound he
died. He was seventeen years of age,
and was the son of Patrick Donlon, a
well-known contractor, of No. 785 Dean
street. He was a young man of promise.
He will be buried from St. Joseph's
Church, in Pacific street, on Thurs-
day.

There is much indignation in the
vicinity of the accident over the alleged
lack of proper protection of the crossings.
The franchise to run rapid transit trains
was granted on the condition that the
track should be fenced in, and that the
crossings should be protected by gates.
There have been one or two fatal acci-
dents, and the Coroner's jury has recom-
mended the use of gates at the cross-
ings.