The Monroe Journal

(Charlotte Observer, Monday.)

Unheeding the whistle's siren shriek, the headlight's glare and rumble of the approaching train which stood clearly revealed in the semi-light of breaking dawn, an unknown white woman about 65 years of age, calmly walked into death yesterday morning at 4:10 o'clock. Apparently the fatal collision was the result of carelessness, or a miscalculation of her nearness to the track. She was struck about the waist by the wooden beam of the engine's pilot and instantly killed. The accident occurred on the Seaboard Air Line Railroad about four miles east of Charlotte. A special freight train running on the schedule of No. 19 was headed for this city. The woman was walking in the opposite direction towards Sardis and Matthews. When Engineer R. L. Barrett first saw her she was 100 yards distant from the train, walking on the south side of the track. He blew his whistle and watched her cross over to the other side, clear of the track. The next time he saw her she was 25 yards away and had strayed too close to the track for safety. The train was stopped within half a length, not having been running very fast. The woman's body was brought to this city and placed in charge of Coroner Z. A. Hovis, who was awakened. Mr. Hovis, though an undertaker himself, sent the body to the establishment of J. M. Harry & Co. and held an inquest there in the afternoon at 2 o'clock. A jury consisting of Messrs. G. H. McGinn, William Johnson, R. E. Cochrane, W. E. Long, M. M. Wallace and J. O. Thomas rendered a verdict that the woman met death as a result of her own negligence. Five railroad men, members of the crew, testified. Only two had seen her prior to the accident, the engineer and a brakeman who was riding in the fireman's cab at the time. The latter saw her cross the track, but did not see her thereafter. The identity of the victim being quite unknown efforts were at once made by the railroad company and others to find out her name. She was badly used up by the contact with the engine, chiefly about the upper portion of her body. The ribs and arms broken and the scalp lacerated. She was evidently of advanced age, her hair being quite white. A