Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-24
Death Of Hon. Francis Thomas, Of
Maryland.
KILLED BY A TRAIN ON THE B. o. RAIL.

b. y.
ROAD.
Hon. Francis Thomas, OF Frankville, Gar
rett county, Nd, ex-Governor of Maryland.
and late United states minister TO Peru. was
accidentally killed Saturday afternoon on
the railway track, about one mile east of
Frankvflle station, Baltimore and Ohio II ALL
road, where he was engaged experimenting
improvements intended Ia afford opportu-
nifty to breed some fine sheep procured by
him In Peru and brought TO this country last
summer on his return. While standing on
the track he saw freight train approaching
from the east, and stepped 10 the South track
TO avoid IL. AT the same moment a ''helper"
engine came upon him from the west, "ten-
de-" foremost, the approach of which he had
not noticed and did not hear. There is a
short curve at this point, and the engineer
says that as his engine rounded the curve he
saw governor Thomas walking on the track,
with his arms folded behind him, and his
head bent, IN meditative mood. 1t was too
late 10 give an alarm or check the speed of
engine, and in a moment ii struck him in
the back, Knocking him about twenty ieet
on to pile OF railroad bars beside the road
The locomotive was stopped as soon as nos
slole and assistance summond, but life was
extinct. The body was not mutilated. A
severe confusion was found on the back of
the head and several near the spinal column
The body was taken on hand car TO Frank
Vile, and thence TO his house.
Previous to the unfortunate casualty Gov
Thomas, who had just returned from Wash
ington city, stopped all of Friday in Cum
bt Iland on business. Saturday morning he
returned TO his farm at FrankviIIe. He had
number OF men engaged In getting out
locust posts for fencing piece OF land re-
Gently purchased, and devoted TO sheen
breeding. The men were at work on the
mountain side along the line of the Balti.
more and Ohio railroad. His special object
In visiting the location at the lime he met
bis death was TO pay off his hands, as well as
TO give directions in regard 10 the work on
hand.
At n o'clock Sunday morning a special
train, provided by the railroad authorities,
left Cumberland for FrankvilIe, with Col
Jas. w. Schley, Col. ID. c. Bruce, Mr.. Web
ster Bruce, and several other friends of Gov
Thomas, to take charge OF the remains
which were brought to Cumberland and kept
at the Queen City Hotel. Tbs body was TO
remain there until 10 O'Clock this morning
when il was to be deposited in vault at
Rose Hill cemetery.
Ex-Governor Thomas was a member OF
the house OF delegates of Maryland in 1922,
1oZ1 and 1923, serving the last term as
speaker. he was president OF the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal In 1SS0-'40. He was
the second governor OF Maryland elected by
the people. He succeeded VIM. Grason ia
1871, held the office three years, and was sue
ceeded by Thomas @. Pratt. He was Repre-
sentative in the 22d, sd, 9th, 25th, 26tn 9th
3Sth, seth and 10th Congresses. While ia
Congress he applied TO the legislature for
divorce from bis wife, who was Mss Sallie
Mcdowell, a daughter of Governor McDow-
eli, OF Virginia, and lady OF rare accom-
plishments. Governor Thomas failed 10 OBJ
tain divorce in Maryland, but Mrs Thomas
was subsequently divorced from her hus-
band by the legislature Of Virginia. She
was afterwards happily married to Rev. Mr..
delphia, and IL is believed is now a widow.
Thomas was a democrat pre-.
vlous TO the rebellion, but took an active
part ON the union side during the contest.