Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-15
SEEKING DEATH TOGETHER.
A Han and WOnsa,, AllOsc Themselves to be
Struck by Gn EEpress Train-Fatal C0nse-
queaces--THeir JNOtices UnknO,cn.
Boston Herald, March S.

Boston Herald, March 5.
A most shocking affair, which is supposed
by some to have been case of deliberate
suicide, occurred on the Boston and Lowell
railroad, ct East Cambridge. yesterday morn
ing, the victims being husband and wife,
MIR. and Mrs. Josiah Wheeler, residents of
this city. Shortly after nine o'clock they
passed up the track above the station, aud
had reached the bridge where the road
crosses the Fitchburg road, when the half
past eight a. m. express train from Lowell
came in sight. The engineer, ST. Heustis,
discerned the couple approaching and blew
the whistle, but they paid no attention,
although at he licking Ths e stasss4
whistled again and again, but the
couple continued to advance. The en-
gineer and brakemen did everything in their
power to stop the train, but without success,
and the engine struck the couple just as they
stepped on the bridge. The man was thrown
about six feet in the air, and over the trestle-
work, falling to the track Of the Fitchburga
road" beneath, distance of some twenty
feet. He was killed instantly, and his body
and head were shoclingly mangled. The
woman was thrown across the outward track
and upward against the fence. Her left leg.
which probably got caught in the trestle
work of the bridge, was broken in several
places, and her nose was crushed and her
skull fractured. AS soon as the train was
stopped the body of the man was placed in
the baggage-car and the woman was taken
into passenger car, and everything posi-
BILE was done to bring her to con-
seriousness by the conductor of the train.
Mr.. Lewis Taplin. Before reaching the city
she revived sufficiently to exclaim, sMy poor
husband She said her name was Alice
Wheeler, and that she lived on Merrimac
street. Immediately after this she again
became unconscious. Upon the arrival of
the train in this city, the body of the man
was taken to the morgue, by officers of Sta
tion 8, while the woman was taken to the
Massachusetts General Hospital, where she
had her leg amputated. She lived but a
lcal Examiner Hildreth, of Cambridge, was
notified, and at about noon he viewed the
body of the man.
Effects found on the persons of the de-
ceased did not establish their identity to a
certainty, but Investigations last evening
brought out the following facts: The un-
fortunate couple have resided for the past
week at No. 22 Merrimac street, this city.
Mr.. Ledger, proprietor of the place, says the
couple boarded with him several weeks last
fall and that last Monday they came back
and remained in their room, working at their
business, which was the manufacture of rus
tic furniture, until yesterday morning. He
says he knows little about the personal his
tory of either party, beyond the fact that
Wheeler was 70 years of age, and was 8
native of this city, having been born, as ht
(Wheeler) told him, on Fort Hill. He says
that Wheeler often spoke of an aunt of his
(whom he described as being we'll off resid
ing on Dover street, but never gave her name
The woman was about twenty-five years O
age, but being careworn, would be likely t.
pass as ten or more years older. Shl
also was a native of Boston. Neithe
of the parties were in the habit O
indulging to excess in intoxicants, ant
although poor, and perhaps at times suf
fering for the necessaries of life, still the
never appeared Respondent, and lived YER
happily together. Mr.. Ledger says that the
left his house in the best of spirits, sayin
that they were going into the country t.
obtain some birch limbs for the purpos
making some rustic chairs, and that the,
would return that evening. The officials O
of the railroad look upon this shocking affai
not as an accident, but as a case of deliberat
suicide.