Middletown transcript., 1884-02-22
KiIIed nv the Cars.


John G. Bethune, manager OF the Blind
Tom Concert Company, was killed at the
p. w. and B. railroad station at Will
mington few minutes after II O'Clock
on Saturday night. He came down on
the express train due at Wilmington at IL
O'Clock. but which was about an hour late.
On his arrival, being informed that the
train would stop ten minutes, he went
over to the restaurant of the Grand Union
Hotel to lunch and did not return until
the train was under way. Bethune ran
to lump on, though John McCaulley, en-
ployed at the baggage room, warned him
not to make the attempt. The unfortu-
nate man missed his footing and was
dragged the whole length of the station,
and finally at the water tank was thrown
beneath the car and horribly mangled.
His right leg and hip were crushed, and
his head was severely cut and bruised.
Special Officer Charles Thomas ran to the
rescue as soon as he saw the mans peril,
but reached him too late to save him, and
was only in time to drag his mangled
body from beneath the car after the train
had been stopped. Bethune exclaimed,
"Oh my!" gasped few times and was
dead before a stretcher was brought by
William McFadden, who ran to the sta
ton hospital for it. The dead body was
carried into the hospital, and Deputy
Coroner Palmer being notified removed
the body to the morgue and embalmed it.
L. F. Harrison, an old friend of Bethune,
arrived from New York on Sunday and
identified the remains.
An inquest was held on Tuesday at
which disgraceful scene occurred. A
woman claiming to be Bethune's wife,
family and friends Of the unfortunate
man, set up a claim for his body and
effects. She came from New York on
Sunday and employed counsel. Coroner
Smith decided to give the body into the
custody of the father of Bethune, who
had come on from his home at Warrenton,
Va, having been satisfied that the woman
from New York was not legal wife.
Homer Hildreth, the executor named in
Bethune's will, was present, who de-
Tended the fathers claim. While the rel
atives and friends of the dead man pre-
served a dignified silence the two cham
pions of the woman stormed and threat
ened, while the woman shrieked like a
maniac, demanding in broken English,
with German accent, the body, saying
that she did not have him in life and that
she wanted him in death. At last she
broke loose like a tigress and sprang
fiercely at Mr.. Hildreth, whom she |
charged with securing the defeat of her
purpose, seized him by the collar and be-
gan to pummel him with her fists. The |
man of course made no resistance except |
to attempt to push her off. Coroner Smith
by this time was fairly aroused, and inter-
fered and promptly elected the beligerent
female from the building, with the warn |
ing that if she created any more disturb
ance he would have her arrested. She |
then left for her hotel, weeping loudly all
the way.
John w. Bethune was born in Georgia
in 1888, and during the late war was a
colonel in the Confederate army. After
The close of the war the family removed
to Warrenton, Va. General Bethune, the
father of the dead man, is the author of a
book that was written as a refutation Of
The infidel teachings of Colonel "Bob'
and among the papers found on
The body Of the deceased were receipts for
money paid to the publishers of that
volume.
Blind Tom was a slave of General
and when the Emancipation
went into effect the laws of
Georgia required the owners Of all inbe-
Giles and cripples to send them to the poor
house or give bonds for their support.
General Bethune gave bond of $1,000 for
The support of Blind Tom, who was sup
posed to be an imbecile, without knowing
Of the wonderful musical abilities that
afterward developed themselves in the
boy, whose old parents still live on the
estate. Colonel Bethune, the
dead man, has been Blind Toms manager
ever since he has been on the concert plat
form, and the blind boy was devotedly
attached to his "kind young MASTER" as
be loved to call him, and who provided
the poor boy with everything in bis
power. The deceased colonel was on his
way to Washington, where he makes his
home with his sister, when he met his
death, having just been to New York
to some legal business.-l Morn
ing Meas.