The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-23
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Or. VAN EMAN INSTANTLY KILLED
BYAN ENGINE.
While Crossing the Richmond and Peters
burg Track In His Buggy He IL struck
by an Enginc-Ths Coroner's Inq"es'-
Of

Dy An Enkihes ~"
Verdict.
A frightful accident happened yesterday
morning, on the Richmond and Pe'ersourE
Railroad, resulting In the instant deain OF
DIR. n. W. Van Eman and the killing OF MS
horse and the complete demolition OF DIS
buggy.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE TRAGEDY
The south.bound passenger train, ;, W.
Chamberlain. conductor. and ID. IL. -
Jones, engineer, left Richmond Yesterday
mOning at $40 for Petersburg. ms ualn
does not stop between the two cities. As
the train, moving rapidly, reached Cen
tralia. eleven miles from Richmonl, IL
struck DR.. Van Eman's team. Inc morse
attached 10 the buggy had just gotten ON
the track, and the front buggy wheels were
within twelve inches Of the track by actual
measurement when the engine struck the
team and threw the horse to the left-hand
side. and the doctor and buggy to the night,
scattering the Debris Of the buggy ana CON
tents along the track for one hundred ieet
The train then stopped and backed back.
DIR. Van Eman was
KILLED INSTANTLY.
his brains being scattered over the wreck OF
the buggy. The case Of the Doctors watch
was found, but the works were gone, and
could not be found anywhere. The horse
lived about ten minutes. Mr.. W. i. DuN al,
the station agent went for his gun TO shoot
the animal, but on his return IL was gasp
ing its last.
WHAT THE ENGINEER SAYS.
Mr.. ID. II. 5. Jonec. the engineer, stated
10 a TIMES reporter that he had been run
ming locomotives for the past sixteen years,
and said that this was the first person ne
had ever hurt in his life. He stated that
| had il been his wife and children in the
buggy he could not have avoided the col
lision. Mr. Jones lives near Centralia,
and was neighbor 10 DR.. van
Eman. and when he first saw the
buggy, he thought il was his own, but
nearing it he discovered his mistake. lie
shut his eyes when the engine struck the
team and killed the doctor. As matter OF
fact MIR. Jones buggy, with his wife and
children. did drive up to this crossing about
ten minutes after the accident occurred
| ignorant that there had been any such
catastrophe.
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
The reason that the rapidly moving train
was so close on to the buggy before 1t was
seen is easily accounted for. The Centralia
station runs along the track some little dis
lance. Behind the station, with wagon
road between and fronting the rear OF the
station Is the village store and postolllce.
| DR.. Van Eman had evidently Just gotten his
mall for newspapers with the wrappers I'M
| broken and letters which had not been
opened were scattered along the track.
| Getting into his buggy, the Doctor drove
down the wagon road between the two
| buildings. The train, in the meantime, was
noiseessly and rapidly approaching. The
| Doctor probably did not hear il and GER
| tainly could not see il on account OF the
station building. Reaching the end OF the
! building the road turns and crosses the
track, and the Doctor started across when
the train bore right down on him. Neither
the engineer nor the Doctor evidently saw
each other until it was too late.
THE NEWS or THE SAD AFFAIR
was communicated to Mrs. Van Eman at
her residence, which was three-quarters
of n mile distant. The village of Centralia
was thrown into a great state Of excite
ment. The people there knew the Doctor
well. Though physician he was not
| licensed, but spent his time relieving the
very poor among the white and black pe0-
pie.
DIR. Van Eman had been living in the
neighbOrhOod for about two years, and came
| from Grove City. Pa. Some Of the news
papers he had just gotten from the postoiice
were published in Grove City.
THE INQUEST.
The body was allowed to remain on the
side Of the track while preparations were
made for corOBers inquest. Early in the
afternoon the following jury had been sum
mOned: W. G. Gregory, L. \. Cheatham,
DR.. +. j. Cheatham, y. ii. Cogbill, L. a.
| Clements, and +. A. BOothe, and Mr.. John
Whiteside justice Of the peace and acting
coroner, proceeded to hold the inquest.
| The body was first examined, and DR..
| Cheatham, one Of the jurors, and fine
physician, said that the skull was fractured,
| that both arms were broken, and both legs
were broken in three or four places.
| The first witness was Bette jefferson, a
| colored woman. She testified that she saw
the train coming and heard it blow for the
crossing. She saw DR.. Van Eman driving
over the track. She turned her head, as
| she did not want TO see the train strike him.
| The next witness was Olivia Hewlett,
also colOred. She saw the train when il
struck DR.. Van Eman. She heard the train
| blow for the crossing. She saw the train
carry the body about fifty yards down the
| track.
D.S. II. Jones, the engineer, testified that
| he was running train No. SO when il struck
|
and buggy until he was within fifty yards OF
them. He reversed his engine instantly
and did all he could TO stop, but the distance
was too short. As soon as he could he stop
ped and came back TO the scene.
THE VERDICT
The jury, after short deliberation, re-
turned the following verdict: We the jul
rOrs, sworn TO enquire by what means the
said y. W. Van Eman came 10 his death.
upon our oaths do say that the said y. W.
| Van Eman came to his death at Centralia,
! Chesterfield county, Va, by being struck
by the engine of train 30 on the Richmond
and Petersburg railroad at 10 \. NJ. Of said
day while attempting to cross the track OF
| said railroad, and so far as was shown up
on said inquest no blame is attached to the
said railroad company orany of its en-
plQyees.
Signed 10y the above named jurors.
| FOR SWEET CHARITY.