Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-01
THATTREACHEROUS BRIDGE
Thomas E. Lewis Takes a False
Step
AND HIS BRAINS DASHED OUT.
Chief Of Police Delbuggs Has a Very Narrow
Esape from Drowning in Going to dis
Rsseue---Rieaard knight Of Cleve-
land. Plungssln;o the Same Aper-
ture and IS Drownsd---E-
citing Scenes

There was a peculiarly sad accident
at the B. x o. depot last night, in which
hopeful passenger ON an early evening
train came home 20 an Untimely death.
rt. tragic affair took place about seven
o'clock upon the arrival Of the train
from the East, due here at GEO. but
which last night was some forty min
utes late. Among the passengers on the
train were Thomas L. Lewis and his
sister. Miss K. A. Lewis, son aud daugh-
ter OF DIR. ID. 4. Lewis, OF No. -
Thirty-third street. They had been 70
81. ClairSville ON visit % relatives. and
were lust returning home. In the
course OF the repairing which has been
going ON about the bridge IN the depot
since the engine went through, tne cen
trail part has now been made sufficiently
.ira for the support of trains. But on
tb. east side OF the depot covering the
,n9cc before occupied by the platform
which continued south from the bag
asrr room 90 the other end of the bridge
ls, been left open. Where the bridge
leaves of at the east side is an iron GRID
cr which Is Just high enough from the
fuor of the bridge % be about even OF
with tine ear steps when the train rolls
.n Between the girder aud the train
.r that side there is space of only
about three feet, aud it naturally sug-
,.,t, itself 20 a stranger coming IN at
t.rht that the regular paSsageway must
h. elsewhere than Ia this small space at
.r.h close proximity 90 the ears. Be
vand the girder there is no guard,
screen OF railing or any protection what
.,,r from the dangers that are - start
r-rfv APPARENT. Upon alighting FROM
,.. trsin Nr. Lewis passed just in adj
yau.. of his aStcr and walked from the
car steps right on TO the iron girter.
A. 70 wa, quite dark, and the dense
foe chat prevailed making 10 all the
moro mvsfifyng. he stepped Oh the
other side Of the sirder thinking he was
to Step upon regular platform passage
,,av. when he plunged a distance OF be-
tween thirty-nve aud forty feet into the
creek below. Hi, sister soon realized
the awful situation, aud became almost
frantic with fright. Her cries soon at
trlctei uuciher OF men To the scene,
and while they went on the mission oi
r..nvrry sh. was escorted 90 Che ladies'
roou Boa the depot where many kind
friends did all boo their power % comfort
l.r
T.. .ce in the creek is quite thick.
and Clio. force Of the fall must have been
t.-r.f.. Only a small break In the Ice
o,. made by the fall aud when the un-
fortunate man was found he was on the
-arac,oi tine ice and insenSible ant al
most doubled up Ia heap. He evident
p, struck ODD bis head, Is the skull was
badly fractured. As he stepped OH the
...rirr near the south pier the body was
r.f far from tAe shore, but the recoV-
srv MAJ. attended with some difficulty,
OWN. ro thr trcacherOus condition OF
t.e.re. Among the first % arrive ON the
..erc acre Chief ~ Police Delbrugge
sad Lieut.. Fr1hme, and the former,
.b..e eliralor.ug % reach the body,
rr.k. through the ice. and disappeared.
lantern and aiI but was heroically
rescued by Lieut. Frohme. BY the
u,.af n'1uks and other contrivanceS,
th- aoIv vas finally taken ashore, and
sth the ala of T.. j. Horn, Abel
S,umpr. Frank Church, Al. Ginger ana
NrhtWatchman Burns. the unfortunate
victim wa, taken mp the bank, across
fte bridge aud into the baggage room,
where Doe was placed on cushions
aud medical attendance Immediately
summoned. Dr. d. II. Taylor was the
nr,t physician % arrive, followed Soou
after bv Dr. Campbell, who made
hl,fv examination of the sufferer, and
SOON found that Doe was beyond all hui
mlu relief he continued to breathe
for SOME time. but his eyes were fixed,
mad death wl, only question OF time.
20, expired 900 ten minutes OF eight
.'rloce Thc>i>ter, almost heart-0roken
IS .tu grief. boo the meantime was taken
to beer home Zoo carriage. The father
1922. notified early by telephone aad ar
rtri u~ta> the slu was breathing his
.ast.
s. passenger who was Zoo the smoking
..r said hr vas coming oUt ON the pat
form about Che same time that MI
L.w., and hiS sister reached the plat
form from the other car, and that when
Nr Lewis started 10 get on the east
side of tho train brakeman VINO was
standing ON the other side OF the plat
form shouted three times, Don get OH
that SIDE Come on this side. During
-tc confusion that prevailed, only the
sister heard the warning. but not until
tle third time. when she started 10 turn
,le other way. and supposed her broth
ef was following just behind. Not near
ia. his footsteps, she looked back ana
aa. Mortified at his sudden disappear
ia.c.
luycN of the fact that passengers
AiJ ior years been getting of the trains
uH tht east side. 10 was only natural
That travellers coming iu at night ana
.u1cluiuteL with the situation should
attempt Goo do likewise. a guard or
railing of some Kind should long since
l-te been placed no this point. Inc
general opinion. last night, was that the
railroad authorities had not taken Such
Precautions as was called for by the
situation. for the protection of the pub
e.. aud there was some very sharp crit
ie.,ia on an sides.
The decreased was 26 years OF age,
and vas most exemplary young man.
iic VAS cigar maker by trade, ana
learned his trade with Hugo LooS. az
forward working for Julius Pollack In
the summer aud attending school al
slorgau,oWu iu the winter lie was
ioud of Studies, and hy dint of hard
steady and careful and systematic plan
ius wac rapidly advancing in the world. /.
lie was taSing course Of studies pre-
i'iaiofy To- the legal profession. lie
"-a taken considerable interest i'm
'nNr'h matters. and was licensed as an
N-'''r5. and was also active in Repub- .
.''u politics. having made several note
N''.Ny speeches 100 gatherings within
-'' -a>. Year or Two. The deceased had
a promising future. and his death will
De- Soreig regretted.
IHE TRAGIC ~cENE REPEATED.
The sorgowial event which happened
in the early evening aud which 50 stir
red up the city was followed by another
horror latter iu theuight. Asthe 1880
train was moving out OF the depot last
t-h, commercial traveller bv the
name Of Richard knight. went over the
,rou srder " death in tine creek below.
iie hai just been talking with Len
schuyler and Bick Sheppard, and also