The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-04
STUMBLED TO DEATH.
G. H. Humphrey Horribly Man.
gled by an Electric Car.
THE RESULT OF A MIssTEP.
while Trying to Board One Car He
Falls Before Another-AImost
Every Bone Broken.

George II. Humphrey, manager at Port
land of the Minneapolis Office and School
Furniture Company, was horribly man.
gied by Fremont car No. II, of the Con-
solidated Street Railway Company, at the
corner of Second and Union streets about
2:30 yesterday afternoon, and died ABOUT
an hour later.
While there are several accounts oil the
cause of the accident, all agree on the fact
that Mr.. Humphrey fell from between the
two tracks across the up track. Car no.
IL was going up when w. III. Lowry, the
motorman. saw him fall on the track
about ten feet in front. Lowry says tnat
the car was not going very fast, and that
he Immediately cut off the current and
applied the brakes, but not in time enough
to avoid striking him. He was struck on
the head by the guard in front OF the
truck, and was dragged six or seven feet,
being rolled underneath the truck and the
wheels. As soon as the car had stopped,
the truck was lifted off him, and the bleed
ing. senseless body was lifted and carried
into q vacant store at the northeast corner
of Second and Union streets.
Drs. Sharples, Heliker and Johnson
soon arrived. and though it was evident
that Humphrey could not survive, they
bound up his battered, bleeding head and
broken limbs. He strove to move his legs,
but they were both broken; an effort to
move his arms was also a failure, for one OF
them was also broken; the twitching OF his
eyelids showed that he was making an at
tempt to open his eyes, and he rolled his
head to and fro, though it was ell cut
open. His lips quivered in an attempt to
speak, and at last he succeeded in family
articulating the cry:
MY Godl My God! What's the mat
ter?'
Then he again became unconscious, the
beating of his heart grew fainter. and at
last life passed away from the bleeding
mass of flesh and bones.
Coroner Horton was by this time on the
scene, and aided by the other physicians.
made hurried examination. He found
both collar bones broken, the second. third
and fourth ribs on the left side over the
heart and the second rib on the right side
were broken, the left side of the pelvis was
disjointed behind, the left pelvic bone was
broken, the left femur was fractured above
the knee, both legs were broken just
above the ankle, the left wrist
sustained compound fracture, there was
a scalp wound on the right side of the
head. exposing the bone, also scalp
wounds above the right eye and above and
below the left eye, and there was
a small wound on the right side of the
chin. While the body was well dressed.
the clothes were torn and smeared with
mud, composed of mingled dust and blood,
and it altogether was horrible spectacle
The body was easily identified as that of
Humphrey by the articles found on it.
There were gold watch and chain and
locket containing the pictures of two little
girls, and check for SIS signed by George
Ill. Humphrey on the Commercial Ma
tional bank, of Portland, 1875 In cash. a
bunch of keys. silver-nickel monkey
wrench, . rubber stamp, pair of sleeve
buttons with the names Minnie and
Blanche cut on them, and memorandum
book.
The body was removed 10 the undertak-
ing. rooms of Bonney & Stewart. where
Coroner Horton viii hold an inquest this
morning.
On Tuesday evening he registered at the
Occidental hotel, George III. Humphrey.
Minneapolis, in q round bsck-hand. His
baggage was taken from the hotel yester-
day afternoon by the coroner.
From ali accounts Humphrey must have
stumbled while In the act of boarding car
No. Is, which was coming from Lake
Union. J. ]. Nease, the conductor, saws
that when the car turned from Pike street
he saw the man standing between the
tracks, facing toward the south-bound
track. and had nearly stopped TO let him
on Humphrey raised his hands, appar-
entity 10 seize the rail, when he fell back
wards on the other track. turning as he
fell. One of the passengers cried out,
oh! the mans killed" but, being on the
opposite side Of his car, he did not see
any more.
Mrs. i. c. AcDiyitt was = passenger On
the Lake Union car, coming south, and
saw the whole occurrence. She was seen
by PosT-IsTE uIGENCEE reporter last
evening, and said
''0ur car was not quite at the crossing
Of Second and Union streets when a man
dressed in light clothes, whom did not
take 20 be over 30 years of age, ran towards
the car from the left-hand side, He came
from fruit stand, | think, near the cor
ner. He saw the Fremont car coming. I
am quite sure. for he ran in order 10 get
on our car before the other one caught up.
Ours was an open car, and the
man raised both hands To take hold
OF the seat in which was
seated when he either slipped or caught
his foot on the step of the car, for he failed
20 grasp the upright, and fell hack across
the track. III never forget the expression
on his face when he slipped. Death was
written in his features. There was horror
depicted in his eyes; he knew he was TO be
killed. and put my hands before my eyes
% shut out the scene which has
been q nightmare 10 me ever since The
lower guard of the Fremont car struck his
head and saw no more. got ont of the
car and tried TO walk away. but WAS too
weak, and had | not been supported by
my nurse, who accompanied ME, believe
should have fallen.
mo blame can be attached 10 any one
for the accident. The motorman shouted.
and heard him shout again after | had
closed my eyes.
l.. III. Griffith, president OF the Consoli-
dated Street Railway Company, said re-
gariing the accident: This is the first
fatal accident that has happened since
the road has been operated. Ii is inn
possible 10 give the cause until a thorough
investigation has been made. The motor
man Of the Fremont car is an experi-
enced man, and the fact that he stopped
his car in six feet is proof of his skill"
Mr.. Humphrey WAS a small man, weigh
ing about ito pounds, and was about As
years old. He was formerly a conductor
for several years on the Chicago. Burling-
ton 4 Quincy railroad. residing al Bur
hngton, Is. He then Travelled for tNelye