The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-10
DIR. BESEDIoTs TRAGIC DEATH
He Passed Away in a Patrol Wagon
While Being Taken to Hts Home.

He Passed Away In a Patrol Wagon
While Being Taken to HIS Home.
The sad death Of Rev. DR.. Samuel Bene-
dict, formerly rector Of st. Johns church.
in this city. by an elevator accident in Gin
cinnati Monday. has already been an
nounced in the MORNING NEWS. The Gin
cinnati Enquirer prints a three-column
account of the accident.
No minister was better known in the
west than Dr.. Benedict. For years he had
been the pastor OF st. Paul's church. He was
q hard worker, as he presided over the
| largest congregation in Cincinnati and sell
| dom took vacation. The hard work be-
gan TO tell on him. Two weeks ago his con-
| gregation prevailed upon him to take
rest. He accepted the offer and decided
upon a trip to Europe. He was to have
left next week and was to have been gone
four months.
Rev. F. W. Baker of Covington, KY,
was selected to occupy DR.. Benedict's pull
pit during his absence. In order to ac-
quaint his successor with the members of
the congregation DR.. Benedict had for sew
eral days been tmaking pastoral calls with
him. and 1t was while doing this that be met
his terrible death.
The two clergymen were calling on one OF
DR.. Benediet's parishioners in the San
Rafael building, and we're descending In
Cured. The only person in the car besides
the clergymen was the conductor, colored
man. When the two gentlemen entered the
conductor asked: "Up or down" and both
said, Down"
The door was closed, the lever was moved
backward and the car shot down. When
about three feet from the first floor the con-
| ductor said Dr. Benedict stopped down and
| opened the door, which is caught by spring
| lock, like oil elevator doors. The car was
still moving and was good distance from
| the floor. The conductor 50 W that there was
danger Of the minister being injured, so he
showed his arm across the door and said:
"Wait one moment, please"
BY that time the elevator was at the first
| floor and the door was open.
| Ii was then the accident occurred. How
1t occurred will perhaps never be absolutely
| known.
| Just as the conductor showed his arm
| across the door and cautioned DR.. Benedict,
the car suddenly shot up. 1t went in
| rapid manner, and before any one could
warn the pastor OF his danger his head
struck the top of the doorway and he was
| knocked down. Mr.. Baker attempted TO
catch hold Of the minister, but was unsuc
| cessful. The falling Of the pastor caused
| Mr.. Baker to be thro WI back on the seat,
and DR.. Benedict fell to the floor. His feet
and legs were thrown out of the door. The
| left leg was thrown in the space between
the car aud the wire screen. His right leg
was caught between the car and the heavy
iron rod that is used for the wheels of
the door to slide upon. The conductor was
unable to stop the car, and the unfortunate
man was dragged in this position TO about
half way between the second and third
floors. At poins near the third floor the
conductor succeeded in stopping the car
An effort was made to pull the pastor
back in the car and run it down, but his
leg had been caught in the wire In such a
manner that 1t could not be done. The wire
was chopped away with Ratchet and Dr.
Benedict was then pulled back ON the car,
which YVES run down to the first floor. He
was carried cut in the hall and laid on the
stone floor with pillow under his head.
He was given a stimulant. and a call was
sent IN for patrol wagon. and the bleeding
and crushed form Of the aged divine was
carried to his home. When the
injured man was carried into the
house and taken upstairs it
was found that life had fed while the
wagon was hurrying with him to his wife
and daughter. Death was no doubt due to
loss of blood. The right leg was crushed in
horrible manner above the knee. There
was compound fracture of the bone and
that the blood fairly poured from it. The
left leg was lacerated and bruised and the
shoulder blades were dislocated. There
was also a large cash on the top of the
head which produced a fracture OF the
base of the brain.
While the physicians said that death was
due to the loss of blood. yet they said any one
OF the other injuries as necessarily fatal
The accident is a sad one in many re-
spects. Next week DR.. Be ledict's daughter
was to be married to c. p. Hepburn, Esq. q,
a well-known attorney of Cincinnati. The
cards were ready to be sent out and great
preparations were being made for the event.
The day following DIR. Benedict's death was
his 69th birthday, and he was getting ready
for family celebration. Then he was 10
take his trip to Europe.
| DR.. Benedict's funeral took place in
Marietta yesterday, and his body was laid
| to rest in the Episcopal cemetery. The
| funeral services to-day were conducted by
Rev. c. T. A. Pise. rector of st. James
church, Marietta; Rev. Drs. Tinsley and
| Pise of Cincinnati, and Rev. H. K. Rees.
| The marriage of the dead pastors
daughter and Mr.. Hepburn will take place
| in St. James church at Marietta to-day.
The bride and groom will leave for Savan-
nah tonight or tomorrow, and will sal
from here for New York by the Nacoochee
Monday.