The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-22
HALVED BY THE WHEELS
A NEGRO Boys HORRIBLE DEATH
Under AN ELECTRIC CAR

Car on the Bridge SUI Is OVertaken
and Almost Torn to Pieces-The Cars
Jump the Track and Nearly Go Over
the side of the Bridge-Psssenger
Become Panic-stricken and Trample
Each Other Under Foot in Their Eff
forts to Escape From Thre atened
Slaughter-TwoK Known to be Injured
and Others Supposed to ssve Been
Hurt-A Wild Scene Among Men,
Women and Children.
Joseph s. murray, a 9-yesr-old negro boy,
was run over and almost instantly killed ny
Belt Line car No. 81, on the bridge over the
Savannah, Florida and Western railway,
last night about O'Clock.
The accident caused the car to jump the
track, and as it started toward the side OF
the bridge, threatening TO so over INTO
space, the passengers became excited and
Jumped pell neil from the car, falling over
each other 10 every direction. The result
was that Robert c. Wyche was trampled
under foot and considerably bruised on the
arms, and Nancy Frizzsn, an old colored
woman, had her knee injured.
Car No. 81 was in tow Of another car and
was III CuaTk6 VI OOuluCtOE AOONbAH huA
Motorman Latham. 1t was bound north
and had gone up on the bridge about 100
feet when, for some unexplained reason,
she electric current gave out, causing the
car to commence rolling backward.
VAIN RACE FROM DEATH.
Murray had been running after the car
up the bridge to get aboard and when he
saw it start back toward him IL is supposed
the little fellow became frightened, because
be turned and started back down the track
ahead of the car. His diminutive legs, how
ever, were not as rapid as the velocity Of
the descending car and a moment later it
was upon him, despite the efforts Of Con-
ductor Bowers TO check it with the brakes
Murray was knocked down directly
across the east rail, and the first intimation
the passengers, whose faces we're turned the
other way, had that anything out OF the
ordinary was happening was a jolt, fol-
lowed by an earpiercing scream, which
ended abruptly In orunohtng, crushing
sound under their feet.
Before the passengers hardly had time to
realize that human being was horribly
mangled under the wheels the car jumped
the track and began speeding over the
boards to the side, bringing before their
eyes the specter OF a wholesale slaughter in
which they would be the victims should the
car 60 70 the ground below.
PASSENGERS IN A PANIC.
With almost one accord men, women and
children rose up panic-stricken and made
dash from the other side of the car to save
themselves. The scene was one of indie
scribable confusion. Men we're shouting
women screaming aud children crying,
while every one was for himself or herself
The strong did not stop to become heroes in
rescuing the weak, but only thought Of
themselves.
In less time than Il takes 10 tell It the two
cars we're cleared and people we're piled to-
gether on the narrow foot path of the bridge
like a lot OF wreckage. By extraordinary
efforts on the part Of the motorman and
conductors the tow car was brought TO a
standstill just as it knocked a large hole in
the side OF the bridge. 1t was narrow es-
cape, and the motorman and conductors de-
serve credit for the manner in which they
remained at their posts and worked TO pre-
vent greater loss Of life, which would
surely have occurred had the cara gone over
theside Of the bridge.
MURRAY CUT IN TWO.
As soon as the cars were stopped every~
body turned their attention to finding out
what had become OF the child under the
wheels. They found him lying under the
tow car car length from where he went
down 70 his horrible death.
As the little fellows body was pulled ont
the sight which met the gaze of the fright
ened passengers and those who had been
attracted by the accident was enough
almost TO nauseate the strongest stomach.
The wheels had struck him across the abb
domen and cut him almost in two. Pieces
of flesh we're scattered about the planks of
the bridge, and portions OF the child's in
testines were sticking to the rail, while all
that was left Of his little mangled frame
was so thoroughly saturated with blood
that the black skin was changed to q bright
red. A stream OF blood was running down
the fange of the rail for about ten feet, ad-
ding horror TO the tragedy. More than one
In the crowd turned off with a sickenipg
feeling.
THE INQUEST TO BE HELD TODAY.
Supt. Saussy went to the scene Of the &C.
cident at once and notified Acting Coroner
Naughtin of Murray's death That official
gave permission for the removal of the
child's body to his mothers home at No G
st. james street. and postponed the in
quest until this morning. Supt. Saussy then
had the body taken home by a couple OF
the employees of the Belt Line and put a
force at work TO replace the cars on the
track. After considerable work this wa:
accomplished and the cars were started
over the bridge as usual
The accident created considerable excite
ment in the neighborhood where ID occurred
and In short time the bridge was block
hoeQ with whites and blacks anxious to gee
where and how the boy had met his tragic
death.
CARRYING OFF BLOODY RELICS.
Some Of the negroes carried Off the ren-
nants of his blood-besmeared garments
which were scattered about promiscuously.
The news Of the tragedy of the bridge
was not generally known through the citv
last night and few If any of the hundreds
OF passengers who passed over it after 8
o'clock we're aware that one Of the rails be-
meath them was red with the blood of a
fellow being.
The injuries Of Wyche and Nancy Fritz
zell are not Of a serious character and they
Will be all right in a few days. A number
their efforts to escape from the oars hnt
made no report Of them to the compsnyis
officers Acting Coroner Naughtin will
closely investigate everything connected
with the accident to-day.