Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-25
SEPARATED FOREVER.
A Freight Train Dashes Between a
Pair of Lovers and
THE EXPECTANT BRIDE is KILLED.
Her Companion Locked Up to Await Further
Investigation.
HIS FRIENDS BELIEVE him INNOCENT

Miss Maria James. young girl from
Frankstown, employed as domestic at
Arthur's Hotel, Southside, was killed Sat-
urday night while walking with her af-
fanced husband, Michael Pryle. The cir
cumstances surrounding the case are such
that he is prisoner, awaiting the action of
the coroner's jury
Miss James and Pryle have been engaged
to marry for several months and the we'd
ding day was set for the 18th of next June.
Saturday evening he called for her after
her work at the hotel was done, and they
started out for walk, going out Carson
street, as was their usual custom, and re-
turning by way of the Pittsburg, McKees-
port and Youghiogheny Railroad. 1t was
about 1880 o'clock when they reached the
foot of South Thirty y-third street, when, ac-
cording to the statements of Pryle. West
bound freight train came speedily along
and was almost upon them before they
observed its approach. Pryle stepped to
one side of the track and the young girl
jumped to the other, next the river. When
the train had passed Pryle says he could
not see the young lady. Becoming alarmed
he called her name, but as there was no
response he made search for her and found
her lying face downward at the end of
steep ten-foot embankment on the river side
of the track Blood was flowing from three
cuts on the left side of her head near the
base of the brain and she was unconscious.
He says he attempted to carry her up tie
embankment, but on account of the snow
and ice failed, and left her lying on the
ground while he ran for assistance.
The Men Had Suspicious.
The first man he met was William Dry
den, on Carson street, to whom he briefly
related the story. Dryden wakened his
friend Frank Sankey, who lived near by,
and the three men returned to where the
girl lay, still unconscious They carried
her up the embankment and laid her on
some railroad ties, after which Pryle offered
to run for a doctor, The other men were
suspicious, and to avoid mistakes Dryden
told Pryle to remain with Sankey while
he went for DIR. Kerr. The doctor
wrapped his overcoat about the
unconscious form of the girl and at his
suggestion the patrol wagon was called, in
which she was taken to the Southsde Hos
Lieutenant johnson and locked up
The girl died without having recovered
consciousness at 2:30 yesterday morning.
Her remains will be prepared tor burial and
removed to the residence of her brother,
Hopkin James, Greenfield avenue, Twenty
third ward.
Coroner Mcdowell was notified Yesterday
morning. A jury was impaneled and an in
vestigation begun. Owing to the circum-
stances surrounding the case the Coroner
ordered Pryle held until the inquest.
The Wounds Tell No Story.
The three wounds on the back of Miss
James head could have been inflicted by
blunt instrument, by fall such as
she might have received by slipping
down the embankment, or by being struck
by the passing train. Two of the cuts are
deep and one is only slight No indications
gest foul play could be found except the
nature of the cuts on the young woman's
head. She was plump, fne-looking per-
son, bore good reputation and was popular
among her acqusintances.
At the Hotel Arthur, on South Twenty |
seventh street, 1t was learned that Pryle |
called for the girl at s o'clock, and the
couple started in the direction of Sarah |
street They returned about $50 o'clock,
and after conversing few moments again |
walked IN the direction of Sarah street. |
Martha, has been in my employ since |
March last, and was most faithful Young |
girl. She came from Wales only a year |
ago last Christmas, and was 10 years |
old. She never divulged any |
or the girls. We all knew |
she was keeping company with Mr.. |
Pryle, but did not know how far their love |
affair had gone. never allow the girls to i
receive company at the house, and they /
always took walk in the evenings. Where |
they went 1 don't know. They have been
keeping company the past six months, ans:
seemed to think great deal of each other"
Mary Gamble, young friend Of the dead |
girl, who lives on Jane street, stated that
she saw the couple on Sarah street after 10
o'clock.
Pryle is % years old and lives with his
parents at No Ill South Twenty-sixth
street. He is employed in Jones & Laugh
Inns mill and has been a steady worker He
has good reputation and his friends give
no thought to the foul play theory.
Has a Good Opinion of Pryle.
Samuel Haughey, one of his friends, said:
'fPryle and have been great friends and
know he was a steady man. He thought !
great deal of Miss James and has often told
me that he might marry her. L cannot be-
lieve the affair was anything but an acc-
dent. He helped to support his parents
and they got the greater part of his monthly
wages
Pryle's mother IS almost broken down with
grief She stated that the couple were en-
gagged to be married in June next The
railroad officials say that no report of an
accident had been made by the crews, but
two freight trains had passed the
point where the accident happened,
about the time given by Pryle
DIR. j. P. Kerr does not believe in the foul
play theory. He said: MY idea of the
girls death is that she cleared the track
and was unable to stop before going over
the embankment. She fell backward down
the embankment aud struck the back of her
head on the frozen ground. The shock to
the nervous system was the direct cause of
death. She was undoubtedly senseless the
instant she received the blow. There were
no indications which would lead me to be-
lieve that anything of criminal nature
took place"