Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-06-17
Shocking Accident !!
William Sigler Ground to Death
by Freight Train.
ASLEEP ON THE TRACK.

When the sun rose over the peace
full old village of Shepherdstown last
Sunday morning it shone upon qui-
ct country scene, in which it seemed
that trouble could not easily find its
way. Yet there were few homes where
shadow did not rest, where there
was not an indefinable, solemn feeling
of calamity. For a young man, full
of life and vigor, whose face had been
a familiar one upon our streets since
early childhood, stood in the shadow
of the scaffold Justly, it is true, and
by his own act yet sympathy for him
and for his family touched every
heart, and his fellow. citizens could not
help but share the trouble and the
pain.
But the story was not complete.
Another familiar life had suddenly
gone out, like the snuffing Of can
die. The news spread over the town
very early in the morning that Will
liam Sigler, who had on Saturday left
home in the full vigor Of splendid
physical manhood, had been brought
back here crushed out of all sem
blance to humanity-a dismembered,
bleeding corpse.
The story is as follows:
Mr.. j. w. Sigler left his home in
Shepherdstown Saturday to attend
the Smooth trial at Charlestown. He
remained there all day, and unfortu-
nately drank more than he ought to
have done. He was last seen alive be-
tween and 8 o'clock at night. Ac-
cording to the most reasonable theo-
ry, he started for the n. Il w. station
to take the train for home that ar
rives here about half-past 0 o'clock.
At the edge of Charlestown, where
the roads fork, it is supposed he took
the dirt road leading to Berryville in
stead of keeping in the road leading
to the station. He went on until he
came to the railroad crossing, and
then walked down the railroad until
he came to cattle guard, about
mile and a-half south of CharlestOwn.
Here he either fell down or sat down
in the middle of the railroad track
and went to sleep About II o'clock
freight train No. 70, sOuthbound on
G., w Dailnno1 thnn1ar-
ing down the rails. The engineer saw
the man sitting there, but human Ell
forts could not stop the heavy train
in time. The engine and all the cars
passed over the unfortunate man,
grinding and tearing his body to a
bloody mass, completely severing the
head from the body. The train was
stopped, the remains gathered in a
sheet and taken back to Charlestown,
where in the course Of a couple OF
hours someone identified the face as
that of Mr.. Sigler. The dreadful APP
pearance of the corpse sickened those
who beheld it, and the operator at
Charlestown became so i'll that he had
to go to bed. The remains were
placed in a coffin and made as pre-
sentable as possible, and sent toShep-
herdstown on the early morning train,
his wife having been previously no
titled by telegraph of the sad occur
renee.
1t was necessary to bury the body
as soon as possible, and at 3 o'clock
the funeral was held at the house by
Revs. J. r. Van Horne and ID. Nj. Moser
The interment was in Elmwood Gem
etery, and was attended by a large
concourse of people.
Mr.. j. w. Sigler was Al years and .
months of age, and was aperfect spec
linen of physical manhood. He was
a man of great amiability and kind
ness of heart, and his neighbors tell
many stories of his goodness in time
of sickness or distress. He leaves n
wife and three boys to mourn his
death. They have the sympathy of
the whole community in their misfor-
tune.