The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-07-21
GROUND UP BY THE WHEELS
George II. Martin, Supposed 10 Be q
Bricklayer, Killed by Motor Car.
Looked Much Like Case of Suicide Motor
man Under Arrest, Charged with
Manslsughter.

Another fatal street-railwsy accident oc.
CURED last night near the corner of Wash
ineton and New Jersey streets. George III.
Martin was struck by west bound irving
ton electric car and mangled and bruised
in a horrible manner. He died instantly.
Many people witnessed the accident, and
stories as to the exact occurrence are
varied.
About go o'clock Iryington motor No.
156. approached the New Jersey-street
crossing from the west. People standing
man walk from the north side Of
the street. leisurely and apparently
unaware of the near approach of the car.
He looked neither TO the right nor left. but
stepped upon the track just few feet in
front of the motor. In ON instant there
was a humping sound and an object that
resembled a round bundle of rags was seen
to revolve and bounce beneath the wheels.
1t was dragged perhaps fifty or a hundred
feet before the car could be stopped, and
with much difficulty the mass of mangled
human flesh was removed to the side OF the
track. The CHASTITY object attracted thou
sands of people to the scene. but no one ap-
peared to recognize the victim.
After q time some one found q package
of papers on the dead mans person. among
which were letters which bore the name of
George II. Martin. No street number was
given. and one of the envelopes was ad-
dressed to Indianapolis and the other to
Lafayette. Finally man In the crowd
recognized the body as that of George
Martin. brlckiayer. but nothing fur
Their could be learned. The body had
been terribly cut up by the wheels, and
death must have been instantaneous.
The car passed over the body, severlng il
In twain, and the head had been dashed
against the pavement until 1t WAS mashed
and bruised To q Jelly. Whltsetts ambu-
lance removed the remains To the morgue
and the coroner was notified or the acci-
dent. The next move was the arrest OF the
mOtOrman. William Gilbert. By police
Captain Dawson. Gilbert was locked up
OH the charge OF manslaughter.
Scores of people who witnessed the accl-
dent assert that Martin deliberately walked
upon the track as If he contemplated what
would follow. and many are resolute in the
belief that he chose this awful manner Of
ending his life. Others state that the car
was travelling at O high rate OF speed and
the man had no chance To get out OF the
way. One man who saw the affair states
that for some time before it Oc-
CURED Martin stood on the corner
in conversation with q woman. and at the
approach OF the car left her and started to
cross the track. A lady, Mrs Hutfner. Tho
Washington, made the statement that
Martin was standing on the track when he
saw the car coming and stepped of, but
Immediately retraoed his steps. William
Gilbert. the motormaD, has his story OF the
gruesome work as follows:
II did not see any thing on the track until
we struck. l was not running al an IN
usual rate of speed, and elowed up slightly
a. New Jersey street. as ia the custom.
When l reached the first pole west OF the
crossing saw something ahead. but did
not know il was u man until the car was
stopped. The object that saw seemed to
be sitting down by tho pole and straight
ened up as we struck it. heard a peculiar
humping under the car. aud. of course.
knew i was running over something. Then
i reversed the motor and lnthe excitement
started up again."
Gilbert was much cast down st the po-
lice station. and anXiously inquired If the
victim of the accident had O family. Some
one answered in the negative, and she
motorman, with sigh or relief, exclaimed:
well, that lifts q great load Oft my mind"
Gilbert resides at lrvington. and Is one OF
the oldest men in the service Of the con-
pany. A committee of the brotherhood,
accompanied by superintendent Boyd, Sc
cured his release on bond last night
luo uobU udu 10 dpphIcutly bUOub
years old. His clothing was of ordinary
quality and after the style of @ Iaborer.
although his hands did not have the APP
pearsnce of having been used to rough
work. Among the papers found on his per
son was q receipt from the Indianapolis
Gas Company. also q receipt from the city
treasurer of Lafayette, authorizing
George III. Martin to canvass the
city IN the interest of pic
ture enlarging firm. A peculiar
feature of the accident is shown by the
statement of the motorman that he did not
see the man until he was struck. The light
on the head end of the car shone brilliantly
ahead. hence the only explainable
theory of the obscure surroundings Is at
tributed to the poorly lighted condition of
the streets. The bartender at Peter Con-
way saloon positively states that the city
lights had not yet been turned on when
the accident happened, and he is corrob-
Grated by others.
The idea advanced By many that Martin
cOurted death in this way recalls an o.
curence of few mon Ghs ago when q man
named Martin attempted To- throw himself
IN front of q mule car on Virginia avenue
and was captured after a fierce struggle
and sent to police headquarters. There Is
strong probability that the would be sui.
eide and the successful one are Identical