Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-06-19
AWFUL ACCIDENT.
tldridge G. Eames and Wife
Swept to Eternity
AT CARBON CLIFF CROSSING.

AT CARBON CLIFF CROSSING.
While Driving Home From the store on
Saturday Evening They Are Run Down
by a Rock Island Passenger Train = Both
Are Instantly Killed - Details of the
Sad AFFAIR - The Coroner,s Inouest and
the Verdict The Funeral.
One of the most shockinglv sad ia
talltles that has ever taken place in
this vicinity occurred in Carbon Cliff
on Saturday evening, whereby Ed
ridge q. Eames and wife met an aw-
full fate by being run down and in
stantly killed by west bound pas
senger train the c.. r. l. & p
about S:45. Mr.. and Mrs Eames,
who resided on farm a short dis
lance out of Carbon Cliff, had been
at Corbin's store trading during the
evening. They got into a single bug
gy and started for home, but reached
the railroad crossing just as the first
section of train No. 10. pulled by en-
CINE 915 in charge of Engineer Will
liam Shehan, came along. Accord
ing to the bulk of the testimo-
ny before the coroner's inquest
no whistle was sounded nor was
the engine bell ringing. The
train was running at high rate of
speed and before the Inflated couple
had any warning whatever the en-
CINE was upon them. Both were
killed outright. The body of Mr..
Eames was found on the pilot of the
picked up near the track about so
feet from the crossing. The horse
! was killed and the buggy completely
demolished. The bodies were placed
in the depot and word sent to Coro-
ner Halves, who went up yesterday
morning and held the inquest.
The Inquest.
A Jury was empanneledcompo of
c. Corbin, foreman. W. r. Carey, c.
| l.. Williams, n. F. Carey. j. l.. Muir
raw and Gustav Meeske and the in
quest was held in the depot there.
| The first witness examined was F. j.
Ball, station agent at Carbon Cliff.
He testified to his having been at
O'Brien Il Co.'S store Il short distance
| away at the time of the accident.
| The first he knew of it was when he
| heard the engine whistle five times
| to send flagman back. this being
after the accident occurred. Witness
| then went to the station and notified
| the chief train dispatcher of what
had occurred. According to the rules
of the company. witness stated that
the train should not have stopped at
that station.
The next witness was John o 'Brien.
of Carbon Cliff. He was sitting on
the porch in front of Corbin's store.
He did not hear the train whistle or
ring the bell. and was sure the bell
did not ring. He saw Mr.. and
Mrs Eames leave in their buggy and
90 toward the crossing. Seeing the
train approaching witness became
alarmed for their safety, and ran
around the depot. Before he got
around he found the train had passed,
but did not see the buggy on the
road beyond the depot. He then
went to the crossing where he found
the horse and little further on the
buggy lying between the double
tracks. and Mrs. Games lying dead.
Witness called to j. l.. Murray who
was just behind him and told him
what he had found, Mrs. Eames
when found was lying with her face
down, the top of her head being ter
riblv crushed. Witness did not see
Mr.. Eames' body until the train
backed up when he saw it lying on
the front of the engine.
William p Barley, an engineer
residing at Carbon Cliff, was the
next witness. He-was in the M. w.
A. lodge room and saw Mr.. and Mrs.
Eames leave the store. He also
heard the approach of the train and
knew they would be apt to meet it.
He could see the crossing from where
he sat, and when the train passed he
saw something like flash of light.
Witness hurried to a window and
saw something between the tracks.
He then ran down and found the
body as before stated. Witness heard
the engine whistle for the crossing,
but did not hear any bell.
Condition of the Victims.
Undertaken Charles X. Wheelan
then testified as to the nature of the
injuries He found Mrs. Eames' in
juries to be principally about the
head. the whole back portion of
which was torn away. Mr.. Eames'
right leg was broken at the ankle,
and his head also terribly crushed.
. l. s,x-t