Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-07

He Threw Himself In front Of an Electric
Car.

RE cIRcuxsrAxcss uxDxn WEIGH rnx SAD
EVENT occuRaED-rHx MoroRMAx ARREsrHD,
BUT TIE PASSENGERS AcouIr HIN OF sLAnE.
Instant death has divorced Frank K. Ward
from his wife forever, and the proceedings
pending in court between the broken-hearted
wife and the husband Of many misfortunss will
not again be heard, unless il Is to suggest to
the court the death Of the defendant He was
killed last night about . o'clock by one Of the
electric cars on the Brightwood railroad. The
scene Of the killing was at q point only short
distance from where the Rock Creek Church
road turns Oh from 7th street, and. although
Ward was one Of the best known mon in the
city, he was not recognised for nearly an hour
after the sad ending OF such . varied life.
Car No. 7, Of which Neil N. Sweet was motor
man. was the vehicle OF death. and the victim
probably never knew what struck him The
car was on ito way to the city at the time Of the
accident and the motOrman had rung his bell
short distance from where the accident hap
pensd. TO warn persons on the Rock Creek
church road Of the approach Of the car.
Frank X. Ward was within hearing distance of
the sound Of the bell, but he did not hear its
warning, and the result was that ne was struck
and his body terribly mangled. Although he
was disemboweled and one arm was nearly
torn from the body his face sustained no in
juries to prevent recognition.
THE FATAL ACCIDENT.
A the car crossed Rock Creek Church road
the track was lighted far enough ahead for the
mo:orman to see the form Of man leaning
against one Of the iron poles which support tho
wires. There was nothing unusual about this,
although the motorman lessened his speed. and
when the pole was reached the car was going at
u slow rate.
When within three or four feet Of the trolley
poe the motorman reversed the current aad
applying the breaks stopped the car before it
had gone many feet. But it was too late, for
the man, who to all appearances had deliber-
caught beneath tue wheel and instantly killed
Then the car was backed, and lying across
the track was the horribly mangled body Of the
victim. His clothing had been torn from his
body, but the mangled parts had been left COW
cred with the dead mans undergarments, and
the occurrence saw nothing except the covered
body. The face vas turned toward the ground.
Mounted Policeman Matthews was the first
officer to reach the scene and he telephoned for
the patrol wagon. In the meanwhile two more
cars arrived and the passengers were obliged
the track, which was not done until the arrival
OF the patrol wagon in charge of Officer Thomp-
son.
THE BODY IDENTIFIED.
Mr.. VIM. Hart Of the Washington Gas Light
Company, who had been attending the citizens
meeting at Brightwood, was among the passen-
hicted the death blow, and at a single glance
he identified the remains Of the dead man as
being those OF Mr.. Ward.
The identification was disputed, but Mr. Hart
remembered that one of Mr.. Wards fingers
was missing and an examination Of his hand
and then letters bearing the name Frank K
Ward" confirmed the Identification.
The body was placed on q stretcher and lifted
to the patrol wagon. The motorman, Sweet.
was placed under arrest, and he went in the
patrol wagon to the eighth precinct station and
the body was removed to the morgue
Persons on the car, as well a. those along tho
line Of the road, made statements exonerating
the motorman, but the officer had to perform
his duty and make the arrest.
ACCIDENT Oh SUICIDE.
The question Of whether the death was the
result Of an accident due to intoxication or
whether 1t was q case Of suicide was discussed
BY those who assembled near the scene Of the
killing last night, and more than majority of
the persons there were Of the opinion that it
was . case Of suicide. Ward had been In the
county during the day and more than one per-
son who saw him discovered that he was under
the influence Of liquor.
The fact that Ward was not in the best mental
condition Is evidenced by the finding Of his
horse and buggy some distance from Rock
Creek Church road. and also the finding of the
lap robe on the car track more than one hun
dred feet ahead Of the place where the killing
took place.
Policeman Matthews had seen Ward at one of
the "wine houses on the road earlier in the
evening and he was then considerably under
the influence Of liquor. Ward showed how
nicely he had trained his horse to follow him.
He was 30 much under the influence of LIQUOR
that the officer advised him TO 60 home aud had
some trouble in attempting to persuade him to
return home.
CANE OUT TO BURY MAN.
~ came out here to bury man." he told the
officer, land buried one Wednesday,
Not knowing Ward the officer thought he was
an undertaken, and as he started down the road
the officer feared he would come in contact
with the cars.
Passengers on the car stated that at the time
OF the killing the car was not going at a fast
rate OF speed
Motormsn Sweet was an experienced man in
that line OF business. having been connected
with the lexington electric road for some time.
He had been on tho Brightwood road for only
about two weeks.
The horse and buggy belonging to the de-
ceased were found near Sheridan avenue, more
than square from Rock Creek Church road,
and vera taken to the station before the killing
took place. Late last night, whom the deceased 8
brother called at the station to learn of the de-
tails of his brothers death, the horse and buggy
were turned over to him.
AT PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL.
Several months ago Mr.. Ward was confined
in Providence Hospital for some days suffer-
ing, it was reported, from an injury to his
leg received by slipping on the ice while in
New York. He had been in the hospital several
days before his whereabouts were made known,
and then the story Of being injured in New
York was told. There was something mystic
rious about the affair, and even among some of
his friends the story was not believed
Last night after he was killed 1t was reported
that at the tine Of that injury he was not in New
York, but was injured in front of Amans
saloon, on 9th street, about o'clock in the
morning.
HE was out with John L. Sullivan that
night" said a man to o STAB reporter, and
when they reached Aman's saloon and were un-
able to get in they got into q wrangle and the
result was that three Of Wards ribs were
injured. These are the facts in the case and
they can DO proved by the cabman who had
been driving them about the city,"
CARRIE OF TIE DECEASED.
The deceased was one Of the best-known men
in the city, and at one time was regarded as one
OF the most enterprisinR and pushing in busi-