The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-02-02
HORRIBLY MANGLED
A Business Man Struck by
a Freight Train
And His Remains Strewn Along
the Track for Half a Mile.
Awful Death of Christopher
wilde, the Hardware Mer-
chant, Wednesday Night.

While Driving Home HIS Rig is Struck
by Valley Train BACKING Down From
North Industry-Acing Coroner Reig-
ner Investigating.
~ am looking for my father, :" said a lad
about fifteen years Uf age as ne came UP
TO a group of men on ths Valley raiiroad
about 8 O'clock Wednesday night, at a
point about two miles south OF the city.
"Supper mas been waiting for long
time and mother sent me out TO see II L
could see anything OF him. L though
maybe he had been hit by the cars at the
crossing.n The boy was Warren, tue son
of Christopher Wilde, and al tbo moment
the lad was looking for him, tue taLheT's
remains lay in blanket few feet dis
taut manglod and crushed out Ct oil
human resemblance, wlsn every p2rUcic
OF life gone forever.
Christopher Wilde was man about
forty five years OF age, VITO kept hard.
ware store AZ No. l6i Soutl Market street.
He resided about two miles south OF the
city on the right hand eide VI South Cher>
ry street extension, alu every evening
after closing the store he drove home 20
be with his family. "Wednesday night he
started for nis flreside as usunl but before
reaching there, aud when within quarter
OF a mile of hone, he was made the vic
been brought to the attention OF the
Canton public for some time. He drove
down the easS North Industry road to the
road from Shocks mills to Shocks school
house and then started eost. In ravine
between two hills the Valley railway
passes over the road and the crossing is
known 10 be one of the most dangerous in
she county. Daniel Davis was killed there
less than eighteen moutbs ago and Daniel
uelzel also lost his life at the same place
within the past year.
As Mr.. Wilde was driving homewsrd q
freight train came pushing southward on
the track, backing down toward North
Industry. The train could not pe seOn
from the road aud either M. Wilde did
not hear il or heard it aud attempted 10
At all events the train aud driver nat upon
the crossing. The horse hsd
gotten nearly across but was
struck on the rump and killed, The
wagon was demolished and the driver sent
under the wheels. he was cut in Two ia
the middle and tho body ground 70 pieces.
One arm was cut off ,one foot severed and
the whole body crushed and scattered
along the track.
Three brothers named Serex, living
nearby. saw the accident and came up the
track and the train backed up TO the scene
OF the tragedy. The SereX boys end train.
men failed TO identify toe corpse but Jonn
Wagner, a neighbor, VINO now came upon
the scene recogniz sd che features OF the
hardware man,
The train backed up into the yards and
Mr.. Wagner telephoned for the coroner.
Coroner CoplSlin beiag in Columbus az
tending the State Board OF Health meet
ing, had appointed Justice Regner to look
after the business and in company with
the corouer's son, the squire went down
at once and the work of gathering up the
remains WAS undertaken.
The wagon cover served as a blanket,
and pieces of the body were found ali
along the track for about half mile.
The head and chest were found
about sixty feet from the crossing.
an arm was found near by, foot was
down the road several rods and about L
quarter of q mile away the two legs were
picked up. The heart, liver and other
internal organs we're found along the
track where they bad ooen thrown into
the snow and frI 2 N sEiH. All were piGcsd
in tbs blanket, together with pieces Of
clothing and papers and letters which Le
carried with him.
As tue searching party were going along
the track a little square piece of cloth
looking like pocket was seen ard, az
the object was to gsI everything, il was
picked up and thrown into the blanket
with the rest. The life's blood Of the uu-
fortunate man had soaked the open end
of the pocket, which il proved to be, and
the
shut by freezing the same TO ice. The
little bunch remained unuot cel until the
body wac brought to SChiIIing's uuderGak.
ing rooms by their ambulance when in
examining the contents Of the b,anE ct the
pocket WAS found to contain money, Ihere
being 1927 in good Uaited States green
backs in the bundle. Had the little insig-
nihcant looking patch been left ct the
track some railroad pedestrian would
probably have made q rich find. a bank
book was found along the track showing
about $500 to his credit in the
Central Savings bank. An insurance res
ceipt WAS also fOunG, showing thaG he
carried life insurance. His watch was
found near his body, and iE was going, az
If nothing had happened.
Grant Knight, Ine engineer, said that he
was driving at a very rapid rate when the
train struck him.
Mr.. Wilde was a sober, industrious
aud good nAtured maU, an excellent citi-
zen and good husband and father. He
is spoken of highly by ell who knew him,
and he has large circle OF frenls and
acquaintancgs.
He leaves wife and two children,
Anna, young lady about twenty years
of age, wno is employed by Trump's soDs
as q steuogsapher, and Warren, aged fife
teen years.
The remains were brought 20 this city
and prepared for burial by Undertaken
Schiliing, and they will be taken home
today. The coroneT's inquest will be held
this afternoon by Acting Coroner ReigDeE.