Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-23
ATTEMPTED MURDER.
4 WATERMAN THROWN FROM A HIGH
RAILROAD TREsTlE.


DANvII.LE. VA. january 22.-(special)
About three quarters of q mile from the
depot. in North Danville. on the Virginia
midland, is a long and very high trcstle.
The Richmond and Danvillc Company
Keep a man stationed there as tender
OF the trestle. not only TO keep people
rom passing over. but to see that pass
ang trains do not set the woodwork on
fire
The watcher Is william J. Coleman, O
white man. and he has held this place
long time. Coleman has passed the
middle age in life. IS married. and has
large family. lie has had much trou-
Ole lately owing TO young negroes jump
ing on and off the moving trains. and
which Is against the rules Of the company.
he complained Co the Iolice authorities
OF North Danville, and the upshot was
that one OF the negroes named jim
stamps alias Jim Crack" WAS arrested
ana was tried In the Mayors Court on
saturday. Coleman appearing against Tim.
stamps was very impudeat. and denied
Soieman's statements made In court to
such an extent that the Mayor had TO
take hand in defence OF the witness.
HAD A DIFFICULTY.
Coleman some time back hal DIM
Guilty with another negro. The latter
was getting the better OF him. when Cole
mans wife interfered and laid the negro
out with baseball bat. The negro
threatened TO have vengeance.
Two trains passed over this trcstle in
the early morning-between S ar.d 8
o'clock-bound North. within fifteen min
utes of each other. The FIRST train passed
yesterday morning before Coleman
reached the trestle from hiJ house. 200
or 800 yards distant.
KNOCKED FROM THE TRESTlE.
On reaching the sentry-box he got out
some wood. with which 10 start fire,
and was cutting IL on the end of the tire
on the outside OF the guard-rail when the
second train passed. A snort time after
the train passed Coleman was found sove-
raj feet from where he had been stand
ing bleeding profusely from the nostrils
apd mouth. and unconscious. He was
taken to his home and medical aid sum
noned. The doctors could find 10
abrasion on the head or compression Of
the skull. but there was a tenderness
over the left ear. as though Coleman
had been struck with sandbag. and
the skull fractured at the base. A small
boy said he saw the train strike the
man. but that was almost impossible for
he was too far from IL In the first place.
and secondly, he was not dragged from
his position. but he fell backward from
where he was standing A colored man
said he saw Stamps strike Coleman with
some kind OF an instrument. but could
not tell what 1t was. The police were
notified In the afternoon of the occurrence.
and are viewing the ground and quizzing
some OF the people near by. They are
satisfied that IL was a murderous assault,
and botn negroes are suspected.
Coleman rcgained partial consciousness
last night He cannot tell how he was
struck, but said to-day that he was not
struck by train. lie complains OF his
head and breast. The doctor believes that
the blow was given by the outgoing train.
The police have made no arrests.
The funeral OF the late John Proctor
Hart took place from Man-Street Metho-
dist church yesterday afternoon, and al
though the weather was bad was largely
attended. The service was conducted 10y
the pastor, Rev. Or. Edwards, and the
remains escorted TO the cemetery by the
Pythlan and Odd-Felow lodges.
NARROW ESCAPE.
Yesterday afternoon on the arrival Of
the train from Lynchburg, and when
near the depot In North Danville a
white boy about u years Of age walked
deliberately Inv front of the engine and
was just grazed by the fender-beam. The
engineer blew quick blast end the train
stopped. The boy walked off, not having
received any serious injury. His escape
from being crushed beneath the wheels
OF the ponderous engine was miracle
The foundation for the new flouring-mlll
in North Danvlle has been completed
and work on the building has commenced.
II will be a great structure when com
pleted. and will turn out hundreds OF
barrels of flour daily.