Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-29
Three Young Boys Run Down by a
Train at Riverdale.
REMAINS SCATTERED ALONG TIE TRACK
The Bodies Not Discovered Until
Yesterday Morning.
TESTIMONY AT THE INQUEST

created considerable excitement among the
people Of R;verda1e. Hyattsville and the
ne:ghboring villages yesterday. and caused
the deepest sympa thy to be felt for the par
ents of the unfortunate victims. The boys
who had met their death In this horrible
manner were j. Waters Blundon, aged
thirteen years, son of Mr.. j. A. Blundon of
Riverdale; Guy Brown aged fifteen, son Of
Mr.. VIM. r. Brown, who is engaged in the
grocery business at the corner Of goth
street and Pennsylvania avenue, in this
city, and Chas. Lynch. aged fourteen years,
brother of Mr.. ]. F. Lynch. a carpenter of
Riverdale, whose father resides at Roches-
ter, N. Y. The boys had been to the home
of Tom Lancaster, a colored man. residing
on the west side of the track, just below
the signal tower, to purchase pigeons from
his little boy. and were on their way home
when they were struck by the train. AS
their bodies were found lying close together
almost in a ditch on the west side of the
track opposite the residence of Mr.. Blum
don. early Sunday morning, it is generally
supposed that the boys were walking on
the east track and in getting out of the
way Of the S:15 local train from Washing
ton stepped upon the west track and were
struck by the Royal Blue express from
Baltimore which is due at Hyattsville at
knew anything about it until early Sunday
morning, and the bodies. consequently, re-
manned by the side Of the track all night.
The Bodies First Discovered.
John GARNER. colored man residing in
the neighborhood. who was on his way to
Mr.. Wrights at Riverdale between 5 and 6
o'clock Sunday morning. was the first one
to discover the bodies. They were lying on
the west side Of the track, opposite Blum
don's house. when he saw them. One body
was lying on top of the other, and the
broken
by. A portion of the skull belonging 10
the body with the legs broken was lying
some ten feet away, and brains and blood
were scattered along the ties. and side of
the track. Two dead pigeons were near
the bodies. He did not recognize the bodies,
but hurried to Mr.. Biundon's house and in
formed him of his discovery. He visited
several other places and made known his
discovery, and then went to DIR. McMill-
ian's and informed him of the accident.
Mr.. Blundon quickly repaired to the scene
of the accident. and was almost heart
broken to recognize the body Of his son
attsville was sent for. and shortly after
O'Clock the magistrate arrived upon the
spot. Mr.. Carr informed The Star reporter
that the body of Lynch was in the gutter,
and that Browns body was lying ON top
of Blundon's. Portions of the skulls of
Lynch and Brown were found in opposite
some distance from the bodies,
and the brains and blood of the boys were
scattered about. Bailiff Hickey was also
on the spot. and states that he. picked up
pieces of the skulls some thirty Feet from
where the boys were struck. He also pick
ed up nine cents The three bodies were
lying close together and Lynch's legs were
broker. Lynch was in the ditch and
Browns head and arms were over Blum
don. D. Rueben said that he visited the
place about $50 O'Clock, and that Blundon
was lying on his stomach, with Lynch be-
low and Brown above him. The top of
Lynch's head was cut off. Brown was cut
under the eyes and at the nose, and Blum
don was cut in the forehead. Others who
viewed the remains say that the top of
both Brown and Lynch's heads were cut
off. and that Blundon was badly cut on the
head over the ear and temple and had his
arm raised as II to ward off blow.
Grief Of The Relatives.
After Justice Carr. had looked at the
bodies. Mr.. Biupdon had those of his son
and Brown removed otop1 his house. Mr..
Lynch had his brothers remains taken to
his home. Mrs Blundon, who was quite
unwen at the time; was terribly grief
stricken when she heard of her sons
ed her. He said that, in his opinion, she,
bore her sorrow with wonderful fortitude.
Mrs. Brown. the mother of the boy who
was killed, has been staying at Mr.. Blum
don's for two weeks. She, too, was great
ly distressed over the death Of her son.
Mr.. w. B. Brown, the boys father, was
informed of the accident, and was soon at
the house. He was much affected over his
sons death. Mr.. Blundon said Sunday
morning 1t grieved him deeply to think that
the remains had laid by the track all night
before they were discovered. The loss Of
his son Is a great blow to him. DR.. Nc
neither he nor DIR. Wells made an examina-
tion of the bodies. A large number of
people visited the scene of the accident
yesterday morning. The blood and brains
along the ties of the west track and the
bank, and two dead pigeons were still
there.
The COrOner's Inquest.
Justice Carr held coroner's inquest at
the station at Riverdale at 1890 Sunday
The following composed the jury:
L. H. Emme-t, foreman; VIM. Wilson, w.
r. Norton, Charles NJ. Siger, Henry Ever,
W. H. Dyson, Wesley Even. Richard
Brown, Joy Johnson, F. r. Rynex. A. NJ.
Mcmillan, D. Reuben. Mr.. C. j. Wagner
was examined, and said that he left River.
dale shortly after the departure of the 1:19
train Saturday night: saw the boys at
Tom Lancaster's; stopped and had talk
with them and Lancaster. He then went
to Burchard's store at Hyattsville; heard
the SIS local train from Washington stop
at Hyattsvlle. About ten minutes to 9
o'clock he heard the down express train
whistle He was at Gramlicn's on his way
Lack when he heard the train whistle.
Tom Lancaster testified that the three
boys came to his house between Z and 9
o'clock Saturday night and purchased two
pigeons of his little boy, and that 3lundon
said that he would return in the morning
after church and buy another pigeon. The
boys left his house about S:25. O'clock. He
then went to Burchards store in Hyatts-
ville arriving there shortly after $50. The
S:15 local train from Washington came
along and whisrled about three or four
minutes after the boys left him. The ex-
press train came by about five minutes
after the boys left him, and he got out of
the way of it. Heard the express train
whistle about 200 yards from the target.
John GARNER testified that he discovered
tie three bodies lying on the west side OF
the track, opposite Mr.. Blundon's house,
between 3 and 6 o'clock Sunday morning
He did not recognize them. He was on his
way to Mr. Wrights at the time. Two
bodies were lying together. and one had its
legs broken. and partly in the ditch. Part
of the head of this body was cut off. He
then went to Mr.. Blundon's, and asked
him where his. son was. ard Mr.. Blundon
said that he had not seen his son since Sat
urday evening. The witness then replied
that he must be killed, as three bodies were
lying on the west side of the track.
Heard No Whistling by the Express.
Mr.. ]. H. Ketner, the delivery clerk at
W. B. Williams store in Washington, who
was a passenger on the s:15 local train
from WASHINGTON, and who has some