Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-20
TWO LADIES KILLED.
Miss Sanderlin and Mrs. Foster Meet
Death on a Railway Crossing.
TEAM CRASHED INTO by A TRAIN.
The Occupants of the Wagon Did
Not Hear the whistle and became
Their Way to Work.

almost instantly killed yesterday morn
inD by being run into by an in
coming passenger train on the main
line of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad,
while they were attempting to cross the
track in laundry wagon.
The accident occurred at what Is known
as New Crossing" about a mile north
of the city limits, at Sl2 A. NJ, and the
two ladies were so seriously Injured that
they died before they could be gotten to
the passenger depot, at Broad and Seven
tcenth streets.
The ladies were driving from their
homes. on Church Hill. 10 their place OF
work, the City Steam Laundry. which
is located Just at the scene OF the
fatality. This place is a natural one
for just such an accident, there being
a cut very near, which obstructs from
the view of persons on the road the
trains approaching the city until they
are very near the crossing.
THE WOMEN WE'RE CONFUSED.
From the facts CLEANED regarding the
case, it is not thought that the ladies'
heard the train. or knew that 1t was
coming until they were upon the track,
AT which time the locomotive was bear
ing down upon them. 1t was said that
AZ this iuncture one Of the women was
endeavoring TO get the horse to go ahead
RAPIDLY. while the other was trying 10
null him off the track. 1t is thought that
the confusion of the ladies was largely
the cause of the fatality.
The evidence taken before the Coroner's
inquest, two Of which were held, falied
to lay the responsibility Of the unfor-
tllnate affair to the failure on the part
of any of the train officials to DO their
duty. The fireman, Walter Rollison, ap-
pears to have been the first person on
board to observe the vehicle, which was
n laundry-wagon of the City Steam Laun-
dry. which Is conducted at the crossing
by Mr.. Thomas Sanderlin, brother OF
one of the victims. When the conveyance
was first seen by the fireman, II was
about twenty feet from the crossing,
the horse moving along in slow trot
He called then to his engineer that there
was a wagon approaching, and that ne
had better look out. All the testimony
adduced goes TO show that the engineer
applied his air-brakes. putt. the lever
in. what is called the emergency hole"
SCENE AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
The train moved about four and a half
car lengths after the conveyance was
first observed, but the engine and all the
cars had then passed, and the wagon had
been broken into atoms and the occu-
Dants had received mortal wounds. The
body of one Of the ladies lay about ~
feet from the track, while that of the
other had been thrown entirely down the
The train was backed
little, aad the women, in dying condi-
tjon. were tenderly placed in the baggage
car and brought TO the Broad-street sta
tion. Miss Sanderlin was found TO be
very badly bruised about her head and
arms. There was a serious confusion at
the base of the skull. and it was probably
this that caused death.
Mrs. Fosters injuries were as numerous
as those Of her unfortunate companion.
Mrs. Foster had an ugly scalp wound
about inches long on the right side OF
ner head lust above her car, and her
skull was fractured just at the upper end
Of this wound One of her arms was
broken. and she was terribly scratched.
cut. and bruised about other parts OF
her body
A singular fact in connection with the
affair is that while the wagon was
smashed TO pieces and the women killed,
the horse was not hurt, and managed TO
get on the opposite side of the track from
the main part of the vehicle and the
ladies'.
The two ladies were alive when they
were placed in the baggage-car but both
were unconscious. They lived until after
the train passed the Seventeenth-street
shops. and it is near this point that both
are supposed TO have died, one passing
away within a few seconds OF the other
ARRIVAL OF THE BODIES.
When the train pulled into the city the
bodles Law side by side in the baggage
car. DR.. w. Il. Taylor, the Coroner, was
promptly notified, as death occurred
within the city limits. He viewed the
bodies and later on held an inquest. Mr.
Sanderlin father Of the dead girl noti-
fled Messrs. Billups & Son, undertakers,
and they sent a wagon to the depot for
the bodies and removed them TO their
establishment. where they
were prepared for burial.
A large crowd. mostly colored people,
was AT the depot when the undertaking.
wagon arrived. Their morbid curiosity
made them seek a glimpse of the bodies.
hut their desire was not grarifed. The
hodies were concealed under covers.
As soon as he heard of the accident.
Acting-Coroner Vincent, OF Henrico
county, gathered jury, and repaired 10
the undertaking rooms for the purposes OF
viewing the remains and holding an in
ouest. He took the ground that, as the
accident iad occurred in the county II
was county case. Later in the day,
DIR. Leftwitch the Coroner OF the county,
did begin an inquest, but II was not con-
cluded. owing TO the fact that some wit
l..
THE VICTIMS OF THE ACCIDENT.
Both of the victims of the terrible ac-
cident were employed at Mr. Sanderlin's
laundry. his sister being book-keeper, and
Mrs. Foster working In the laundry
proper. Miss Sanderlin was just 10 years
old. and was one Of six children. She
resided with her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Dorsey A. Sanderiin, at No. 7O3 north
Twenty-eighth street and was MEMBER
of the I1eigh-Street Baptist church, and
a very popular young lady In large cir
Gle Of friends. Her father Is well-known
newspaper-carrier. In the springtime of
as she was. OF light-heart-
ed. generous disposition. her tragic end
is deeply regretted by her numerous
friends. and a terrible blow TO her parents
and kinspeople. The dead girls sisters
are Mrs. John Obry and Mrs. w. III.
Peacock. OF Hampton: Mrs George III.
Duke. OF Fulton, and Miss Clara San
der.in
Mrs. Foster lived at no north Twenty
eighth street, where she had room
with Mrs. Wilson. She had not lived
In the neighborhood long. and very little
is known about her by the residents.
She had been working in the laundry
but a short time She was about ~
years Of age, and a widow. She came
here from North Carolina seven years
400 She leaves five children--a grown