The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-02
CHILD'S LIFE CRUSHED OUT.
PLAYMATEs THE INNOCENT CAUSE
OF A LITTLE ONES DEATH.

Freight Car Passes Over the Legs Of
Little Myrtle Wise, Crushing Them
OG-Beam That Held the Car Used
As See-Saw and Became Olsen
gagged From the WheeIs-The Lit
tie Girl Lived About An Hour After
the Accident.
The 2-year-old daughter of ]. P. Wise,
section foreman of the Tybee railroad,
was crushed and killed beneath the
wheels Of a box car, which was accident
ally set in motion about O'Clock yester-
day evening, by two of the child's play
mates.
Foreman Wise, with his family, consist
ing of his wife and three small children,
>, and years old respectively,
reside in one of the company's cars, be
cause of the necessity of his having to go
over the entire road and keep up repairs.
The car in which the foreman lives, to-
gether with another car which is carried
along as a dormitory for the laboTers, was
shifted on a siding near the Tybee depot
some three weeks ago, and the two cars
have since remained there.
About o'clock the three little girls were
allowed by the mother to leave the car and
romp around nearby which was the only
playground afforded them. In obedience
to the command of the mother, and in
their child-like fondness to find something
to interest themselves more than
the barren fields which lay in
the vicinity, they sought amusement be-
meath their humble little home-the car.
There they played for quite time, while
the attention of the mother was being
directed to household duties and the prep
aration of the evening meal. Little did she
dream, as she sang and thought of the
coming of husband and father, that in
stead Of a happy meeting, there would
be a spell of gloom and sorrow thrown
about the home.
The laborers' car was standing about
four feet from that of Foreman Wises,
the two being separated because the fore
man wanted the car of the labOrers lit
tie distance away from that of his own.
The track, upon which they were stand
ing, was inclined, and the laborers' car,
under which all three of the little girls
were playing at this time, was held in its
position by means of a wooden beam laid
across the track and beneath a wheel of
the truck, farthest from the foreman $
car
Going to this beam, the two elder chill
dren began to utilize it as a see-saw,
while the third and youngest child, little
Myrtle Estil Wise, was finding amuSe-
ment on the rail- and near the wheel of
the truck nearest to the foremans car.
She was sitting in an upright position on
the rail, with her legs swinging down on
the inside of the track. Away the other
two children went, see-sawing, up-and-
down, until, presently, out flew the beam
and down went the car, only finding its
first resistance by coming in contact with
Foreman Wise's car. The result was
that little Myrtle, who was sitting across
the rail had both of her legs crushed en-
tirely off, near the hips.
Employees of the Tybee road. some
of whom happened to be near at hand,
heard the screams of the child and the
shrieks of the mother. They came to the
rescue and also summoned Dr. White. The
father was sent for at LePag eville, a few
miles from the city, where he was work
ing with his squad.
The child was given all possible atten-
ton and showed remarkable vitality in
remaining alive an hour after being so
badly crushed. She recognized her father
aud drank two small glasses of water
which he gave it upon his arrival, shortly
after which she died
The funeral will take place to-day and
the interment will be at Ways Station on
the Savannah, Florida and Western rail-
road.
Foreman Wise is a steady, industrious
man and has occupied his present position.
as section foreman of the Tybee road for
the past three or four years.