The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-24
DEATH DUE TO THEFALL
THE CORONER's JUKY so DECIDES
IN THE CASE or ". n kIHfLEI.
An Inouest Wa, Held by Dr.. ". v. Crox-
ton at the Hcnricc County Courts
house Yesterday Morning.

"Mr w. III. kirtlcy came 10 MS "ca'h
by a fan. which disooated his neck.
This was the verdict OF the coroner's
,ury which assembled at the Henrico
County Courthouse yesterday at 10 a.
NJ. 10 enquire upon the view of the
body OF william II. Kirtlcy. there lying
dead. when. how. and by what means the
said Kirtley came to his death" as the
official summons for the inquest reads.
This was not quite accurate. for the
remains OF the young man. who met with
sudden death Saturday night at Haxall
station. on the James River Division OF
the Chesapeake and ohio Railway. were
taken TO his home. az Columbia. virginia
Sunday morning
Uowevcr the law provides that II the
coroner sees a dead body. II is not neces-
eary for the jury holding an inquest To
view Il also. though this latter is more
frequently the custom.
DEATH ACCIDENTAL.
In this case. DR.. w. V. Croxton. the
county coroner. was satisfied that MI.
Kirtlcys death was entirety acciueh.si
and so he turned the remains OF the
late railroad employc over to ms sorrow
ing relatives on last Saturday evening
Deputv Sheriff russell had summoned as
iurors Messrs. John r. Lebclt. Walter
olphin. Thomas i. Larus. }. y. Lyme.
Mver Angle and John w. camp an OF
whom were promptly on hand.
The representative of Inc Times
took down the testimony OF the
witnesses. TO facilitate matters ana theV
signed II. and IL did not take the jury
many Minutes TO find the verdict of death
bv accident. and adjourn to their homes
Mr. S d. Trcvillian. a locomotive en-
gineer OF tho Chesapeake and ONO KAN
way was sworn as the first witness, and
testified:
THE ENGINEERS TESTIMONY.
NV engine was at Haxall Station on
the siding. two miles from Richmond.
awaiting the arrival Of the passenger
train. / was at the office until the first
section Of tho passenger train passed.
This first section blew signals 10 my
engine that another section was behind.
Mr. kirtley was close to my engine. and
he saw my fireman doing something ana
he got upon the engine and answered
the signals. saw him get up on the en-
CINE | do not know that any other per
son was in the cab at the time but was
In a position to know if any one else
had been In the cab
did not see any one else go TO. or
where he was engaged as soon as he
heard the signals from the passenger
train. to answer the signal, but Mr. kirt-
lev was ahead OF him. A brakeman came
10 the office. and said Kirtley had faint
ed. j went to where he was lying on the
ground apparently dead.
This was not over three minutes from
the time when ] saw him 20 into the
rab. | helped TO put him on the passen-
.,tt 10 fgh
To blow the signal one has TO get on
platform some - feet above the floor
OF the cab.
Or. Chas w p. Brock. surgeon to the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. was the
second witness. He was sworn and testi-
fed
DIR. BROCK on THE STAND.
was called Saturday afternoon, be-
tween Z and S o'clock. TO the waiting
room OF the station of the James River
Division OF the Chesapeake and ohio Rail
way. foot OF Eighth street i'm Richmond.
There | saw the dead body of Mr.. W. II.
Kirtley. The only wound of any nature
that / saw about his person was a small
insignificant one on his brow, over the
corner OF his right eye.
In examining his skull. to see IL /
could find any fracture found that there
was extreme mobility Of the head. and
placing my hand on the back Of his neck.
] felt a movement Of the bones of the
vertebrac which indicated to me that
there was In all probability a dislocation
OF his neck.
DR. w. Il. Petit. OF New Canton. was
present. and confirmed my opinion, as
did also DIR. Hugh NJ Taylor. who ex-
amined the body al Mr. j. w Laube's
undertaking rooms between 10 and II =.
NJ
| visited Mrs. Kirtley. the mother OF
the deceased. yesterday and l told her
] had heard that since he had typhoid
fever some years ago. he had been sub
Ject TO occasional attacks Of some kind.
She then told me he had had attacks OF
vertigo. which, however, were not fire.
Quent. and that on one occasion. he said.
the vertigo was so severe that he was
obliged TO hold on to keep from being
thrown from his train. This happened |
think she said. more than n year ago.
DIR TAYLOR'S STATEMENT.
Doctor Hugh NJ Taylor was next in
PRODUCED and after his swearing said:
Last Saturday night between 10 and II
O'clock ! was called by DR.. Brock TO the
undertaking establishment Of Mr. j. w.
Iaube. TO view the remains OF Mr. w. II.
Kirtley. and after examination Of him. /
concluded that his neck was broken. pro-
badly from fall
There was no post norton examination
vertebrate Of the neck was dislocated as
stated.