Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-06
KILLED ON THE RAIL.
CONTRACTOR BOWEN, OF MAN
CHESTER, MEETS DEATH.
FOUND DEAD BY TIE TRACK.
Had Evidently Been struck by
Locomotive and Knocked over
near the Side Track-His BODY
Badly Crushed.

Mr.. James Thomas Bowen. an elderly
citizen. of Manchester, and for years
prominent contractor, was killed last
night on the Richmond and Petersburg
railroad in that city.
The accident. which was a most hor-
rible one. occurred between 8 and $50
O'Clock, about a hundred yards south
Of the Hull-street crossing. The train
that struck Mr. Bowen must have been
moving pretty rapidly. as the body was
knocked over near the side-track and his
head and whole left side were badly cut
and smashed up. He was dead when
found.
Coroner Brodnax empanelled a jury,
heard such witnesses as were accessible,
made a post-mortem examination, and
adjourned over until Monday. The re-
mains were turned over to Undertaken
Bliley OF Richmond. to be prepared for
burial, and the arrangements for the
funeral will be made to-day.
THE BODY DISCOVERED.
Just how Mr.. Bowen was killed is not
known, but the accepted theory Is that
he was walking along the railroad track
from his home to Hull street, or returning
and in stepping out of the way of shit
ing engine going in one direction he got
too near the main track on which train
was passing. The body was discovered
Between $3.50 and 10 o'clock by.Rees Gross,
a colored man employed on the shifting
engine, who. with lantern In hand, was
coming up the track when he almost
stumbled over the PROSTATE form. The
colored man went Immediately to the
nearest phone and informed the police OF
his CHASTITY find, and soon II went like
wild-fre that Mr.. Bowen was dead
People who had known him all his life,
and yet others among whom he had
grown old, came TO the scene Of his SAD
death. The sight there was as melan-
choly and with as sOplbre castings as
mind can imagine. All around was pitch
dark, save only beside the body one pale
trainman's light fickered, and kneellng
beside the body was a son of the departed
man. There was a look of inexpressible
grief upon the bowed face, which only
raised when questions were asked about
the fathers life. and sank back when
they were answered.
The position of the deceased was that
of sleep, as he lay on his right side, with
Ills AZ Iii dtiONH lHt ldit- Inc SDiis 4lAs
j. Norman Bowen, said that his father
often walked from his residence, which
was on Everett and Twenty-second
streets, only few squares away. to the
railroad, and thence to Hull street, along
the track.
BODY TERRIBLY CRUSHED.
The body was terribly crushed. and
bore i'm many places the marks Of the
naga l.. -.
two places, and the hip crushed his left
arm was also broken in three places. and
there was a deep cash, four inches long.
to the brain, above the forehead, and the
skull was crushed.
To one not making a close examina-
tion, he did not appear to have suffered
such violent death, bat more like one
who, tired had lain down to sleep.
JURY VIEWS THE REMAINS.
The City Coroner, DR.. Brodnax, was
soon on the spot and a jury had been en-
panelled. All the evidence touching the
circumstances Of the death as far as could
be proven was heard, and a careful post
mortem examination was made by Or.
Brodnax. The jury was then adjourned
over until Monday. when the engineers
and firemen and trainmen of trains pass
ing near the time Of the accident will be
present 10 give testimony as to any know
ledge of theirs about the causes Of the
accident.
When Mr.. Bowen left home in the eve-
ming about o'clock he was i'm his usual
health and was in the best of spirits. IL
is thought that he was passing on the
track either going visiting or returning,
for when the body was discovered 1t was
even then in the chill of death.
A WELL-KNOWN CONTRACTOR.
Mr. Bowen had spent his entire life
in Manchester. and was about 90 years
of age. He was up to few years ago
one Of the best-known contractors and
builders of the city, but in his advanced
age he had not been so actively engaged.
His wife died several years ago, but he
leaves three sons and three daughters.
The former are: Messrs. j. N. w. G.,
and G.. F.. Bowen. and the latter, Mrs.
Ida L. Hopkins, of Selma, n. c.. whose
husband Captain G.. p. Hopkins is on
the Southern railway, and Misses Lizzie
and Lottie Bowen.
The arrangements for the funeral have
not been made.
THE BILLS THAT FAILED.