Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-20
George L. Ammon Fatally Injured BY
q B. and P. Train.
DEATH FOLLOWS ALMOST INSTANTLY
Albert Thomas. Companion of Am
mon, Seriously Hurt.
THE CoRoNER's INQUEST

There was a serious accident on the
tracks of the Pennsylvania railroad near
the Pc nsylvania avenue bridge, about IL 30
o'clock Saturday night. which resulted in
the almost instant death of George L. Am
mon, an Anacostia carpenter: the serious
injury of Albert Thomas and the narrow
escape of Harry Handley. colored, eighteen
years old, who lives in Baltimore.
Shifting engine No. 200, in charge of Eli
gineer ]. c. Carter and Fireman c. N.
Hayes was drawing a number of freight
cars at tie time the accident happened.
Mr. Ammon, with his friend, Mr.. Thomas,
had been in the city during the early part
of the night, and Handley, who had been
employed by the carpenter and was going
to spend the night at his house. was going
home with them.
The men had been walking on the rail-
read tracks but few minutes before the
sad accident happened, ana were between
the two bridges at the time. Handley was
some distance behind the men when he
saw the train approaching, and he called
to his friends to get off the track. They
probably did not hear him, for they made
no move toward getting out of the way
until The train was within a few feet of
them. Mr.. Thomas first realized the dam
ger, and made effort to save his friend
Ammon, at the risk of his own life. Hand
ley got out of the way and he saw his
employer when the train struck and threw
him quite distance from the track. Mr..
Thomas was also struck by the train, sus-
tanning broken arm, and dislocated
shoulder blade.
Shouted for Assistance.
Handley then shouted for assistance at
the top of his voice, and Policemen Cramer
and McKie were among the first to re-
spond. Ammon. who was unconscious, was
picked up about forty feet from the track,
nd fhn
him to the hospital, but he died before its
arrival Thomas who was suffering in
tense agony, was taken to Providence Hos
pital, where DR.. Ramsburgh soon made him
comfortable.
The body of Ammon was taken to the
mCrSue. The deceased was about thirty
five years old, and leaves u wife and three
children.
The Inquest.
Coroner Carr held an inquest this morn
ing al IL O'clock at the sixth precinct sta
ton. Engineer Carter was first examined
He told the jury that he was in charge II
tie engine that was supposed to have kill
ed AIR. Ammon, but he knew nothing of The
| occurrence.
charged with striking a man. he said Il
cldnt know when the accident happeueI."
when he heard of it, he said, he made an
examination of the engine but could find
no evidence that it had struck any one. At
the point where the accident occurred, he
said, his engine was running at the rate of
ten or tweive miles an hour
| Albert Thomas the man who was with
M Ammon at the time he was killed was
able to appear before the jury and give mis-
version OF the affair He said that he and
Mr. Ammon We're on their way home AT
the time, and had gone down on the rail-
read track because ii was a short cut
nome. Witness said that the engineer and
fireman were looking out the window, he
learned afterward. Witness did not see
the moving train nor did he hear ii until it
| was almost upon him, and then he grab
| bed his compa lion and tried 10 pull him
! from the track, but without success. When
the train struck him he was thrown about
thirty feet, while his COMPANION was
thrown twice far. He thought 1t was
fully five minutes before he realized what
mad happened, and where he was and il
was five minutes later before he found his
companion, whom he heard breathing
heavily. For five minutes he tried tn ra,
Ammon to speak to him, but the latter was
speecnless. 1t was an hour before the
patrol wagon reached them
Mr.. Thomas complained that the train
was on the left-hand track and he na,ur
a!ly supposed that train moving on that
track would move in the other Director.
Inc accident he said. happened near the
Congressional cemetery.
Testimony of n Witness,
Harry Handley. the young colored man
wiz Witnessed the accident, said he noticed
the engineer looking out the window at the
time the train struck Mr.. Ammon
Wnen witness saw the train moving he
called to Mr.. Thomas to pull Mr.. Alnmon
Gil the track. The witness did not hear
| any bell whistle.
Inc fireman On the engine was examined
| but he knew nothing Of the occurrence
| and 1t was his opinion that his engine did
! not figure in the accident.
A Witness Recalled.
Witness Thomas was again called and
| tesuonej concerning bottle Of whisky
In the hands of the police, and he said he
| Knew nothing of it. He said that Mr. Am
| mon had drank only two glasses of beer
| during the night.
representative OF the railroad company
| who was present was asked if he wanted
| to make statement, and he replied that
| ne did not. He did say. however that the
| accident happened within the yard limits
| and that the company has the right to run
| its trains on its tracks i'm either direction
Outside the Navy Yard tunnel, he said.
! the speed limit does not apply.
The jury returned verdict of accidental
| ceath. Undertaken Spndler took charge
OF the body, and the funeral will take
| place from his establishment tomorrow
afternoon. The body will be buried in
| Glenwood