Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-08-21
FORMER ALEXANDRIA,

~
Mr.. Heroine o. claughtOn, tora.,..
OF this city and prominent law. !.
Washington, and Miss Villa cn..'
daughter of DR.. G.. w. n. Cn.,i.
Washington, were struck by train =.
the Baltimore and Potomac rsjl,o.,
Deanwood crossing shortly air..
o'clock last night, and received s,i'' :,
juries from which they died in - = H. T..
minutes. There is signal tovs, 's n
Deanwood and one man ststion nes a
the box, whose duties are IN ,sa ID
messages from the operators ct .S! ,.'
costa and at Landover in regard ~ ana y
movements of trains. In additiO. 'as
this he must lower and raise thu sa. .
gates when trains go by, usipp ;n Ta,s'!
a lever placed in the signal tower ~ " y:
had received message 8 few ssco. q
before from the operator at ArsO vOss
stating that the New York exprss sYi b.,
just passed and would be at D.sn DS -!
in few minutes. Immedistelv 800 NV
the operator at Landover sippsIaS a a,
stated that an accommodation l,s -,1
inward bound, was close at b. ,.;
While receiving this m ssape R. p..
the signal man, heard the r,a
BILE of the outgoing express -,
saw that it was close at hand ~
also looked at the crossing aud ssw 1 ):
his horror that the two.horse csr, s v
containing Mr.. Claughton and ' NJ
Custis was about to go over the c- -
ing. The occupants OF the csr r.s
could not see the track, and t,as
their countenances, he could teIl H.,
they lad not heard the r ,T.'
made by the express. The express .v W.:
making it's best time, as the trscL y. :,
this point is straight, and l.
tween Deanwood and Landoyer Il.
fastest time on the road is made ?.
fore Baker could bridge the lever viii
his tremulous hands, the carriage W.,
on the track and the engine few r.,
away. The operator turned hi, had 81
away to keep from seeing the sEt1
sight. he heard the crash and tbs.
sank to the floor. Engineer CocEIsr
Immediately put down brakes when h
saw the carriage ahead, but it was fuIr
fifty yards from the crossing before 4.
train came to a st andstil. The eppir.
struck the carriage near the dashboard
and, as it was going at full speed, hui.
the vehicle, occupants and horses nu
the air. Miss Gusts was on the Sd.
nearer the engine, and received blow
from the engine lamp about the face
Her body was found in the ditch
alongside the track, about 100 feet
above the crossing, and Mr.. Claugh!on
lay a few feet beyond. The hOr.::
were both instantly killed and msn.
gled terribly, while the carrsse va:
ground to small atoms beneath Ii.
wheels of the locomotive. The train
crew picked of Mr.. ClnughtOn aud
Miss GUSTS and carried them back 10
the platform in front OF the :iglsI
tower; they were bothIunconscious,I JG
alive. The in. bound train whose 50.
proach had been signaled by the Lsa.
dover operator, came up about lh;
time, and the injured people
were Immediately put on the TRAIN
Miss Gusts died about Two milaia
after the train started for the city, ana
Mr.. Claughton a few second; ls.e;
Miss Custis's face was terribly bruised
and cut on the left side, while her skull
was fractured; but it was shown by tie
profuse bleeding from the mouth srl
nose that she had received internslin'
juries. Mr.. Claughton's head IVES
deeply cut in several places, and The
blood trickled in rivulets over bis lace
He also was hurt internally and bed
from the mouth and nose. Their cloth
ing was badly torn and disheyeled, out
the bodies were not msugled tosrI
great degree. In the meantime TIE
news of the sad affair was sent to toe
family of Mr.. ClaughtoD. This tie
first news that they had received OF Tue
sad occurrence, and il came to them 70
suddenly and Unexpectedly that loo
shock almost Frustrated them. Ias
mother OF the family died only yt,i
ago, and the sad ending OF the islhtis
life was almost more than the grsi'
stricken children could bear.
Hierome o. Claughton was born 81
KiusaIe, Westmoreland county, Vs.
May %, 1928. He studied law 10 o.
native State and was WILL known '%
his ability in handling common aTa1a
in pleading evidence OF equity JUN
prudence. He was United States co.,
sui at st. Martin, West Indies, 10 ~.
81. Upon his return in 1854 be vs.
admitted to the bar OF the court o. ~
peals of the State of Virginia, Oel0l'
which court he soon acquired I"s'
practice. He resided in DeIns'a.
while the war between the states W.
in progress. During the years Do , o..
1876 be was a member Of the 'Hg'pa
State Senate. In 1876 be removes r.
Washington from Alexandra, Va, w.
From 1882 until the date OF bis os',I
he was member of the Law 'acul.!
the National University and q nen NIX,
of the court of appeals OF Tue INV.
court of that institution. DE T n:.'ms,
sci for the claimants in the Io.vu~
fats cases now pending in the e. sq y '1r.
Court of the United States. he n. e
vived by three daughters. MIS- Mrs, M i.s.
W. West, Miss Jennie and Al d,i hJ,o.
alao one son, Mr.. RodOlphe Clausl''''
also a we'll known attorney.
80 ,-T Z