Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-21
DEATH-7DUE TO ACCIDENT
Verdict Of Coroners Jury in Case Of Michael
William Leo.
Evidence of DR.. Glnsebrook and Rail.
He Was Murdered.

Coroner Carr held an inquest at the sixth
precinct station yesterday afternoon in the
case of Michael William Leo. whose dead
body was found in the Baltimore and Po-
tomac railroad tunnel yesterday morning.
Only a few witnesses were examined, and
the jury soon reached the conclusion that
Leo was killed by a railroad engine.
Thomas Leo, father Of the deceased,
was little late in reaching the station,
and he was not present to hear the evil
dence. Although the testimony satisfied
the jury that the death of his son had re-
suited from an accident, the father still
clings to the belief that the young man
was murdered, robbed and his body thrown
in the trains way.
The testimony of Deputy Coroner Glaze
brook had considerable bearing on the
manner in which the death occurred. He
described the number of wounds and
bruises which might have caused DEATH
Eight ribs were broken, his jaw fractured.
lungs and kidneys ruptured, both legs
broken and vitals torn. There were also
cuts about the face and a big bruise be-
tween the shoulder blades, as well as nu-
merous other injuries. 1t was DR.. Glaze
brooks opinion that the man was walking
In the direction in which the train was
moving or he had stepped to the side and
was crushed against the wall of the tun-
lei. The man, he thought, was undoubted-
ly alive when he received the injuries
noted, and that his dead body had not
been put in the tunnel. There were no
evidences of a stab wound or pistol shot.
nor was there any evidence of poison or
liquor In the stomach. Death resulted from
hemorrhage.
Track Walker Saw Leo.
c. B. Cunningham, a track walker, who
saw Leo few minutes before he was kill
ed. told the jury what he knew of the af-
fair. He had seen Leo come down the
embankment- beyond the east end of the
tunnel between and o'clock. Near the
bottom of the hill Leo slipped and went
in a small pond of water. When witness
saw him he spoke and Leo responded.
Just about that time train 304 came out
Of the tunnel and he saw Leo get out of
the way of it. He also noticed in the light
that he had on no hat. Witness then lost
sight of him. Engine 101 came along and
passed through the tunnel going west.
and witness soon afterward found the
mans dead body near the mouth of the
tunnel One hand was against the wall
and the other was against the rail-
Questioned by juror, witness said there
were orders against pedestrians going
through the tunnel, and when he met any
he always turned them back. He thought
there was not room enough between the
track and wall for person to stand in
safety while train was passing. There
are manholes in the wall for the railroad
men. Witness said no Waterman is kept
at the mouths of the tunnel. nor are there
any warning signs displayed.
w. X. Mangum, also track walker.
gave similar testimony concerning the
finding of the body. He did not see young
Leo before he entered the tunnel.
Engineer Bailey, who was on engine 1O1,
was called. but he knew nothing of the
accident There were no blood stains on
his engine, SO far as he could see. The
tunnel was filled with smoke when the
engine entered and he could not have seen
any one on the track. This was all the
evidence heard.
Body Prepared for burial.
When the inquest was concluded Under
taker Lee took charge of the body and
prepared it for burial The funeral will
take place Saturday morning from the
late home of the deceased, on North Caro-
lima avenue.
Friends Not Satisfied,
Friends Of Michael William Leo, whose
dead body was found in the Navy Yard 1
tunnel yesterday morning, were not salts
fled with the verdict of the coroners jury,
to the effect that the mans own careless
ness had caused his death, and in the alb
sence of police investigation they made
some inquiries themselves. Last night the
dead. mans overcoat and most of his two
weeks salary reached the home of the
family on North Carolina avenue. A wo
man, whose name Is not known, called at
statement was that Mr.. Leo had called at
her house and left 1t, because he said he
was being followed by some men, who, he
thought, intended to rob him. Members of
the family stated this morning that they
knew nothing further of the woman.
Another statement was that the overcoat
had been found on the bank near the rail-
read track. but this, 1t Is claimed. cannot
b. true for persons who saw him at least
three hours before he entered the tunnel
declare that he had no overcoat; neither
was he wearing a hat.
Just where he had spent most of the
evening has not been learned. He had
called at the house Of a friend, and about
10 o'clock he was seen near 18th street, go
ing in the direction of his home. Then he
spoke to the friend, and during the course
going home. The next heard of him was
about 2:45 o'clock in the morning when he
a, oused a number of residents on E street
southeast between 18th and 14th streets.
His Peculiar Actions.
They are following me-" he was heard
to say, and he repeated the statement sew
eral times. Then he was heard talking
loudly, as though he were preaching, in
front of the Buchanan School building.
Mr.. Benjamin Shelton who lives at 1898
E street, was among those who were dis
tCrbed, and when he went to the window
he called and asked why the man was
making such fuss.
Wait there for me- Mr.. Shelton called
to him, and he answered, "AN right"
Leo was unable to tell Mr.. Shelton any,
thing except to say that he was police
man and had been appointed to succeed
Officer Bliss.
You know who am he would answer,
when Mr.. Shelton asked him his name, and
he made a similar response when asked
where he lived. When Mr.. Shelton first
saw him he had an umbrella, but when he
walked to the corner he left it near the
store, and Mr.. Shelton recovered 1t and re-
turned 1t to him.
He repeated his statement that he was
policeman and said that his badge and
club had been taken from him. All this
time the unfortunate man seemed very
much excited. but there was no smell of
liquor on him.
He was perfectly SOBER" said Mrs.
Shelton, who also saw him, land he walked
as straight a man could
She also said he was very gentlemanly
and did not use any bad language.
His Wanderings Traced.