The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-10
SUICIDE.
j James HaErop
Rushes
IN FRONT OF TRAIN
While Suffering With Acute
Meloncholia.

The city was startled last evening by
the announcement that the man killed
near the Grand street crossing of the
Boston and Albany railroad, at 1918
yesterday morning, was James Harrop,
one of the most prominent and best
known English residents of Worcester,
who resided at 30 Crystal street.
The body lay at Athy's undertaking
rooms from noontime until 7.3O last
evening before a positive identification
was made. At that hour Joseph Dob
bins, of 1888 Cambridge street. and four
friends, visited Athys rooms, and when
the cloth that covered the face of the
dead was removed, the men at once
said that it was Mr.. Harrop They
were positive in their identification and
left the undertaking rooms to notify
the dead mans relatives.
At 8 o'clock James L. Harrop, only
son of the dead man, visited the I'M
dertakers and one glance satisfied him
that it was his father The son was
overcome by the sight, and as soon as
possible left the place.
The news of the Identification spread
about the city, and for hours was the
general topic of conversation. Mr.. Har-
rup was liked by all who knew him,
and his acquaintance was q very extern
sive one. The news shocked Mrs. Har-
rop, and she we 73mpltely Frustrated.
Mr. Harrop J ais home yesterday
morning about o'clock, telling his
wife that he was going for a. walk and
would return in short time. The day
passed and Mrs. Harrop became alarm
ed, but thought that he had gone to
visit with relatives, and she expected
him to return every moment. AT sup
per time her son returned home, and
was told the circumstances. He at once
started out to look for his father, but
did not imagine for moment that any
accident had befallen him. The son
visited the rooms of Quinsigamond
Lodge 1. o. o. F., where there was a
monthly meeting of the lodge, expect
ing to find his father at that meeting.
No one had seen Mr.. Harrop, and the
son then told his friends of the circum-
stances, and as they were discussing
the matter the news came of the iden-
LITIGATION of the body that lay on slab
in Athys morgue.
The circumstances surrounding the
death of James Harrop are peculiarly
sad. He was probably mentally I'M
balanced, and jumped in front of the
fast moving train. His condition was
caused by an illness that has troubled
him for some time.
Yesterday morning the 1912 train on
the Boston and Albany Railroad left
the Worcester station nearly on time.
When the fast moving train had
reached a point near the Grand street
crossing, the engineer saw 4 man
standing on the right bank of the
tracks, and just before the engine
reached the place, the man dashed
down to the rails and apparently
grabbed hold of one rail with both
hands. The engineer reversed his en-
CINE, applied the air brakes, and blew
the whistle several times. But the en-
CINE was upon the unfortunate, and
the train passed over the body.
The train came to standstill three
or four hundred feet from where the
engine had struck the body aud pas
sengers and train hands were soon
bending over the horribly mangled re-
mains.
Many people who were in the imme-
diate vicinity, saw the accident and
they turned from the scene in horror.
Both legs We're severed just below
the knee. The arms were broken in
several places and the face was crushed
to a jelly. The police were notified of
the accident, and told that the body
had been placed aboard the train and
taken to the GAINESVILLE station. In
dertaller Athy was notified, and he
drove to the GAINESVILLE depot, and
shortly before dinner brought the re
mains to his undertaking rooms. Many
viewed the remains, but during the cay
the body was unidentified
In the pockets of the dead mans coat
was found slip of paper on which was
written: Joseph Dobbins 1SS Cam
bridge street" There was nothing else
found upon the remains that would
lead to identification. y
The police visited 1873 Cambridge
street and found James Dobbins. The
latter could not give any clue as to the
identity of the man and did not know
who would be likely to have his name
written upon slip of paper in their
possession. Dobbins told the police that
he would call at Athy's rooms early
last evening. Mr.. Dobbins' call at Athy's
as explained above, was the first iden-
tification made Mr.. Harrops family
had heard of a railroad accident, but
did not suppose that the head of their
family had had any reason to go near
the railway tracks.
Mr. Harrop has been ailing for two
or three weeks. He never showed any
signs of mental ALTERATION except a
decidedly nervous state. His physician
told him to get plenty of air and go
about as much as he possibly could
He left home at o'clock or there
abouts and was killed a little over an
hour later. His neighbors saw him go
down Crystal street, but did not notice
but what he was in his usual condition.
There are so many people who say
that they saw the man dash down the
bank and remain in front of the train
until the engine struck him that there
is every reason to state that Mr.. Har-
rop must have been seized quickly with
the desire to either cross ahead of the
train or to throw himself directly in its
pathway.
Mr.. Harrop wanted to be nominated
for representative to the state legisla-
ture when the nominations We're made
for yesterdays election. He withdrew
from the contest in favor Of other can
didates, but his friends know that he
felt the matter keenly He had for a
period of three weeks shown that he
was suffering from melancholia, but it
was not in an aggravated form, and
although it was noticed by his rela-
tives and friends, they thought that it
would soon pass away. He was out
Tuesday. and it is supposed that he
voted in the precinct in which he
lived.
DR.. C. L. Adams. Mr.. HarroDs at