The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-16
DIED IN HIS BERTH.
An Impressive Death Scene I'm a Pull
man Sleeping Car.

man Sleeping Car.
From the New Orleans Times Democrat
The Morgan ferry station has produced
many good stories. 1t has furnished its
quota of tragedy and comedy in railroad
ing, but never was more pathetic Wig
nette of real life portrayed than was fur
nished by the arrival of the through train
from the West the other morning.
When the trainmen entered the sleeper
from San Francisco they found young
man in his berth who was unable to leave
1t, and who was then in the last stage of
consumption. Although a day train, he
had been allowed to occupy his berth all
the way from Houston having taken the
train at San Antonio. He carried a ticket
for Jackson, Miss. That was all the train
men knew of the stranger A physician
had been a passenger on the train and
had administered what comfort he could
during the journey east of Houston When
Algiers was reached he advised that It
would prove fatal to take the young man
from his berth. Acting upon this advice,
the sleeper was detached from the train
and placed on the ferry thing that is
not usually done. Bringing it to this side,
the stranger, who, by the way, was about
80 years of age, was seen TO be rapidly
sinking.
DR.. Formento was summoned. and ar
rived i'm short time. He said nothing
could be done. stimulant was admins
tered, however, in the hope of reViving
life until the patient could be got from
the car.
Harry Abbott, city passenger agent of
the Southern Pacific, was in the car long
before this. Seeing the sleeper on this
side attracted the attention of the Rev.
Mr.. Ahrens, who happened along at this
time, and he climbed on the coach. DR..
Formento, Mr.. Ahrens, the Pullman con-
ductor, and the two negro porters were
now surrounding the berth of the dying
man. The doctor said he could not live
many minutes Mr.. Ahrens said it was too
bad TO see the man die without a word Of
fered up in his behalf
Kneeling at the head OF the Pullman
berth, there was then enacted a scene
which was probably never before enacted
| in a railroad car Trainmen who are
not persistent church-goers, felt the
strange, impressive moment, and, as
though by instinct, they all knelt about
the couch which bore the spirit struggling
| between life and death. Mr.. Ahrens was
at the head, while Harry Abbott knelt at
the foot and the Pullman conductor and
the porters bowed the knee in silence by
the side. The prayer offered up in behalf
of the dying man was one of the most
beautiful and most touching ever said IN
behalf of any soul The spirit of the sup
plication was that, although this man was
unknown TO those who krolt by his side.
yet he was common brother. and bound
to them by the tie of brotherly love. For
this reason all men are interested in each
other, and for that reason the last and
parting prayer was offered M In behalf
Of this dying brother As Mr.. Ahrens
closed his appeal for divine mercy ali of
the watchers by the bedside Joined IN re-
peating the Lords Prayer, even to the
porters.
IN ten minutes AFTER the closing OF this
pathetic service the spirit Of the man took
It's flight. He was afterward conveyed to
the hospital, and it was then learned that
the stranger was w. II. Coyington Of
jackson. Miss, and that he was Of a good
Mississippi family He had been long,
Time sufferer from consumption, and had