The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-18
EARL OF sTRtfFORD'S DEATH.
NOT THE SLIGHTEST SUCCESS.
TON OF SUICIDE.
Either Accidentally Fell From the
Platform OF Was Swept OF
by the Engine.

Z LONDON, May 11.-Particulars re-
gaTding the death of the Earl of STRAIT
ford, who was run over and killed by
the Cambridge express last night at
Peters Bar while returning from
Wootham Park, his country seat, seems
to show that he either tainted and fell
III front of the express or was swept off
the platform by the projecting portion
of the engine.
The Earl and Countess had been re-
Siding at No. 3 st. James Square for
weeks past, the Earl being engaged in
his duties in connection with the royal
household He acted as special euuerry-
in-waiting Queen Nictoria's return to
Windsor, and went to his country seat
yesterday afternoon for the purpose of
inspecting the arrangements made for
the approaching visit of the Countess
and himself to Wootham Park
The Earl returned to Potters Bar sta
tion at 6 o'clock to catch the train
bound for London He was last seen
leisurely pacing up and down the end
Of the platform. The Cambridge ex-
press dashed through the station at
$780, and a few minutes later the man
gled remains were found on the track
about fifty yards outside the depot. No
one saw the accident. The body was
identified by a coronet and the letter
"S'' marked on his apparel
The family of the deceased was i'm
nediately advised, and the Countess
who attended the Queens drawing
room at Buckingham Palace yesterday,
hurried to Potter's Bar and stayed with
the remains at the railroad station hotel
all night. in company with the de-
ceased's half-sister, Lady Susan Byng
her daughter, Lady Mary Byng, and
the Rev. Francis Edmund Byng. The
Countess isl Frustrated with grief
The signal man who was on duty at
Potter's Bar station now says that he
saw the Earl descend the sloping end
of the platform, apparently watching
for the train. which was late, and that,
as the express passed through the sta
ton the deceased appeared to walk or
fall on the line
There is not the slightest suggestion
of premeditated suicide Since his at
tack of apoplexy at W:sdsor the Earl
has suffered from absent mindedness,
and it is thought that in fit of alb
straotion he walked on the line
The Countess of STAFFORD has been
deluged with messages of coincidence.
among the earliest being one from the
Queen expressing her majesty's heart
felt sorrow.
The remains have been removed to
Woothan Park by special permission of
the authorities, and friends of the fam
lily are anxiously awaiting the inquest
tomorrow to unravel the tangled
stories of alleged eye-witnesses that are
current. despite the fact that the rail-
way officials say no one seems to have
actually witnessed the tragedy.
Mr.. Clayton, the station master at
Potter's Bar. asserts that the first in
t.mation of the mishap was given by
the signal man, who shortly after the
express passed called out that some
thing was lying on the track and he
feared that somebody had been run
over The Earl had recently complains
ed of pains in the head, and he had been
conscious of the lingering effects of the
seizure at Windsor Castle last winter.
IT appears also that he contemplated
disposing of certain property which he
used to say increased his mental dis
tress His friends had recently been
much concerned over his apparently err
ratio movements.