The Topeka state journal., 1901-06-21
CHILD IS KILLED.
Coal Wagon Crushes Life Out Of
Emmett Stephenson.
Boy Was Flying Kite and Backed
Into Wagon.
OVER LITTLE BODY.
After 3 Tons of Coal Had Passed
Over Child Got Up.
Walked Across Street and Then
tainted.
OVER LITTLE BODY.

Late Thursday afternoon. Emmett,
the 5-year-old deaf and dumb son of ex-
Councilman w. G. Stephenson who lives
at No. 307 Monroe street, was knocked
down and run over by a heavily loaded
wagon belonging to the Wear Coal
company. The wagon was being driven
by white man named Bride. The little
boy lived about thirty minutes and ex-
pired peacefully without a CULVER in his
own room at home.
The little fellow was playing in the
street between Third street and Fourth
avenue on Monroe when the accident
occurred.
Two little boys, Edward and Andrew,
the sons of Rev Mr.. Brant. pastor of
the German Evangelical church on the
corner of Fourth avenue and Monroe
street. were playing with the little
Stephenson boy. They were flying kites
and had spent nearly all the afternoon
in that manner
Little Emmett had hold of a string
and was looking up at the flying Kite
at the same time backing across the
street when he was run over.
The driver of the wagon claims that
he called to the little fellow when he
was yet three feet from the wagon If
he did it is not known. The little fellow
could not hear and no one else claims
to have heard it.
shop at No. S27 Monroe street told a
State Journal reporter that he heard the
driver call to his horses to stop them
after the wagon had passed over the
boys body.
The boy backed into the wagon and
was knocked face downward to the
pavement. Both wheels passed over
him. The few who witnessed the af-
fair had no idea that the boy would
live after the wagon loaded with three
tons of coal had passed over him, but
.~TI = =
ran the rest of the way across the street
and clutched at a telegraph pole
After reaching the telegraph pole he
fell to the ground in swoon- A car
penter who was working near came and
carried him to the veranda of the house
at No. 325 Monroe street where A. ).
Furgeson lives.
Mrs. Stephenson was Immediately sent
for and by the time she reached him he
had regained Consciousness. DR.. Lewis
was called and the child was taken
home
A messenger boy was sent up town for
his father. The unfortunate boy lived
nearly half an hour after he was taken
home. He was conscious up until with
in a few minutes of the time of his
death. Soon after Mr.. Stephenson ar
rived at home the little fellow stood up
on the bed and motioned for a drink.
He drank it from a CUP held N his
fathers hands.
The wheels Of the wagon passed over
the body in the small of the back. A
peculiar thing about the accident is that
to all outward appearances the boy was
not seriously injured. He was hardly
bruised No ribs were broken and it
seemed that he was all right. But he
was injured internally and kept sinking
slowly.
The coal wagon was being driven
north and the street is down grade at
this point, and the horses have to be
held back to prevent them from trot-
ting. 1t was decided at the coroner s
jury which met last night that the
driver was not to blame for the acci-
dent.
The funeral will be held at the home
Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock The
services will be conducted by Rev J.
T. Mcfarland, pastor of the First
Methodist church, of which the Stephen
sons are members. The burial will be
in Topeka cemetery.