The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-15
CHOIR SINGER TRIES
TO Save MANS LIFE.
Bertha Stille Follows John Golf in
Rain and Darkness to See That
No Harm Befell Him.
HER EFFORT is UNAVAILING.
Object of Her Solicitude Killed by
an Electric Car, When She
Thought Him Out of
Danger.
HER EFFORT IS UNAVAILING.

Testimony introduced at the Coroner's in.
quest held yesterday at Clayton over the
body of p. J. Goff. who was run over and
killed Tuesday night by Transit car ir
st. Louis County. developed the strange
story of a St. Louis County Girl who. In
tuitively foreseeing the fatal disaster that
might befall a man unknown to her, dogged
his footsteps anxious to avert the threat
ening catastrophe.
Through the darkness and rain. with only
an occasional flash of lightning to guide
her. Miss Bertha Stille. young woman
who lives on St. Vincent avenue near the
st. Charles Rock road. followed Goff for
more than an hour on the fatal TUESDAY
night to protect him, II the emergency
arose. from death on railway trestle. As
witness before the Coroner yesterday.
Miss Stille related story which the jury
and spectators heard with much interest.
Miss Stille is the soprano soloist in a
church choir that rehearses every Tuesday
night at Hamilton and Bartmer avenues.
She said that while she was waiting Tues
for car to take her to the city she noticed
a man staggering, as though under the in
Nuence of liquor. He was evidently waiting
for a car. and his impatience soon found
vent in audible imprcoations against the
railroad company.
Finally. he said he would wait no long
n
taking path between the rails. 1t was
already dark, and he evidently could not
realize the danger he was courting. l de-
termined to follow him. because knew the
trestle was only a short distance away,
and I also knew that If he slipped and fell
through the ties in the trestle his death
would be inevitable. Had such an accident
befallen him he would have had no time to
extricate himself before the south-bound
car was upon him. I he fell: I reasoned,
/ could run ahead and signal the motorman
to stop.
Apparently the man was In a very PAD
humor and for that reason | said nothing
to him. but nevertheless followed quietly
behind unknown to him. 1t grew very dark
and began to rain. The repeated flashes or
| ghtnng enabled me to keep the man in
Us. 1t was not a great distance to the
bridge. but the man stopped often and at
best made but poor progress. Finally we
reached the trestle. He did not essay to
cross it. but left the track and disappeared
in the darkness. 1 felt very much relieved
and returning to MY waiting place. took
the next car for the city"
way he had again found his way back to
the railroad, ard this time there was no
one to warn or save him. Miss Stille heard
of the accident after choir practice. The
matter preyed on her mind and after tax
ing IA car to Weilston she hastened to the
scene of the accident on foot. no cars be-
ing at hand. She declared that she ran
every step of the way. reproaching herself
the while for not having taking further
precautions for the mans safety. She iden-
titled the corpse as that Of the man whom
she had followed.
The jury returned a verdict of unavoida-
blt accident.