Evening star., 1901-10-29
lev
Horrible Death Of iMiietus J. Wine,
Real Estate Broker.
STRUCK BY FAST EXPRESS TRAIN
Was Returning to His Home in
s4Et
North Takoma.
THE CORONER'S
ACTION

MletuS D. Wine, prominent ana nlgnly
respected resident of North Takoma, was
instantly killed last night at $50 o'clock
by train the tracks of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad about one hundred feet
south of the Chestnut avenue crossing at
Takoma Park.
Mr.. Wine had attended the meeting Of
the Takoma Citizens Association and was
returning home when he was killed. The
train which struck him is known as train
No. IA, Cumberland express. 1t left Cum
berland at 3:15 pm and is due at Takoma
Park at 9:24 and Washington at $40
o'clock, but was nearly half an hour late
when 1t struck Mr.. Wine and was evil
IDENTIFY going faster than usual in order to
make up some of the lost time.
The train was in charge of Conductor W.
T. Frederick and was travelling at such
speed that it was impossible to stop 1t Oh
the down-grade until Lamonds. was
reached, the next station below Takoma.
The engineer of the train was T. H. An
derson, the only witness to the tragedy.
The train was backed to the point where
the killing occurred and the body placed
in the baggage car and brought to the city.
1t was then transferred to the morgue on
New Jersey avenue. Sergeant Slattery of
the tenth precinct and Sergt j. N. Barry,
also of the same precinct, were on duty at
the Carroll avenue crossing, and took
CAdlS ol lHe remains. Inc COloIiel was
notified and Sergeant Sattery accompa-
MED the body to the morgue.
The trainmen declined at first to bring
the body to the city, but Sergeant Barry
insisted, and the Baltimore and Ohio offi-
Gals at Baltimore were wired for instruc-
tions, with the above result.
Mr.. Wines remains were picked up about
twenty feet from where he was struck.
The body was in horribly mutilated con-
dtion. The head was crushed in and both
legs were broken, while the face was ter
ribly cut and bruised, making it almost
unrecogniZable. Life was extinct when
the train crew and the friends of Mr Wine
arrived on the scene. His hat and clothes
were cut to pieces, and his 6 d watch and
chain and some papers were scattered over
both tracks.
Mr.. Don Gosorn s.ztant station agent
at Takoma, was stan>,.ng by the gates he
had just lowered to permit No. II TO pass.
He accompanied the trainmen, at their le-
quest, to the Chestnut avenue crossing,
after notifying Station Agent Hayden of
the accident Mr.. Hayden later telegraphed
an official report of the accident to Wash
fngton. ts,E
Became Confused.
According to Statements Of friends who
arrived on the scene Immediately after the
accident Mr., Wine was walking on the
path alongside the. railroad tracks on the
right side of the roadbed. freight train
northbound had just passed, and he evil
IDENTIFY returned to the path and crossed
over to the Southbound track The hreman
of the express says he did not see the un-
fortunate man until just as he stepped
from behind the caboose OF the frelgh1
train and onto the southbound track. lie
added that upona facing the fast express
and realizing thatit was too late to escape
Mr.. Wine threw his coat up over his face,
if to protect himself from the horrible
fate. s-- -ss.s = i r .=-.-..-.r 49, -.
Mr.. r. Percy Brown inquired for further
details of the terrible agedy, but as the
fireman was the only witness to the acci-
dent he could learn nothing of his move
ments previous to the time the train struck
him. The engineer statedsthat had 1t not
been for the lights at the Carroll avenue
crossing he would not have seen the train
strike Mr.. Wine, owing to the darkness at
this point.
A handsome gold watch and chain valued
at $175 was picked up. a short distance from
the body, together with a bunch of keys.
The watch was badly damaged. His hat
and portions of his clothing were gathered
up after the body had been removed to
the city.
The statements of Messrs. w. G. Platt
and r. S. Brown as related to Star re-
porter last night at the time Of the killing,
corroborated the statements made by Mr..
r. Percy Brown. 1t is claimed that no
blame can attach to the trainmen, as the
accident happened on the property of the
railroad and between two grade crossings.
The point where Mr.. Wine was killed was
on a high embankment between the Carroll
avenue and Chestnut avenue crossings
short distance south Of the latter point.
The Carroll avenue crossing is protected
by gates on either side of the tracks which
are operated from $3.50 am. to midnight.
At Chestnut avenue crossing the danger
signals consist OF two huge gongs mounted
on posts on either side of the tracks. 1t is
thought that 1t was impossible for Mr..
Wine to hear the sound Of the bells, owing
to the noise made by freight train. The
freight train also probably drowned the
sound of the approaching express. and Mr..
Wine did not hear 1t until he was on the
track. His reason for going from the north
bound track to the southbound track is not
explained by his friends who are at a loss
to know what reason he had for going in
that direction. His home Is on the right
side Of the track and he had but compar-
atively short distance to go when he was
killed.
Upon leaving Takoma Hall, in company
with Mr. R. Percy Brown and Mr.. W. G.
Platt Of North Takoma and Mr.. r. 8.
Brown, who resides on Chestnut avenue,
he went over to Burrows drug store, but
remained outside while Mr.. Platt went in
side to make a purchase, accompanied by
the other members of the party. Thinking
they would overtake him, he started to
walk slowly up the tracks in advance Of
about to start after him when the train
struck him.. They hurried to him, only to
find that death had been instantaneous and
he was tenderiy placed In the baggage car
Dy the SCntIeHieIi Ndilcu duu OlneTS.
In Business for Thirty Years.
NJ j. Wine occupied a beautiful home at
the corner of Buffalo and Albany avenues.
He has been in business in the District for
thirty years, but resided for the past six
years in North Takoma, Md. He was en-
gagged in the real estate business at GIT 7th
street northwest, where he daily attended
to his office business. He was ffty-six
years of age, andowas loved and respected
by all who knew him. His death Is greatly
deplored by residents OF North Takoma.
He was member OF srakoma Lodge No.
29 F. A. A. M. and WAS Royal Arch Ma
son. He was also s.con4eeted with the Ia
koma Club and Library, and was a vestry-
man of Trinity Episco1ai Church of Tako-
ma. He was borne in Rockingham county,
Va, and graduateh from Roanoke College.
Mr.. William N. WINE, brother Of the de-
ceased who with his wife and family, are
visiting his sister;I-,Mrs; D. K. Whitmer of
Maple avenue, was notified Immediately of
the sad accident, and he notified relatives
in Baltimore and Virginia.
It Is said Mr.. Wine was Interested to q
considerable extent in1mining interests in
the west. Such interests or holdings of
stock in particular brought Mr. Wine into
some prominence nearly year ago when
%t,lt AT, NV