The Indianapolis journal., 1902-09-07
Ground Under the Car and Carried
$50 Feet, There Were Few
Bruises on His Body.
ELECTR0CUTED BY THE MOTOR
HE WAS wEDGED TIGHTLY UNDER
THE APPARATUS.
A Dark Street and . Muddy Crossing Y
Partly Responsible for the
Accident.

A dark street and a muddy crossing are
two things that are said TO be responsible
for the death of Mitchell B. Rariden, fifty
five years old, who was killed last night by
a street car at the corner OF Morris street
and Blaine avenue. Although carried un-
derneath the car and wedged fast under the
motor. Rariden displayed but few bruises.
He was cut slightly on the scalp in several
places, but none of these hurts was suffi-
cient to cause death The belief of several
who examined the body was that Rariden
had been electrocuted. Just how the man
met his death will probably remain mys-
terry, as no one saw the accident. Although
Patrolmen Mckinney and Woolley were but
ten feet away, their backs were turned and
they did not know of the affair until they
heard a mufied outcry and the bounding
OF the car as Motorman Flake reversed
the current and applied the brakes. They
Immediately turned round. but saw no one
They were told By Cassidy that man who
had just crossed the street was under the
car. Efforts were made to get the man
out, but it was seen that he was tightly
wedged underneath the motor. The car
was filled with passengers, and after these
got off 1t was too heavy for the combined
strength of the men to lift 1t. A hurried
call was sent to the West Washington
street barns for the wrecking car, and this
entailed a delay Of half an hour. All this
time the man lay under the car, and 1t Is
not known whether he was killed instantly
or was electrocuted in his perilous posi-
ton.
STREET WAS DARK.
The policemen said they met Rariden on
the crossing, and he spoke to them IN a
cheerful manner. They exchanged greetings
and Rariden started across the street as If
to catch the approaching car. The light
overhead was out and the street at that
place was very dark. Mckinney and
woolley said they paid no further attention
to him as he passed them. They said they
stood on the corner about ten feet from the
car tracks and discussed the time of call
ing up the police station. While their backs
were turned the car came speeding down
Morris street from Reisner street. and their
attention was called by the grinding and
crunching of the car as 1t passed the cor
ner. They heard muffied cry, and then
cally at the brakes. Then, for the first
time, they looked around for Rariden. and
he was not to be seen. 1t did not enter into
their minds that he was underneath the car
that such was the case. The car proceeded
at least 150 feet before IT could be stopped
Rariden was dragged the entire distance.
After the arrival of the wrecking car an
other delay of fifteen minutes was occa-
stoned by the adjustment of ropes and pull
leys. Finally these were got into shape
and the heavy car was lifted off the life
less body. Rariden was pulled from be-
meath the motor, and everybody present
was surprised to see but few marks on the
body. His clothes were badly torn and en-
tirely saturated with mud. Morris street
from Reisner to Harding street, was a sea
| OF mud on account of the generosity Of the
| street sprinklers and from the garden hose
used by residents on Morris street in thai
| square. After Rariden was pulled from be-
meath the car the city ambulance. with DR.
| Goodwin, was called, and the remains were
| taken to the morgue.
| Dr. Goodwin made close examination Of
| the body and found few scratches on tbs
scalp. He was unable to tell exactly wha
| caused death. Rariden's neck was no
| broken and IL Is the opinion that the man
when he was drawn underneath the car
came in contact with the revolving motor
| and was killed by the electric current Th,
/ coroner's verdict will probably determine
| this to-day.
| Rariden was employed at the Atkins saw
| works as a saw filer. He leaves a widow
| The car that struck him was No. lis, on th
! West Indianapolis line. 1t was in charg
| of Motorman Bert Flake. living at 545 Nc
| Lean place, and Conductor G. o. Cassidy
| who lives at 513 Marion avenue.