Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-04
LIFE CRUSHED OUT.
A. H. Bryant, the ''Dummy's"
Popular Baggagemaster,
Instantly Killed, "Wednesday, While
Shifting at South Gardiner.
Much Liked and Mourned by Large
Family and Many Friends.

South Gardiner, Me-, June 3.-(Spec-
iaD.-A fatal accident occurred,
Wednesday morning, at the freight
yard at South Gardiner, by which
Amasa H. Bryant lost his life. Mr..
Bryant was employed as baggagemas-
ter on the NJ. c. r. r., on the Accom-
mediation train running between South
Gardiner and Augusta and in charge
of Conductor Warren Wight. After the
return of the train from its first trip
to Augusta in the morning and at
about $50 o'clock, Bryant was engaged
in shifting loaded cars to the siding
from the main track, and there the
disaster occurred, a short distance
above the passenger and freight depot.
Mr.. Bryant was about to uncOuple
loaded box car and a flat car loaded
with lumber. The draw bar had been
broken and the bumper lost from one of
these cars and a heavy chain had been
used in coupling. Mr.. Bryant was be-
tween the two cars ready to discOn-
meet the chain coupling, when the cars
came together, smashed the wooden end
of the fiat car and caught Mr.. Bryant
between them and crushed out his life.
The car rebounded and the lifeless body
of the man dropped to the ground by
the side of the track.
The accident was first noticed by Fred
Fogg, yard master at the depot, who
rushed back to the station with the
| information that the man was hurt. A.
| Il. Crossman, who runs barber shop
: h., 10,
reach the body and only a slight flutter
of the heart could be noticed. Conduc-
! tor Wight and Fred James were the
| next to arrive, but life was extinct on
| their reaching the body.
| DR.. Libby of South Gardiner, was inn
| mediately summoned as was Coroner
| Frank E. Andrews of Gardiner. DR..
| Libby's examination revealed that
| death must have been instantaneous,
! as the mans neck, Windpipe, both
| shoulders, back, and all the ribs to the
ninth on both sides were broken. I'm
| dertaker w. G. Preble of this city, was
| called and cared for the remains at the
| house on Depot street
A coroners inquest was held at 8
O'Clock in the afternoon, conducted by
Coroner Andrews with the jury COM
posed of the following: James E. Pot
ter, Dan S. Weeks c. T. Haley, A. G..
Borchardt, c. S. Cobb and James Capen
O. d. Baker, attorney for the Maine
Central, and w. c. Atkins, acting as
attorney for the State, for County
Leigh, We're present.
DR.. A. Brooks Libby testified as to
the injuries of the man as given pre-
Viously and as to his position as found
by him. Clarence kincaid corroborate,
| DR.. Libby'S statement as to position
and the condition of the damaged car.
Fred II. Fogg named Mr.. Bryant's du-
ATTENDING the accident. A. b. Cross
man corroboratcd what the others
found. Warren W. Wight, the con-
Iductor of the Dummy" testified as to
Mr.. Bryants capabilities and duties
Emery S Adell, engineer of the Dunn
my" made statement of the signals
given by Mr.. Bryant previous to the
of the Dummy who took the signals
from Mr.. Bryant and gave them to the
Iengineer.
After the testimony of the witnesses
the jury rendered the following YER
dict:
THAT Amasa II. Bryant came to his
death While in the employ of the Maine
Central Railroad Co, and While in the
act of uncoupling two cars. one of which
was defective and was known to be de-
fective by said company"