The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-06
FROM MARRIAGE
ALTAR TOGRAvE
Sad Ending Of a Beauti-
full Love Story.
PROF. BIVINS is DEAD
Married Last Thursday, He Falls From
the Train Coming Back from His
Bridal Tour and the Young
Widow Returns With
His Corpse.
PROF. BIVINS is DEAD
Especial to News and Observer.)

j. f. Bivins. headmaster of Trinity
Park, was kille d this morning by
falling from a train on the Seaboard
road. He fell about six miles from
Durham, between the 34th and 35th
mile posts. and died just as the train
pulled into the station here. fifteen
minutes later. He was returning with
his bride of five days from a trip to
Virginia Beach.
The terrible accident that caused
the sudden taking off of Prof. Bivins
mas cast a gloom over the college
community and the entire town. No
accident in years has caused such gen
eral sadness and sympathy. His
bride did not know that her husband
was killed until the train pulled in
here. He was taken to the baggage
car. and she remained in the passen-
ger car. She was kept in ignorance
of the facts until reaching here. this
being done in order to have medical
attention as soon as possible She
saw the physicians as they entered
he car and saw others pass through.
Where is my huSband?" she asked.
one OF those who had just left the
side OF the dead man said that he was
in the baggage car. "How badly is
he hurt?' she then asked and was
told that his foot was hurt. About
that time Conductor Phifer came into
the coach. "How badly is my hus-
band hurts he dead?" came ques-
tons from the now thoroughly dis
tressed wife.
Then she was told that he was dead.
There was nothing else to tell her.
The honeymoon had ended in q terri
be- tragedy.
No One Saw Him Fail.
Just how Prof. Bvins fell from the
train is a matter of speculation. No
one, saw him fall. He had gone to
the rear of the train and was smoking
cigar. The train was running back
wards, this putting him on the front
end. 1t is supposed that he became
overbalanced and fell over the plat
form guard. on which he was proba-
bly, sitting at the time. In the fall
his head struck the end of a cross
tie and death was caused by concus-
sion and fracture.
Story of q Passenger.
The train on which he was travel
ing was a freight train on which was
a combination passenger and baggage
coach. One of the passengers on this
coach was Elmer G. Smith. a travelling
man, of Philadelphia. He knows as
much as any living man can know of
how the accident occurred.
Hll. NoliillII SSlN tllsil iS Nsi~a lSbIhiliS7
to the conductor when the train
stalled on a grade some six miles
from Durham. He had noticed Prof.
BivinS and his bride. whom he did not
know at that time. and the conductor
had told him the couple was recently
married. Just at this time Prof.
Bivins remarked to his wife that he
was going to the rear platform to
smoke cigar. The train was then
backing down grade and this placed
the deceased on the front OF the
train Conductor Phifer went to the
baggage end of the car and was
standing in the door. He says that
his attention was attracted by a hat
blowing past the car door Looking
back ne saw the form of the man
lying by the side OF the track. The
train was running at a slow rate OF
speed by that time and he jumped
from the train and ran back. In the
meantime Mr.. Smith had gone into
the baggage car when one of the tram
men asked who was that man. was
he a passenger on the train? Inc
drummer then ran to the platform
and found that the man who had gone
out for a smoke was not there.
Jumping from the train he ran to the
aSsistancesof the conductor.
Mr.. Smith says that the man was
then in an unconscious and dying
condition. He never recovered con-
seriousness or opened his eyes after
the fall. While his heart action con-
tinued until the train stopped here
he was practically dead from the
first.
Two Theories.
There are two theories as to how
Prof. Bivins fel! to his death. One
is that he grabbed at his hat which
had blown off and becoming unbal-
anced fell. Another is that he was
sitting on the guard rail smoking,
and when the train began to slow up
to make the run back up the grade
he was overbalanced by the sudden
change in the movement of the train.
The cause Of the train backing at that
point was that it had stalled in going
up Junction grade" and it was run
backwards in order to get new start.
In the fall his head struck cross
tie and he fell from the track. The
train did rot strike him.
Quick Run to Durham.
Getting q stretcher the wounded
man was placed in the baggage car
and the train brought on to Durham.
Two physicians We're quickly sum-
moned and were at the depot in few
moments. Life went out just about
as they reached him.
In a few moments the news of the
terrible death had spread over the
street. and people ran towards the de-
pot The car doors were closed, how
ever and the bride-widow taken in
carriage to her home. The coroner
was notified. but an inquest was not
held The body was then removed to
the undertaking establishment and
after being prepared for burial was
carried to his home at the Park
Married Five Days.
Last Thursday morning Prof. j. f.
Bivins and Miss Fannie Carr were
united in marriage. 1t was a very
quiet affair, the ceremony taking place
in the parlor of the college Inn. DR..
J. G. I<ilgo officiating. That morning
Prof. Bivins and his bride left for Vir-
ginia Beach to spend a few days. They
left there last evening at $40 o'clock
and stopped in Henderson until time
for the accommodation train to leave
for Durham.
The deceased was son of the late