The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-28
DeImo Kings Death is
a Mystery,
DID TRAIN HIT HIM !?
Body Found Yesterday Morning With
Skull Crushed Near Track of
Mills Road on Embankment
Back of Insane
Asylum.

Dellno King, the 19-year-oid son OF G.
Edward King, No. G03 North Saunders
street, was found dead with his skull
OF the Raleigh and Cape Fear Railroad
just back OF the Hospital Tor the Insane.
How he met his death is not known.
Whether he was struck by the evening
tram over the Mills Road, whether he was
murdered, or whether ne was killed in an
ARRAY will probably never be known.
Here is the verdict OF the jury en-
paIelIed by Coroner T. NJ. Jordan, and
composed Of Messrs. j. Sherwood Up
church. j. A. Sheets, VIII Allen. Harry
j. Lee. C. +. Bullock and j. w. Upchurch.
We. the jury, for our verdict say:
That Dclmo King came to his death from
causes unknown to us
The body was first discovered early
yesterday morning by student OF the
= and NJ. College, who notified one OF
Ihe guards at the States Prison. The
guard, II. D. Ponton, telephoned TO the
southern Railway officials, and the sad
nClgs then reached Mr.. King, the young
mans father. and rapidly spread over the
c:y. There were various reports, some
trat Il man had been run over and ON
ers that a murder had been comm. I'D.
Coroner Jordan, as soon as he was mott
fed. quickly empaneled a jury. In the
, meantime Mr.. John Mills had ordered a
suecial train to take the jury to the
scene OF the tragedy, and they left at
about a quarter to one O'Clock, accom-
panied by Mr. Mills and Mr.. Henry Mil
le:.
hn d do Of mo
embankment just few feet rhis side of
the trestle over Rocky Branch to the
ght of the track as one comes toward
Raleigh, somewhat in a heap, on the
back, with the head down the emDank-
ment, only five or SIX feet from the track.
The embankment at that point is from
ten to fifteen feet high.
Coroner Jordan thus described the IN
jury and position of the body
THE only injury on the body was over
the left temple running into the socke.
or The left eye. The skull was thoroughly
crushed The position of the body, with
the CHS foxed upon the legs, lying
upon the back, with the head down the
emhankment, evidenced that death was
instantaneous There was no inGlcation
of any struggle or of the contraction
even OF a muscle after the blow was
struck"
The coroner said that no liquor was
found in the boys pockets. He did rot
make a thorough search of the clothing
for other articles.
With the coroners jury when they
viewed the body was Mr.. King, the dead
young mans father. At first the Coroner
did not see any necessity for an inquest.
but then IN conversation with several
-bO tya aic
borhood TO see the body, it developed
that Mr.. Wiley Buffalo, who lives near
b., said he heard man named James
Bird threaten Delmo King Tie night be-
fore saying that if he ever caug.-- him
outside the corporation he would beat
him, or something to that effect Then Z
was learned further that Bird had been
with King the day before in Raleigh,
that both had been drinking, and that
they had been seen going toward the
Union Station, and later out III the coun-
tIy in the neighborhOod of Messrs. Wiley
and Tuck Buffalo and Mr.. E. j. Pipkin.
In view of all those facts, it was agreed
b. all parties concerned that an inquest
was necessary, as there was at least
ground for suspicion of foul play Before
coming back to town the jury took the
evidence of Charles Crump, the colore6
sw lehman on the yard OF the Southern
Railway. and Frank Smith, yard conduc-
tor on the Southern. The remainder OF
the evidence was taken in DR.. Jordan's
Office in the Tucker building yesterday
afternoon, the jury sitting from three
O'Clock until after six.
The body was turned over to Mr.. King.
after the jury had viewed it on the spot
where it had been found, and Mr.. j. G.
Strickland, the undertaken, took charge
O! the rmanS
THE EVIDENCE.
Here is the evidence as it was given IL
substance before the Coroners Jury:
FRANK SMITH, the yard conductor on