The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-14

the Southern railroad zone mile west of
Browns and about twenty-one miles from
| Selma. 1t was the deliberate suicide of a
former fireman on the Southern, who was
evidently down on his luck and the meth
cd of self-destruction was evidently
| planned by mind diseased from brood
Ing over his condition. When the fast
freight train No. 70 was within a hum
dred feet OF him the man. who afterwards
| proved to be w. A. Cartwright, got down
on his knees and placed his hands on the
edge of the cross-ties and. laying his head
| on the rail, calmly waited the crunching
| of the big wheels of the iron monster.
| W. A. Mcmillan was the engineer at the
throttle of the engine pulling the train.
and his story of the occurrence is as fol-
lows:
II saw the man fully a half mile away
| and when he stopped nearer the track |
felt sure he was going to try and swing
the train. He was looking right at me as
| l approached until he got down on his
| all fours and placed his head on the rail
when he seemed to transfer his eyes to
| the number plate on the head of the en-
| CINE. AS the big Jack" drew nearer he
| turned his head with the back of it to
the engine and l did not look again
| until had shut off steam and applied the
brakes. 1t was horrible and has complete
| ly un-nerved me. He had pitiful kind
| of smile playing around his mouth when
| he was looking at me through the cab
window, and l could see wild look in
his eyes. When he laid his head on the
rail thought perhaps 1t was some of the
! boys knew who was pranking with me,
| but when closer and l saw the wild look
1 knew 1t was case of deliberate sui
| eide. A thousand times yesterday and
| today the picture has come before me,
j and have shuddered. l can't get him
out of my mind. 1t was the most hor-
rible experience In my life, and l hope
never to have 1t equaled."
| On the body of the man was found
nothing but a Brotherhood of Firemens
card with the name W. A. Cartwright
| thereon. He did not have cent in his
| clothes nor watch nor anything of
value. He was poorly clad and evidently
| hoboing II from place to place. Mr.. Nc
| MILAN says the man must have been
| down on his luck and in fit of de-
, spondency hearing the train approaching
! determined on his self-destruction In the
way he carried 1t out. The train stopped
q few yards after spassing its length by
| the lifeless body and the remains were
carried to Uniontown and turned over
| to the authorities.
| w. A Cartwright was a fireman on the
| Southern in 1900. according to a railroad
man, but lost his job and had not been
ir these parts since then.
Fire Destroys Two Houses.
This morning, at o'clock. two frame
houses on Railroad street, in the east
ern section of the city were consumed
| by fire. The inmates of one of the houses,
Mrs. Marquis and several children, es-
capped In their night clothing and two of
the children came very near being caught
In the burning building. Mr.. Marquis,
who Is a car knocker on the Southern,
/ had left the house to go on duty at mid
night, and the house was Ia flames when
neighbors, being awakened by the bright
| light, hastened to the house and aroused
the sleeping woman and children. Mr..
Marquis is reported to have lost a sum of
money in addition to all of his household
! effects and clothing; just what amount
| could not be learned He had no insur-
ance on his property. The house belonged
to Mr.. Ira Taylor and was insured. The
| adjoining house. owned and occupied by
Mr.. A. Kirchner. also caught and was
destroyed, but was fully insured.
Police Officers Suspended.
| Further developments In the police
| force controversy occurred this afternoon
at roll call. when Representative Hamil-
| tor of the Montgomery Advertiser, who
went to roll call to get the police end
| of the Sunday charges which have been
made, was threatened and otherwise in
/ suited by two members of the force,
/ Officers Mosley and Davis
| Chief Walters, upon learning of the oc-
| currence, suspended both officers, pend
| ing an investigation.
| The insults to Mr. Hamilton were re-
| ssD<ed by the entire local newspaper con-
tingent and the chief notified.