The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-02-24
KILLED OUTRIGHT, HER HEAD
BEING. SEVERED FROM
HER BODY.
PENNY, YOUNGEST SISTER,
Died in the Sanitarium from Injuries
Received-Mary. the Eldest Sister,
Will Survive-A Searching In
quiry Should Follow.

A horrifying accident occurred in
Bossier City Friday afternoon between
! 30 and O'Clock. ut is an accident,
whose simple narration will arouse IN
the breast of every head of families the
commiseration inexpressible for the un-
fortunate parents. and which strikes in
sympathetic response the public pulse
and stimulates the touch of nature which
makes the whole world akin.
Running in Bossier parish for dis
tance of about six hundred yards from
the Vicksburg. Shreveport and Pacific
bridge. are the tracks of the Red River
Valley, the Vicksburg, Shreveport and
Pacific and the Cotton Belt, At a point
about two hundred yards from the
bridge, the three daughters of Mr.. and
Mrs. Walter T. Colquitt. residents OF
Bossier, Mary, Fannie Lee and Penny,
being respectively IS. I3 and 10 years of
age, were homeward bound from Shreve-
port. where they attended school. They
were walking along watching the incom-
ing train over the Red River Valley
track, which is near by the Cotton Belt
track. The three sisters had walked UP
and down the Cotton Belt track for
years, and as others had walked it daily,
with no apprehension of danger. The
home of their parents stands about a
quarter OF mile from where the appall-
ing accident occurred. As the three SIS
ters were going home, watching the
Red River Valley train, freight train
of seventeen cars of the Cotton Belt was
being backed slowly. creeping along, al
most noiselessly. On this freight train
were two negro brakemen, Louis Whit
taker and Booker Choler. Mary was
on one side of the track stepping the
crossties. while her sisters were on the
track and within the rails. There are
several eye witnesses who in substance
say that they saw the three girls on the
track and the Cotton Belt train backing
slowly, and they expected the girls tt
get off the track. One of the negro
brakemen affirms that he waved hi:
hands and called to the girls to get OF
the track, and that he also gave the sig
| nal to the engineer. who, however, seem
ingly did not receive the warning unit
| Mary had been hurled alongside of th'
track and Penny and Fannie Lee hat
been hurled under the moving train
which was checked within the length o
two cars by Engineer Cavanaugh, aftei
he had given the signal of danger.
| The situation can neither be imagined
nor described Eight freight cars hat
passed over the body of Fannie Lee
whose head had been severed from he
rnangled body, and from beneath ca
was extricated Penny, who was believe
to be dead. The sight beheld by tn
spectators who had hurried to the seen
from every direction to give asslstanc
was appalling.
Several physicians from Shrevepor
responded quickly to the call for he'll
and as soon as possible the bod,
Iof the dead girl was removed and Penn
and Mary were conveyed to the Sam
tarium, where Penny had her right arr
amputated near the elbow and the lei
at the shoulder Her face and hand
and her body bore the marks of seriou
| injuries Mary, although severely IN
Ijured, will survive. Her narrow escap
from death is due to the fact that sh
was walking outside of the rail, steppin
| on the crossties.
il At the Sanitarium the disconsolat
mother and father kept vigil over thel
beloved and loving daughters. About
,Ip.m. yesterday Penny's soul winged II
] flight to the Golden Shore and joine
her sister in glorious and undying i'm
mortality.
In Warnings parlors the bodies of tn
sisters reposed in spotless garments
white, sleeping the sleep of tn
| blessed. while many sympathetic friend
| visited with fearful eyes.
| From Warnings, yesterday afternoon
the bodies were removed to the home {
Mrs Penelope Mills, 4os Milan stree
where the funeral services will be hel
| by Rev. DIR. Sumrell of the Bapti
church at I o'clock. The burial will b
in the Oakland cemetery on Spragu
lstreet.