The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-08-29
W. H. Davis, Of Sandwich, III
Met Terrible Death en- EIec-
trio Line Wednesday
WAS LYING BETWEEN RAILS
Motorman Saw the Man Lying Between
the Rails and Was Unable TO Stop
the Car to Save His Life
The Remains MangIed

w. Fl. Davis, of Sandwich, H., a
stranger in Kenosha met a tragic
death just before eight O'Clock We'd
nesday evening when he was crushed
under the wheels of Chicago and
Milwaukee electric car near the
Prairie avenue crossing. The details
Of the accident are unknown and it is
probable that the question as to
whether the man met death by acct
dent Or deliberately lay down on the
track and waited for his death will
never be settled No one has been
found who saw him about the city
during the day and the first seen of
him was when the motorman in
charge of the south bound car, reach
ing here at ESQ, saw him lying on
the track just south of the Prairie
avenue crossing. The body OF the
man was thrown forty feet across the
track, the car striking him on the
head and literally cutting the mead
in two. Nearly all of the bones in
the upper portion of the mans body
was broken and it is certain that he
met an instant death.
The remains were removed to the
Miller and Cosgrove morgue and
Coroner Andre summoned a jury
which will hold an inquest on Friday
morning. In the meantime the re1a-
tives of the man have been notified of
his death.
Davis was evidently about thirty
years of age and a hard working
man. Letters in his possession
showed that he was a son of w. H.
Davis, of Scion Mills, ILL.,, but he had
been working at Sandwich. It is evil
dent that he had been away from his
home for the past three or four
months, but he had kept in close
touch with the members Of his family
and the letters found on the dead man
were endearing messages of good
| will and we'll wishing. SO far as can
be learned by the coroner, Davis had
not been working IN Kenosha. He
had something like seven dollars IN
| his pocket and several papers from
which he had Teen cutting advertise
ments of people seeking 1aboring
men. A great crowd was attracted
| to the scene of the accident, as the
point where the man was killed by
the car was within few hundred
feet Of the tent of the Gentry dog an6
pony show. It is possible that Davis
had come to the city with the show.
An examination of the remains
showed no trace of intoxicants on the
man, aud for this reason it is i'm pos.
| sible to see how he could have beer
lying on the track, unless he had de.
liberately planned to commit suicide
or had been stricken by heart disease
while walking along the track. The
motornan stated that he was lying
close in toward the rails on the easi
side Of the track and that the body
YVES so close TO the rails that he die
not notice it until it was too late tc
stop the car.
| The car was running at a speed OF
/ forty miles al hour when the man was
/ struck, and this high speed probably
| accounts for the manner in which he
was cut to pieces. There was some
thing of a coincidence beween the
death of Davis and the death Of mau
by the name Of Grace, who was killed
| by the electric cars near Milwaukee
Tuesday night. In the case Of Grac
the killing was admitted to be a
suicide.
The Milwaukee papers of Wednes-
day evening had big stories on the
death of Grace, telling how he had
lain down between the tracks with a
view Of ending his troubles,and it is
thought possible that Davis may have
initiated the Milwaukee man.
The relatives of Davis at Scion
Mills are we'll kown people. They
have been notified of the tragic death
Of the man and ii is expected that
.they will arrive in Kenosha today and
make arrangements to take care of
the remains.