The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-03-01
DR.. BURR'S DEATH
Uncertainty as to VIII her 1t
Was Accident or Su eide
TRACING HIS MOVEMENTS

on Day OF Death and Paid In
surance Premium Day or TIVE
BeiOre--An Inquest Probable
Westboro, Mass, Feb. 26.-It is the
opinion of Medical Examiner knight
that Rev. Everett D. Burr, D. D., OF
Newton, whose body was found beside
the railroad track here Sunday, met his
death by fall from a Boston bound
train. The medical examiner will file
his report with Judge Fowler of the
First district court ard will suggest the
holding of an inquest to determine
whether Burr's death was due to acci-
dent or suicide.
Deputy Sheriff Magner made a care
ful examination of the scene OF the ac-
cident and expressed an opinion that
after Burr fell from the rear car of the
train, about 6 o'clock Saturday night,
another train caught up the body and
carried IL along for about 400 feet IT
was during this time that the body
was mangled and subsequently thrown
off to one side, probably by striking
some obstruction. The deputy sheriff
found a piece of bone about three men
es long, apparently a portion of the
skull of the man. about $50 feet beyond
where the body was picked up Sunday.
That the body was not discovered Sat
urday night is thought to have been
due to the fact that the accident took
place after dark.
Two members of the First Baptist
church of Newton came to this town
and after making some inquiries super
intended the removal of the body to
Boston. After the funeral on WedneS'
day at Newton the body will be ere
mated and burial of the ashes will take
place beneath an elm tree in Burr's
country home at Peterboro, n. H.
DR.. Burr's movements on Saturday
have been traced to some extent. At
ter leaving his home in Newton Centre
about noon he stopped at a waiting
room of the street railway company,
not far away, and left his watch with
woman attendant and an hour later
was seen in the South station in Bos-
ton. 1t was also ascertained that Burr
paid his insurance premium a day or
two before his death. While no Ole
saw him on his way to Worcester, it is
believed that he took the train leaving
Boston at o'clock Saturday afternoon
and which made no stops between that
city and Worcester
Whether it was his intention to go to
New York is not known, but it is be
lieved that he left the train in Worces
ter, as that train did not go to New
York. The train from which it is be-
lieved he fell was the noon express
from New York, due in Worcester at
4 80 Saturday afternoon, but which ar
rived late. This train was composed
almost entirely of vestibuled cars, but
the rear platform of the last car was
open, except for low gate. The train
did not stop at this place and was
travelling at a rapid rate when it went
through to Boston, about o'clock Sat
urday night.
Whether Burr fell or threw himself
from the rear platform of the train is a
matter of conjecture. Deputy Sheriff
Magner found a trail of blood in the
centre of the track in a perfectly
straight line for 400 feet and it was his
belief that the engine of the following
train caught up the body and carried
it along for that distance, manglng it
in the rush.
1t has been also ascertained that Burr
had been suffering frou an attack of
the grip and was somewhat depressed
over some of his professional affairs
WeStbOro, Mass, Feb. 25.-Rev. Dr.
Everett d. Burr, for many years one of
Boston's most prominent clergymen.
met a violent death here some time
Saturday night by falling from west
bound express train on which he was
travelling to New York.
DR.. Everett D. Burr was one Of the
foremost Baptist clergymen in Massa-
chusetts, having for period Of -
years been the pastor of the Ruggles
Street Baptist church at Boston.
While occupying this pastorate Burr
became prominent because of his great
work among the poor and destitute of
the city and for his energy in promOt-
ing the work of his large parish.
During the past winter and fall DR..
Burr had beeI called to all sections of |
eastern United States to speak before
ILeetings called for various relief and |
charity purposes, and was every where |
hailed as a very able and forceful |
speaker
He was born at Nyack- on-the-H ud- |
son in January, 1861, being at the date
OF his death 40 years old.