Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-30
HAPPENINGS IN ALEXANDRIA
SHIRLEY JoHNsoN's DEATH BY
UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT.
Coroner's Jury Exonerates Train
men-Sudden Death of John w.
Varney-General Matters.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Il
ALEXANDRIA, Va, October 30 1913.
A coroner's jury, summoned by DR.. ASH
ton this afternoon investigated the cir
cumstances attending the death of Shirley
Johnson. colored. who was killed At :,.4J
o'clock yesterday afternoon by a north
bound train over the Washington. Alex
andria and Mount Vernon electric rail
way. The jury returned IA verdict To the
effect that the accident was unavoidable.
and held the employees of the company
blameess.
The jury was composed of the following.
/. w. Burrell, foreman; D. +. Price, w {.
Weadon. John L. Marcher, john Marcher
ST., William S. Reid.
johnson was killed instantly by being
struck by train between ltosemont ana
Braddock heights. At waS teStIned tnas
the train was travelling at the rate ui
twenty-five miles an hour. and that Mo-
torman Charles RUDey WAS breaking IN a
man named j. j. Cam, who WAS expert
enced in that line of work, but was learn
ing the tracks.
Cain said he never saw the man until
he was within TWENTY-FIVE feet OF ufm.
He at once applied his brakes and did ev-
erythlng possible To prevent the accident.
johnson, lie said. was walking northward
and was carrying heavy piece of timber
which came in contact with the headlight
the of the motor. and he was dead.
Johnson's skull was crushed and mis- leg
broken. A number of other witnesses. in
Guiding Conductor II. V. Kelly, Trolley
man Evans and several passengers, were
examined. Their testimony was prlcti
cally the same and threw no new lighG Oh
the matter.
Johnson was thirty-five years of age.
| and lived on the farm Of Mr.. Woolf. Brad
dock Heights. Alexandria county, by
whom he was employed.
John w. Varney Suddenly Expires
While engaged in conversing with his
wife at the breakfast table at 1:15 o'clock
this morning. John William Narney.
prominent resident of Del Ray, AleNan-
dria county. suddenly keeled over in his
chair and expired. He had just partaken
of a heavy meal and was apparently in
the best of health. Heart trouble is
ascribed as the immediate cause of his
death.
Mr. Varney was born at Rector's Cross
Roads, Loudoun county. Va, and was
sixty-four years of age. For the past
ten years he had been a resident Of Del
Raw being one OF the pioneer settlers in
that village. Prior to that time he lived
at Hamilton. Va and was prominent
member of the Masonic lodge of that
place. AT the time of his death Mr..
SdTHSS lPll ii IoSitlpH III tiit t'-
partment at the Potomac railroad yards.
Alexandria county. Arrangements for
the funeral have not yet been made.
His wife. Mrs. Elizabeth Varney and
seven children. survive him The chill
dren are: w T. Narney, w. l.. NarneN.
Miss Dora Varney. Mrs. john Gary. Mrs.
A. j. Nails. Mrs. Frank Cockrell, j. W.
Varney.
Cupid's Conquest.
Miss Edith Olivia Kirk daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. O. H. Kirk, .bS North Column
bus street. and Mr.. Ernest Elmer Risdou,
both of this city eloped to Rockville, Md.
Yesterday and were married by the Rev.
Thomas III. Campbell, pastor of the Bap-
tst Church of that place The announce
| ment of the wedding was received by Mrs.
bride from Baltimore. The announce
ment of the marriage was a surprise TO
the friends of both parties.
General Mention.
Representative c. {. Carlin, who has
been making stump speeches in different
parts of the state, returned home last
evening
Considerable business of Importance was
disposed of last evening at a meeting Of
Alexandria Council No. 80. Junior Order
OF United American Mechanics.
stumbling blocks" the subject of
an address last night by Robert Downing
at the Methodist Protestant Church.
At meeting of Alexandria Washington
Lodge of Masons held last night several
candidates were initiated into the secrets
of Masonry.