The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-30
YOUTH KILLED
 IN SEABOARD GUT

A youth about 19 years of age and who is believed to be Robert Anderson, was run over and killed at II 20 o'clock last night in the concrete cut of the Seaboard Air Line on Avenue A, between Twenty third and Twenty-fourth streets. There are also circumstances which cause the authorities to believe that the young man may have possibly been murdered and afterward placed on the railroad track.
 Switch engine 40S, pulling several freight cars, and being in charge of J. T. Bird. engineer, and c. A. Cochran, foreman, had just entered the mouth of the cut, which runs from Twenty fourth to Twen- tieth street, when Engineer Bird noticed the form of man lying face downward between the rails. The track slopes down ward at this point and the entire train passed over the body before Engineer Bird could bring 1t to a standstill The face was lying toward Twenty-third street and the train passed over the feet first.
 The brake beams as they passed over the body tore the clothes off it, scattering them up and down the track for several yards The body was dragged a short distance, while the right arm and right foot wore cut off, the left foot mashed and the body crushed There were but two bruises upon the head. the left eye being black while gash over two inches long was cut in the back of the head. It Is these two latter wounds which have made the authorities suspicious. while the position in which the youth was lying upon the track gave credence to the murder theory.
 It was learned that the youth had been in the soft drink stand at Twenty-third street and Avenue B about an hour be- fore the accident. but so far it has been impossible to determine his whereabouts after that time. The gash in the head looks as If 1t might have been made with some sharp instrument while the black eye would indicate that the deceased might have gotten into difficulty with some one, and after being either badly beaten or killed had been placed upon the track.
 The matter was reported to Coroner Brasher. who was on the scene within a few moments. He has set next Monday morning as the time for a hearing The remains were removed to the Green Un- dertaking companys establishment where they are being held pending the effort to positively identify the body
 It Is thought that it Is the body of Rob- ert Anderson, who up to a short time ago worked at R. E, Cooper's garage on First avenue between Twenty-hrst and Twen- ty-second streets. and who was confined in the county jail for short while on a charge of malicious mischief in connection with the running down of a negro by an automobile. He is said to have a sister at Green Springs.
 The accident happened shortly after Il 20 o'clock, Officers Horan and Buckalew, who handle the restricted district beat on the morning shift appearing on duty just at the time the accident occurred. The two officers worked hard in the effort to find out whether the affair was purely an accident or murder Several wit nesses were found by them who could tell of having been with the boy earlier in the night, but outside of the engineer and fireman there have been no other reports of eye witnesses.