The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-03-19
KILLED BY TRAIN.
Ned Kinard, Aged Negro, Accidental
ly Killed by Southern Freight
On Wednesday.

was accidentally killed by Southern
freight train in Newherry shortly be-
fore l O'Clock on Wednesday, Ned
was leaning against The end Of some
box cars on the siding, in front Of the
depot, when shifting freight struck
the cars and threw him under the
wheels, the first wheel passing over
him and cutting off both his legs aid
the next wheel stopping on him.
Death was almost instantaneous.
Coroner Felker empanelled a jury
and held an inquest, the verdict being
that the killing was accidental.
Ned was a ditcher ON Mr. Fl II. Kin
ard s place, in the upper part Of the
county, and was about l06 years Of
age. Something of his long life from
the time he was brought from Africa
is given in another column in this
issue.
Following is the testimony taken
at the coroner's inquest:
R. L. Murrell, sworn, says: [ am
engineer on train No. 65, engine 109,
freight going west, Southern railway.
This man was killed about II 50,
March 18th. 1909. was switching on
east end Of the yard. Was getting
signal to 60 ahead by brakeman. l
struck cars, about II, in house track,
attempting to couple to them, when
cars rolled off, (cannot tell whether
coupling made or not) I did not see
negro when he got killed. Bell was
ringing as I came back. was using
every precaution. was not kicking
cars in. I was doing usual shifting.
Switchman was i'm lead Of me. 10
not know how far up line Of cars
switchman was. I stopped my en-
CINE because I knew I was as far as I
was intended to go.
r. L. Murrell.
L. H. Collins, sworn, says: was in
engine. Murrell sent for me to plug
flue. Engine was too hot to plug
when I got there. Conductor signal
ed engine back, and Murrell, engineer,
hit cars very carefully. He could not
see two cars ahead of him. Engine
was headed front. There was two
lines of cars on tracks. Engineer was
signed back. Bell was ringing while
the shifting was going on. Engineer
was shifting as carefully as he could
with the cars he had to shift. I never
knew man was killed until after
wards. Dead man was in the same
position as he is now when first saw
him. I dom It know who moved linn.
From my judgment car moved seven
or eight feet when he was hit.
L. H. Collins.
Nathan Hardy, sworn, says: I am
fireman on the freight train that kill
ed the old negro man. We we're on
the house track shifting. We were
going ahead. I did not see any signal
on my side. The bell was ringing all
the time. I was ringing it. We hit
the cars ordinary.
Nathan Hardy.
Fred. H. Russell, sworn, says: [
was in front Of laundry when [ saw
it. Car moved about three feet when
it struck him. Saw negro fall. Could
not say whether negro was walking or
not.
F. J. Russell.
c. W. FAINT, sworn, says: While
heading in the house track, signed en-
gineer down. Hit cars. and knocked
old negro down. The cars moved
about three feet. Was doing usual
shifting and made coupling with no
kicking Of cars.
C. ". Fant, Conductor.
Pleas Boyd, sworn, says: Old negro
leaning with back to car. Car struck
him from back. I saw him but did not
have time to tell him of danger. l
work for railroad company. First
wheel run over him. The other stop
ped on him.
Pleas Boyd.
J. P. Shealy, sworn, says: l was
on the platform Of the freight depot
opposite the first door when my at
tention was attracted by his cries. /
went to him, and attempted to pull
him out but he was fastened by the
wheels. I called to those standing to
signal to the engineer to pull the cars
off the body.
After the car was pulled off the
body the body was moved off the
track. He Was still alive but did not
talk any.
The train crew was doing ordinary
shifting, and l summoned doctor lnl-