Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-08-05
WOMEN PASSENGERS
WITNESSES OF TRAGEDY
Young Man Loses Balance While At
tempting to Adjust Trolley-Aged
Father Comes From Norfolk at
Midnight and Take Charge of Sons
ENLIGHTENMENT Inquest.
Daily Press Bureau,
Hampton, Va. August 4

Falling from the rear rail of a
motor car. Conductor W. J. Porter
was crushed beneath the wheels of
trailer. and instantly killed on the
Newport News & Old Point Railway
& Electric COmpany's line at Buck
roe Beach tonight at 9:15 o'clock
Several women sitting on the front
seat of the trailer witnessed the hor-
-ible accident, and one of them faint
ed as the wheels passed over the I'M
fortunate young mans body.
The accident occurred just as car
No. ~, with trailer No. IL, turned
the curve around the big figure
eight" going into Buckroe The
trolley had slipped of the wire and
Porter was pulling at the rope in an
attempt to adjust it. He lost his
balance and fell, clinging franctical
ly TO the rope. The trolley spring of
course offered little resistance to the
mans weight. and he dropped to the
ground, directly in front of the trail
er wheels. The front truck passed
over his body before the cars came
TO a standstill.
Scene of Confusion.
A scene of almost indescribable
confusion followed. Women scream
ed and cried and men ran to and
fro trying to learn what had happen
%. The motorman and several other
men ran to the mangled body and
dragged il from beneath the car The
. conductor was beyond all mortal aid
The wheels had passed over his body.
crushing the chest and breaking the
spine
Telephone messages brought
Deputy Sheriff +. s. Curtis and DR.
q. X. Vanderslice TO the scene. A
coroner's jury was empanelled at
once and the body was viewed. Then
the inquest was adjourned over until
this morning at IL o'cloe<. and the
corpse given into the charge OF an
undertaken. On account of the con-
fusion Immediately after the tragedy
IL was impossible to handle the wit
nesses and Dr. Vanderslice decided
not to attempt to proceed with the
inquest at once.
Grief Stricken Father Here.
Young Porter was 20 years old and
unmarried. He had been in the en-
ploy of the railway company for six
mnoths. and lived over the car barns
His father and mother live in Nor
folk, the father, J. L. Porter, being a
conductor in the employ OF the Nor
folU and Portsmouth Traction Com
pany.
The father was notified of his sons
death by telephone, and re raced to
Willoughby Spit on a special car in
time TO board the last Boat for Old
Point tonight. He came on to Hamp-
ton, arriving at 12:45 O'Clock and GO
ing to the Augusta hotel for the
night Mr. Porter is SO years old
He is terribly shocked and grieved.
Arrangements will be made this
morning for taking the dead young
mans body TO Norfolk
The jury.
The members OF the coroner's Jury
empanelled to inquire into the death
are as follows:
]. +. Hope, Harry Marrow. Frank
Brown. Edgar Brinson. B. W. Cox
snd n. c. Alexandria
Third Accident This Week.
This Is the third serious acct
dent 20 occur on the Buckroe line
this week Monday night Motorman
II. s. Riley was fatally injured in q
fear-end collision between -Buckroe
Beach and OlS Point Comfort Col
lege, and Tuesday night Conductor
PauIlette was painfully hurt while
throwing a switch on the line near
Old Point Comfort College.
Conductor Porter was q genial
POPULAR fellow. He was liked BY the
officials Of the company. his fellow
employees and the patrons OF the line
u Is said that be Was known especial
" for the courteous attention he
gave women passengers.