The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-11-24
PLYMOUTH MAN
MEETS DEATH
At SOUTH BEND
NAPOLEON B. HAMP RUN DOWN
BY LAKE SHORE TRAIN AT
:. TER REUNION WITH :.
WIFE
Mrs. Hamp Was Supposed % Have
been Drowned on the Pere Mar
quette Barge-Story a
Sad One.

Sad One.
Less than ten minutes after he had
been reunited to his wife and son
whom he had once given up as dead,
Napoleon B. Hamp of Plymouth was
run down and instantly killed by a
Lake Shore train lat South Bend,
Tuesday morning. The accident oc-
CURED a little before five o'clock. A
few months ago, when the i'll fated
Pere Marquette barge sank in Lake
Mich. it was reported that Mrs. Hamp
and son, were among the uncovered
dead. Hamp heard no report from his
wife and boy who had been visiting
at Bridgeport Mich, with relatives
and who had intended to soon leave
for Milwaukee. Hamp mourned his
wife and son as dead, and for three
days a crepe hung on the door of
their home ,on west South street In
this city. Only a few days ago he
learned that his wife and SON were
living, and had not been in the wreck.
The husband and other children NOV
ed to South Bend. where he had OBJ
tanned employment, and made pre-
parations for welcoming his wife and
son back. These two latter arrived
i'm South Bend over the Grand Trunk
ry., and we're returning to their new
home with Mr.. Hamp, when the
tragedy occurred.
Mr. Hamp stepped in front of a fast
mail and passenger train and met a
horrible death. The wife and son
were walking a step behind and were
able TO jump in time to save their
lives. Mrs. Hamp was stunned how
ever. and she is confined to her home.
She is also suffering greatly from
shock.
The accident occurred at ) O'Clock
and unofficial sources place the en-
tire blame upon the failure of the
railroad to constantly protect the
dangerous grade crossing. Although
gates are located on both Michigan
and Bronson streets which intersect
at the point where the railroad cross
es they are not operated between
midnight and mroning.
Train Obscures View.
The victims of the accident were
caught in a death trap and that
every n of the little party was not
killed is considered almost miracu-
ious. They were walking south on
Michigan street and stopped at the
railroad crossing as a train was pass
ing. When this cleared the crossing,
they started across the tracks. Mr.
Hamp was slightly in the lead and
stepped directly in the path of a Sec
ond train on another track. The view
had been obscured by the curve west
of the crossing and the noise of the
engine was lost in the roar of the
first train.
Mr.. Hanp was u down by east
bound fast mail No. 81. which arriv-
es in South Bend at 4:57 o'clock. The
train had stopped at the station two
blocks distant, but was gathering
speed as it approached the Michigan
street crossing. Mr.. Hamp stepped on
the track In front of the engine and
il struck him, throwing the body
some distance. Death is thought to
have been instantaneous.
Woman and Child Escape.
Mrs. Hamp has not recovered from
the shock of the affair sufficiently to
tell how it exactly happened but
ii is believed the husband was first
to cross the railroad track and his
wife and child were walking just be-
hind. The little boy, however, claim
ed that he crossed the track in safe
ty, while his mother escaped by jump
ing back to the other side. The child
related that he looked around after
crossing and he saw the engine strike
his father.
Mrs. Hamp was alse an eyewitness
but she may never be able to recall
the circumstances. The body of the
victim was not drawn under the
train and ground to pieces but was
thrown some distance by the pilot of
the engine. The nose was broken
and the face was cut, but the body
was not otherwise mangled. After
the accident the body was removed to
the A. M. Russell omrgue, 3O7
| South Michigan street and the wife
was taken to her home.
Was Tragic Reunion.
The death of Mr.. Hamp followed a
few minutes after he had been re-
united with his wife, who had been
at Bridgeport Mich, on an extended
visit. She returned to the city Oh an
early morning train over the Grand
Trunk road and had been met at
the depot by her husband and son.
The reunited family was going home
at the time of the accident.
Mr.. Hamp was 81 years old and o
civil war veteran. He was for many
years a resident of Plymouth and
with his wife and children only came
to South Bend to reside about a
week Ago.. He was a carpenter and
bad just taken employment IN the
city. The wife and three children
are the only surviving relatives.
The bodv "a being held at the nus