Evening journal., 1911-02-03
DEAD UNDER
TROLLEY BRIDGE
Aged 5. H. Compton Killed BY
Plunge From EISmere
Structure
NO EXPLANATION
YET FOR ACCIDENT

The body Of Samuel H. Compton,
aged S4 years, we'll known I'm this city.
where he had lived since 1872. was
found under the trolley road bridge Of
the Brandywlne Springs line of the
Peoples Railway Company, crossing
the p. & r. Railroad this morning.
James Implicit, a milkman, living in
Elsmere, saw the body from the du-
Pont road bridge over the same rail-
road. across which he was driving
about o'clock. He made n hurried
Investigation and found Mr.. Compton
dead.
Edward l.. Huston, stationmaHter
&C Elsmere, later was notified and he
took char69 of the body until tho ar
rival Of Coroner Chandler when 10
was removed to the county morgua
here and later IN the day taken TO tha
late home OF Mr.. Compton. at No. $40
West Sixth street
MIR. Compton's watch had stopped
at 7.40 o'clock, and It Is thought that
this was the time he made his fatal
plunge. He had never complained OF
feeling unwoll and Il is thought that
he had not been stricken with ill
ness while e ! the bridge.
II is thor ht that Mr.. Compton was
on his way his daughters home, at
Elsmere. whsn he was either jolted
from car or lost his balance willis
walking across the trolley bridge and
fell on the structure. The only no.
ticeable injury the coroner was able to
find was broken wrist There also
were bruises about the head, but thu
skull was not injured II is likely.
however, that Mr.. Compton sustained
In frt ~
brain, aud IL may be that he died from
shock. he being an aged man and NOT
physically AZ to have withstood the
effects OF such a fall
When seen by Implicit the body was
| lying In the inside OF the wall, the
tracks being probably ten feet below.
1 Mr.. Compton had fallen from the
north side of the bridge and there were
marks TO show where his heels had
struck the wood work.
Members of Mr.. Compton's family
are unable to give a reason for Mr.
Olmpton's presence on the bridge as
this structure is some distance from
his daughters homo, Mrs isabelle
Faust. They said had he walked 10
Elemere be would have taken the
Union street road extending from
Union street. No report was made by
\ any Of the crews OF the Peoples Com
pany Of a man either falling from or
getting of a car at the bridge, and it
Is mystery how the man came to be
on the structure which is tho private
property Of the railroad company.
Mr. Compton's son-in-iaw, at Els
mere. has been unwell and Mrs. Comp
ton was 10 have gone there, To visit
him but she was taken III and menhers
OF the family think that the aged man
started for Elsmere ip the place OF hha
wife.
MIR. Compton came to Wilmington
/ from Coatesville IN 1879 and lived
here from that time He Was r. g. r..
railroad engineer before being ,tir-
ed, and was the first engineer to run
train between Wilmington and
/ Coatesville. He ran on that road for
many years and never met wits an
accident II is a coincident that he
should have met his death, not on the
tracks, but so near the road, on which
he had passed many years.
Mr.. Compton was the father of Ave
sons and daughter. the boys being
we'll known i'm musical circles in VIII
migton. They are: Elmer J..
Charles H.. George J., Frank l.. and
Samuel T.. Compton, and Mrs. Isabelle
/ Faust.