Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-07-25
MYSTERIOUS DEATH Of
LAWRENCE BRIGHT.
Well-known Man Found Dead Under
l Railroad uct---C0rOner's jury
Unable TO Ascertain Facts.

With his head resting in pool Of
blood, left side downward. and his feet
crossed as in resting posture, with his
limp remains pointed in the direction
OF southeast, the body OF Lawrence
Bright, young white man of this city.
about 80 years OF age, was found this
morning about Ave o'clock under the
railroad tlesle crossing Mushpot road,
northwest of this city, in Alexandria
county, by William Thomas, young
colorcd man, who lives short distance
from the spot where the body was
found, and who is employed by Julian
Chauncey at the latter's stand in the
city market. The colored man noti-
fed nearby residents, among whom
was his mother, who, he says, felt the
mans pulse and found the body still
warm, this establishing the fact that
Bright could not have been dead very
long.
Officers Garvey and Rawlet were
made aware OF the find about ! o'clock
and they, after identifying the body rs
that Of Bright, notified his relatives.
Soon after, the body Of Bright was con-
veyed to the undertaking establishment
OF B. Wheatley.
The exact circumstances, attending
the mans death are as yet unknown.
Various theories are advanced as to
how Bright came to his death. One ia |
that the young man was struck by a
passing train while crossing the trestle,
and was hurled to the ground
beneath, where his head struck stony
road; but the position in which he was
lying seems to contradict this impress
sion. Another theory is that the vic.
tim was attempting to board a north
bound train and lost his equilibrium,
while still another is 10 the effect that
the man either accidentIy fell from the
trestle or was purposely thrown from it
by some unknown person. There are
no blood marks OF either the trestle or
abuttment.
Bright was one Of pai: of twins,
Clarence and himself, and wnen the
news OF his death reached this city
there was some CONSERVATION rs to
which one OF the twius was dead At
the.dead mans house, his wife is said TO
have declared that ii must be Law
renee as he left home yesterday after
noon with the avowed intention Of
beating his way to Baltimore there
to obtain work.
Bright was a gasmaker by trade
and was employed at the Alexandria
Glass Works until that factory shut !
down for the summer on June 80.
Since then he had not been in anyone's |
employ. Bright lived at 321 Commerce
street. He leaves widow, VINO was
Miss Ada Daniel, Of Culpeper, and a
11-year Sold daughter.
The body was taken to the home |
OF his mother, Mrs. Nellie Bright, 1455 |
Duke street, and prepared ior burial.
DR.. F. T. Ashton, the coroner Of
Alexandria county, VAS notified Of the
finding Of the body, and this morning
about ten o'clock he held an inquest
aver the remains at B. Wheatley's |
undertaking establishment. No wit
nesses were called and the jury, which
was composed of c. O. Brown, FORE
man, R. II. Roberts, A. T. Daymaule,
Benz Randolph, w. II. Hatton and
R. A. Ha,ton, brought in the verdict of
death by fracture OF the skull and the
bones OF the lace, the cause of same
being unknown TO the jury.