Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-10-20
Fell from Fourth Story Win
dow and Died Four Hours
Later of His Injuries
DETAILS OF SAD ACCIDENT
His Fatal Plunge Followed a Tel
ephone Conversation With a
Young Woman

With the arrival of the remains
here yesterday details were learned
of the tragic death of young John
Patterson in Paducah, KY, on Sat
urday night. The young man was
a son of John L. Patterson, of Har-
riston, this county, and leaves in
addition to his father several broth
ers and sisters who reside in this
county. The funeral was held yes
terday from Mount Horeb and was
largely attended.
Mr.. Patterson went to Kentucky
about September l and there enter
ed a partnership with an old school
friend for the practice of law. He
was a graduate of the Chattanooga
Law School, having received his AGA
demic education at the Augusta Mill
tary School, at Fort Defiance, and at
William and Mary College.
On Saturday night Mr.. Patterson
went to his Office, which was on the
fourth floor of large building, for
the purpose of using the telephone.
He had just finished a conversation
with a young woman acquaintance,
in the course of which he made an
engagement to call at her house and
escort her to church, when he stum-
bled over the low sill of window
and fell headlong to the street.
The telephone was placed on the
wall at a point very near the win
dow, the sash of which was up and
the blind down. The supposition 10
that the young man tripped over the
low sill and plunged through the op-
en- window. He carried the telephone
receiver with him as he fell, it be-
ing found in his hand when his body
was picked up on the ground below
In his fall Mr.. Patterson struck
negro man who happened to be pass
ing beneath the window. So great
was the force of the body in its de-
scent that the colored mans should
er was dislocated and he suffered
other injuries. Mr.. Patterson sur
vived the accident only four hours
From the finding of the telephone
receiver grasped in his hand it would
seem that the young man fell just
at the instant he finished his CONVEX
sation. When she afterward learn
ed of the accident the young woman
with whom he had conversed recall
ed distinctly that she had heard his
goodbye" The young lady was
waiting for Mr.. Patterson to escort
her to church when word was
brought to her of his plunge from
the window.
Besides his father Mr.. Patterson
is survived by two sisters, Miss Lucy
Patterson, of Wayneboro, and Mrs.
Nickels, of Ronceverte, W. Va, and
four brothers, Horace, Harry and
Samuel Patterson, of Horriston, and
DR.. William. Patterson, of Waynes-
boro.
Prospects were unusually bright
for young Patterson, and his tragic
end is particularly sad. Although
only Is years old, he was already
considered unusually proficient in his
profession, and there is little doubt
that a bright future awaited him.
When he was graduated from the
law school a young man, a Mr.. Hag-
gerty, received his diploma at the
same time. A warm friendship had
sprung up between the two, and
when Mr.. Haggerty struck success In
Paducah he wrote for Mr.. Patterson
to come and join him in the business.
From the beginning their partner
ship was successful and the young
firms clientele was growing rapidly,
when death claimed Mr.. Patterson.