Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-08-04
KILLED IN CHARLOTTE.

Mr.. j. w. Baumgartner, who with q
lportion Of his family Is employed at
the York Cotton mill, received tele-
phone message last night informing
him of the tragic death of his son,
Gus Baumgartner, in Charlotte a few
hours before. The particulars over the
telephone were unsatisfactory; but the
Charlotte Observer of this morning
contains the full story as follows:
One Of the most gruesome accidents
In many years occurred last night at
9 o'clock when a shifting engine of the
Seaboard Air Line railway ran over
and killed Gus Baumgartner, a young
man apparently about 27 years of age,
a weaver in the employ of the Louise
mill.
The accident occurred between the
Seaboard passenger station and North
Church street. There were no witness
es. The engine, No. 572, was proceed
ing in a southwesterly direction. 1t
was backing and pulling a train Of
freight cars. Perhaps the young man
ed to board the tender at the front and
the body of the tender. He was appar-
emily dragged about 100 feet. His
body was cut entirely in twain just
above the heart, and his left arm was
severed. 1t was not until the upper
portion had rolled clear Of the wheels
and to the south side Of the track that
the trainmen knew aught Of what had
happened. John Holt, a negro men,
ber Of the crew, who was riding on
one of the box cars, saw the severed
portion and had the train stopped.
The lower portion Of the unfortunate
young mans body was found between
hn In r6 A
shoe was found 100 feet from where
the engine was stopped and the head
showed the effects Of having been
dragged along the track.
The switch engine was in charge of
Engineer David Poplin. The string Of
freight cars had been assembled on the
uptown freight yards to the east.
Letters found in the young mans
pockets identified him as Gus Baum
gartner. Later this was confirmed, 1t
being learned that he was weaver for
the Louise mill. He was son Of Mr..
and Mrs. John Baumgartner Of York
vile, S. c., and a brother Of Mrs. r.
B. Blanchard Of Belmont, suburb Of
this city. Mr.. Charles T. Hicks, over
seer Of the Louise mill, stated last
night that Baumgartner had been an
employe of that establishment about
three months Ten days ago he had
secured leave Of absence to return to
his home and visit his parents. He
was expected to report for duty this
morning. Evidently he had returned
to the city with this purpose In view
and last nights mysterious accident
ended his life.
Coroner q. A. Hovis was notified and
was soon on the scene, before anything
had been changed. One portion Of the
body was on one side Of the track
and the other on the opposite side. 1t
was sight that made the unwilling
spectators sick at heart. The body was
removed to the undertaking establish
ment of z. A. Hovis & Co. The coro-
ner notified the witnesses to be at his
office at o'clock this morning. 1t
will be decided then whether or not
an inquest will be held. An effort was
made by the coroner to notify the out
Of town relatives by telegraph, but the
office at Yorkville was closed.
Mr.. Hicks stated that Gus Baumgart-
ner appeared to be in every way an
estimable young man, Of correct and
Industrious habits.
In the effort to establish his iden-
tity a careful search was made of his
pockets. Among other things found
was a postal card with a photograph
of himself and young woman, taken
here; blank checks on the First Ma
tional bank of Yorkville, letters ad-
dressed to himself at Yorkville and
Mount Holly, and one from u. w. B..
at Stanley. For time 1t was believed
that these cast some light on the oc-
currence. Only ten minutes before
the accident two young men presented
themselves at the Seaboard passenger
station and inquired whether there
would be another train to Mount Hol-
ly. They were told that there would
be no more, except the water trains
One theory entertained was that Mr..
Baumgartner was one of these two.
that he wrongly thought the approach
ing engine was that Of a water train
and attempted to board it. In the light
of the facts later learned, however,
this idea, though once plausible, Is no
longer tenable.