The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-06-15

trict, died Tuesday morning at 9:23I
o'clock, having been run down by a.
south bound Southern Railway train
at Washington on an embankment,
near the Potomac river bridge, south
of the Washington monument. Mr..
Wickliffe was knocked off the 30-foot!
embankment and must have been in
stantIy killed.
The account of the accident so far
as known is herewith condensed
from the news columns of the Times
Democrat:
Mr.. Wickliffe presided temporarily
over the deliberations Of the House
Monday afternoon, but left early, and
arranged for pair with Representa-
tive Hanna of North Dakota, telling
the pair clerk he intended to go off
on a fishing trip. He was up early
Tuesday morning and took walk
with his little daughter, breakfasted,
and then took a car ride in the d.
rectiOn Of the Potomac railroad
bridge to see whether the water of
the river had cleared sufficiently for
bass fishing. Three fishermen who
were near the spot where Mr.. Wick
life met his end have been summon
ed to give testimony at the inquest.
These men say that the Congress-
man, after waiting for north bound
train to pass, stepped upon the track
on which there was speeding a south
bound train, which could not have
been seen or heard by him becauseI
of the passing north-bOund train.
The version of the accident given
by the train men is substantially that
the Southern train had just left theI
elevated tracks at the foot of Four
teenth street and started along thel
south end of Potomac Park when En-
gineer L. NJ Watkins saw mani
the side of the embankmentl
at the north end of the bridge. A
north-bound train was coming across
the bridge at the time Mr.. Wick
life Was watching the north-boundI
train, and was looking in the oppo-
site direction from which the south
bound train was approaching.
Not realizing that the Southern
train was bearing down upon him,
Mr.. Wickliffe stepped onto theI
south-bound track when the train
was only short distance away.
Although the train was going at al
moderate rate of speed, it was i'm
possible to bring the emergency
brakes into service in time to pre-
vent hitting the Representative. When
the engine struck Mr. Wickliffe he
was hurled against the signal appa-
ratus box, which is located within
five feet Of the end Of the bridge.
Before the train had moved a quar-
ter of the way across the bridge En-
gineer Watkins succeeded in bring
ing it to a stop. Accompanied byl
Conductor w, L. Cooper and other
members of the train crew, he ran
back to the north end of the bridge,
where the body was found. Blood
was streaming from a deep cash eX-
across the right side of his
head. Both his right arm and right
leg appeared to have been broken.
The impact had been sufficient to
knock both of the low shoes from his
feet.
Conductor Cooper notified the rail
road officials by means Of telephone
in box not far from the one which
was struck by the body. Believing
that Mr.. Wickliffe still might be
alive, the Emergency Hospital also
was notified. The ambulance sur
geon who responded pronounced him
lead. He was of the opinion that
leath must have been almost instan-
,aneous.
The body was taken to the
Morgue and there identified by Mr..
Alex East, his private secretary.
News was Immediately sent to the
Capitol, and members hurried to the
scene. 1t was attempted to find Mrs.
but was not at once sue
;essful. 1t transpired that she and
Ter sister, Mrs. Hancock, were in the
gallery Of the House, as was her
laily custom. Fortunately some one
saw her before Representative Els
opinal could make formal announce
nent of Mr., Wickliffe's death. She
vas asked to go to Speaker Clark's