The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-12-09
Either Falls or Hurls Him.
self Under an lnterurban
Car on South Eighth Street
Saturday.
FATHER LIVES
IN CINCINNATI
Car Grew Not Held Respon-
sible.- Coroner Pierce Is
Trying to Discover the Mo-
tive for Deed.

Joseph Pons, aged 20, home un-
known, met a horrible death when he
either deliberately or accidentally
slipped and fell under the rear trucks
of an Ohio Electric interurban car i'm
mediately in front of the Sapphire res
taurant on South Eighth street, short
ly before o'clock Saturday night.
The rear wheels of the interurban
crushed the abdomen, tearing the alb
dominal wall out, breaking both arms
and legs, and mashing the head of the
man into pulp.
Running out of the alley to the east
of South Eighth street, between the
Knollenberg annex and DR.. A. L.
Bramkamp's Office, Pons either slipped
and fell under the trucks of the inter
urban which was running to the termi-
nal station or he deliberately dove un-
der the rear trucks. The coroner has
received information to substantiate
both theories.
The accident occurred at 8:55
o'clock. William Lawrence, a motor
man, and Earl Mehaffie, conductor, on
the interurban declare the track was
clear. They also say that the car was
not being operated more than 2 miles
an hour.
| Coroner Pierce stated today that the
feet by the car.
AS is the custom, the conductor
jumped off the rear of the car at
point forty feet from the beginning of
the curve at the station. The conduc-
or who was to the west of the inter-
urban ran the length of the car to
turn the switch. AS the car started
again to turn west someone on the
car yelled that man was under the
trucks. The car was stopped immedi-
ately and the conductor and others
looked under the car, finding the MARI
ed body. The clothing had been caught
by part of the mechanism.
Body Lies On Street.
1t was some time before the body
could be moved from under the inter-
urban. In the meantime the coroner
had been called and a large crowd had
gathered. The body was dragged to a
place in the street between the tracks
and the curbing. 1t was permitted to
remain there for more than forty min
utes.
| Within ten minutes after the acci-
dent the crowd had grown from 200
to 300 surging men and women. Curl
osity to know what had happened and
to see the bruised and broken body
caused many to push and shove those
fyr
some came near stepping on the body.
At one time man riding in a surrey
attempted to drive through the crowd
and his horse could not be stopped un-
til it had almost stepped upon the dead
mans head
Criticise Police.
Criticism was heard on every side
because the police permitted the body
to remain in the street for such long
period More than once patrolmen used
their clubs on persons who were at
tempting to secure a glimpse of the
body.
Occasionally the police chief, who
was present, would look up and say
The mans name is Pons." This was
done. presumably to satisfy the curl
osity of the crowd. However, the body
was not removed from the street until
some time later and as long as it re-
mained there the crowd grew in size
Pons was formerly in the service of
the United States army. On his person
We're found papers showing that he had
been honorably discharged from the
Columbus. O., barracks. The discharge
was dated November % and the rea-
son given was ill health. Pons wore an
army shirt and army shoes, but had on
| dark suit.
Coroner Pierce te1ephoned yester-
/ day to Commander George Dodd at
the Columbus barracks and learned
that Pons had enlisted at the Jeffer-
son barracks at ST. Louis, Mo-, in Oc-
tober, 1910, and that recently he had
| been stationed at Fort Barrancas.
Florida. He had been at the Columbus
barracks but short time before he
was given his discharge
Father Notified.
The unfortunate mans father, Hen
ry Pons, resides at 511 Hopkins
street, Cincinnati. Coroner Pierce tel
ephoned to the father yesterday and
the latter said that he would come to
this city as soon as possible The body
is in local undertaking establishment
awaiting the arrival of the father to
learn what disposition should be made
of it.
| The coroner states that he has been
unable, as yet, to ascertain whether
Pons threw himself under the car or
not. The coroner says that he was in
formed by some that Pons had stopped
to pick up coin which he dropped on