Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1914-07-10
Train
At CROSSING
Northern Pacific Train No. 2
Collides With Automobile.
Wrecks Car and Kills One AZ
The Occupants.

Collides With Automobile.
Wrecks Car and Kills One al
The Occupants.
Last Monday evening Lee and
NED bankston were rialng in an
automobile. going from the Cal
lander Hotel west on front street.
and when at the junction of
Front and Hunter strets, started
north across theNorthern Pacific
tracks. 1t was some time after
the hour for the regular arrival
OF No: 7, and it is very probable
that the boys did not know that
it was late; also just at this point
it is impossible to see an ap-
preaching train until you are
nearly on the tracks, unless the
reflection of the headlight, the
whistle or the bell should give
warning. 1t is reported that the
headlight on this particular train
was not up to the standard that
night and the boys did not dis
cover the train until it was nearly
upon them. Those who stood up
on the depot platform and wit
messed the accident, state that
there appeared to be monentary
hesitation upon the part of the
driver of the car, Lee Bankston,
as to just what to do, but that the
throttle was finally opened and
the car started across the tracks
only to collide with the train. The
impact was Of such force as to-
throw Ned from the automobile
and against the train, where he
was rolled and dragged a distance
of some sixty feet before the
train was stopped. his head and
body frequently being thrown
against the depot platform, only
to rebound and again strike the
wheels. Lee. probably because
of being at the steering wheel.
was thrown away from the train
with the automobile, landing
about forty feet away. While
bruised and considerable shook
up, he was not materially injur-
ed.
When the train was stopped
the mutilated body of the unfor-
tunate boy was picked up and
placed upon the platform and a
doctor summoned, but it was
only too apparent that death had
been instantaneous. His head
was pounded to pulp and his
body bruised its entire length. al
though no portion of it had been
severed by the wheels. -<-.,se
Coroner Walker was also no.
tilted and upon his arrival took
the necessary steps for an inquest,
which was held Tuesday morn
ing, Ed. Hoverson, M. A. Egan,
E. Lloyd, Harry Wall. Theodore
Schweitzer, Adam Ferris and
Tom L. Smith serving as jury
men. The substance of the YER
dict is as follows:
The jurors, upon their oaths,
do say that Ned Bankston came
to his death accidentally on July
9th. between the hours of 9 and
10 o'clock p. M, by being struck
by railroad locomotive engine
No. 2183, on train No. 7, while
riding in an automobile driven
by his brother. Lee Bankston, at
the intersection of Hunter street
and the main line Of the Northern
Pacific railroad tracks in the city
of Beach. Said accident, from
all evidence was caused by rea-
son of the view of crossing being
obstructed. Evidence also shows
that headlight was not working
up to its full efficiency"
During the past few weeks Mr..
Bankston has been employed at
the Office of Morris & Mathison
as bookkeeper, and had made
many friends among the young
people of the city. The remains
left Beach on No. 2 Wednesday
and will be taken to Hammond.
Louisiana, where his people re-
side and at which place interment
will be made. The remains were
accompanied by his brother.