Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-22
TRAIN ENDS LIFE OF !.
DALLAS, $40 CLERK,
SUED FOR $4,000
Wife and Several Hundred
Persons See Him Virtusllv
Cut in Half at Sixtietb
Street Station.

Death under the wheels of an elevated
train at the Goth street station in full
sight of his wife and several hundred ror-
sons this morning ended the anancio,
troubles of John J. Dallas, of 15is North
62d street, the former bookkeeper Who
was being sued for $4,000 by the L,
White Company jewellers, of Ninth and
Chestnut streets Dallas fell beneath tbs
train In such a way that both sulcids
and accident theories are tenable,
Dallas and his wife were on their wav
to Norristown for the second day of thu
equity suit They were walking SLOWLY
along the platform of the Goth street sta.
tion of the elevated. As a westbound
train drew into the station Dallas stennea
to the edge Of the platform and turned
until his back was to the rails. Then he
toppled over. Two cars passed over hi.
body. virtually cutting him in half
Mrs. Dallas turned just in time TO r.s
her husbands body dropping over III.
edge of the platform. The next instant
the train shot past her. She became
hysterical and was taken to her home
by witnesses. The mutiliated body was
morgue.
FALL SEEMED DELIBERATE
Men and women who saw Dallas fall
to his death from the Ieastbound plat
form say that his fall seemed to have
been deliberately planned. They declare
he gauged the distance carefully so that
his body would fall directly over the far
track where he could not escape the
wheels The heavy train was under
brakes at the time and was slowing up.
Owing to its weight the motorman had
not the slightest chance to prevent the
killing.
DALLAS FACED TWO CHARGES.
Two different actions We're under
way against Dallas, one the equity suit
and the other on criminal charges. He
was under n total of $4,000 bail on the
charges Of attempting to blow up the
jewelry office where he had been EN-.
ployed, and embezzlement. 1t is be-
lieved that the fear of facing these
criminal charges led him to take hls
life. A desire to soften the blow to his
wife is thought to have made him try
to mako his death look like an acci-
dent
Judge Aaron L. Swartz, at Norristown,
decided at 1850 o'clock to continue the
case against Mr.. Dallas to give time for
further action. Counsel for Mr.. White
intimated that the hearings would 90 on.
and that another defendant would be sub
stituted. The Court was notified by the
EVENING LEDGER Of Dallas death and
the fact that his body had been taken to
the morguc or the Homeopathic Hospital.
1t was learned today that Dallas moved
from Ardmore to the more modest resi-
dent In 62d street to reduce expenses at
the advice of his counsel after he had
declared that he had no money. He also
sold his automobile. Mr.. White testified
yesterday that Dallas told him he had
no money, but he is said TO have carried
$50, 900 life insurance, and that he was
worth $4,000 in addition.
Some of the witnesses from this city
were on the train that killed Dallas, Most
of them continued to NOrristown after
traffic was resumed, unaware that tho
man ground to death under the wheels
was Dallas.
The equity case against Dallas 10 re-
cover $50, 40 he was alleged TO have em'
be7zled was started last spring at Nor
ristown, but after one day the court ad-
tourncd for the summer. Immediately
after that offers of settlement were made
by Dallas and were rejected as unsals'
factory.
Dallas was a bookkeeper in the employ
of the jewelry firm. I'm the testimony
yesterday was brought out that ap-
parcntly on nothing but his small salary
so week he lived in sumptuOus style IN
Ardmore and owned an automobile