The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-01
WILLIAM HILL CLAYTON
is KILLED BY TRAIN
Fredericksburg md Poto-
Yards.
j. II. COBB SERIOUSLY rNJunr,,
Rushed TO ST. Luke's Hospital, where
Right Leg IL Amputntcd-Two Others
HIVE Narrow Escape.

William Hill Clayton. twenty seven
years old. of Roxboro. y. C., was fatal
ly hurt; ]. II. Cobb. nr 1906 Park Az
emue, was terribly Inangled, but may
live. and two other men were slightly
hurt yesterday afternoon At 2:l5 o'clock
when they were run down by a freight
train In the yards Of the Richmond,
Frederic sburE and Potomac Railroad
at LombardH and Marshall Streets.
All four were removed to st. Lukc's
Hospital, but efforts to save the Nfc
of Clay ton We're vain, aud he died at
4:I5 o'clock. II was found necessary
10 amputarc the right leg Of Cobb,
which had bcen badly crushed. He
had sustained other injuries. but late
last night 1t was said that he would
recover.
l.. W. Ben. of 1919 Grove Avenue.
and :. T.. White. Of 309 East Grace
street, had remarkable escapes from
death or injury beneath the wheels.
White vas Knocked uuwn. and he fell,
facc downward. between the rails, and
six cars passed over him before the
train WAS stopped. He escaped with
si,SAi bruises and scSa;ckos, Gell was
successfui in grabbing a hand rail AS
the cars approached him. ana he clung
TO 1t until he was able TO a.licht In
safety.
Miraculous Escape.
II old not ace Clayton and Cobb
when they wer" struck" Mr.. Bell told
a reporter for The Times Dispatch.
but did see White when he went
down. and never expected TO see him.
again alive. Both of our escapes were
little short Of miraculous"
The four men were oiicc employees
II the Export Leaf Tobacco Company,
400 North Lomhagdy street They
wer" enjoying stroll after luncheon
street. As they We're crossing the
tracks they noticed a string OF prob
ably dozen freight cars. Mr.. Reu
aftcrwnrd explained that they thought
,hey were dead cars" FOR there was
no sign Of the presence of a locomo-
tive
They walked !eisurely before the
tain when ii suddenly plunged for
ward, and the four men We're trapped.
Clayton and cobb were caught beneath
the wheels. The former was instantly
rendered unconscious and never fully
recovered. Coroner TAYLOR said his
death was ddc TO shock. His legs ,verc.
crushed ana he WAS otherwise hurt
Just how the accident occurred wos
not fully explained. IT appeared that
a yard engine. In charge or Engineer
w: II Harrison and Fireman j. w.
Johnson. was making up n train. 1t
was the purpose to add two cars to
the train which struck the four men.
and TO do this they were kicked by
the engine across = switch ana into
Inc end OF the train which was the
tarthcst from the crossing. THIS ac-
counted for The fact that the engine
was not seen,
Coroner ReginS investigation.
AS soon as he suiiicicntlv recovered
Eel mana Tci to climb Ia the ton OF
Tie car to which he had cluu.: and an
ili"d the brakes The train was halt
cd after norinC about six car lenrths
Coroner Taylor began an InvestI:.a-
tion immediately after CIayton's death
lie empannelcd a Jury, which viewed
the body after which DR.. Taylor ad-
IonrEed the indCes; until Tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock II want TO al
CONTINUED On Ninth Page)