Killed On The Railroad

While Walking the Track

Charles Whittaker, an employee of the Augusta Creamery and a resident of that village was instantly killed a few minutes before seven o'clock, Saturday evening while walking on the track of the Sussex Railroad, near the Branchville Creamery. He had been to Branchville during the afternoon, and about dark started home. A short distance from the station he took the track, and walked away in the direction of his home. This was the last seen of him alive. When he was near the lumber and coal yards of George N. Ingersoll, it is believed from an investigation made, that Whittaker was struck by the evening mail train and instantly killed. He was not seen by the engineer, who knew nothing of the accident until a few minutes before departure of the train for Newton, when Harry Jagger and Joseph Reed appeared at the station and informed the trainmen a man had been killed near the creamery. An investigation was made and the remains were recognized as those of Charles Whittaker. It was evident that the man had been struck by the train and dragged a considerable distance. Sheriff Maines and Prosecutor Huston were notified and Under Sheriff Lyons and Justice of the Peace John E. Whitney were dispatched to Branchville to investigate the case. After an inquiry into all the facts at hand, an inquest was deemed unnecessary and a burial permit granted. Whittaker was about 35 years of age and was married.