Hit By Train, Smith Killed

Severed Portion of Railway Employee's Head

An Accident In Yards

Walking on Track, Evidently Did Not Hear Approach of the Riparia Passenger.

Charles H. Smith, Employee of the Camas Prairie Railroad company in the bridge construction department, was instantly killed at 6:30 last evening by being run down by the Riparia passenger train at a point immediately back of the plant of the Idaho Ice & Cold Storage company.

Mr. Smith was en route to his home at 1222 Twelfth avenue, from the roundhouse where he had been engaged in repair work during the afternoon. He was walking in the center of the track and at the time of the accident the Riparia freight train was moving into the station on the track beside him. The passenger train backs from the freight yards to the union depot and the three tail lights were lighted and Brakeman H. E. Sams and Car Repairer J. E. Stinson were standing on the rear platform of the Pullman car. When they first discovered Smith he was about 10 feet ahead of them with a large pack on his back. They shouted a warning to him but he only turned his head and was almost immediately run down by the Pullman.

The emergency brakes were applied by Brakeman Sams and the train brought to a sudden stop. The body was found wedged under the rear trucks of the sleeper, the three wheels having passed over his head.

The only explanation offered by railroad men is that the movement of the freight train on the adjoining tracks held the attention of Mr. Smith to such an extent that he was not aware of the approach of the passenger train, which moves silently because of the paper wheels used on the Pullman car.

Raymond Smith, the 15-year-old son of the unfortunate man, is employed at the Western Union office as messenger boy, and was waiting at the depot to mail a letter for one of the patrons of the company. When the train was brought to a stop within sight of the depot he went with others to ascertain the cause of the delay, and was standing beside the body when the identity of the victim was discovered by Sheriff Lydon, who found a letter in a pocket of the coat. When the name of Charles H. Smith was read by Sheriff Lydon the boy gasped, "It is my papa," and for a moment seemed near a collapse. The identification was later made more certain when the hat and watch worn by the victim were shown the boy, who had been led from the scene. The wheels had passed across the head in such a manner as to entirely destroy the features and the clothing worn by the victim was that of a workman, which precluded identification until the letter, watch and hat were recovered.

Mr. Smith came to Lewiston with his family from Houghton, Wis., in May, 1912, and has been employed by the railroad company since that time. He is survived by a wife and five children, Raymond, the 15-year-old son, being the eldest. A brother, F. E. Smith, is foreman of the crew with which he was employed and J. E. Smith, janitor of the Whitman school, is another brother. A third brother, W. H. Smith, resides at Houghton, Wis.

The train last night was in charge of Engineer Sam Clark, Conductor Kenneth Bentley and Brakeman Sams. In taking the train from the yard to the depot, it is always the custom for the brakeman to stand on the rear platform by the emergency brake, and last night Brakeman Sams was accompanied by J. E. Stinson, car repairer.