McAlpine, Catharine

KILLED ON THE TRACK.

A Woman comes to Acton,
from Limehouse to pur-
chase Goods, and is
run over by the Cars
while Going
Home.

The Body Fearfully Muti-
lated.

Liquor the Cause.

On Saturday morning last about six o'clock, the news spread around town that a woman had been killed on the track, about half a mile below Acton. It appears that Miss Catharine McAlpine, came to Acton, on the 5:17 train, to purchase an iron pot, some cotton, and several other articles, and return home on the 9:30 train. After arriving at the hotel, in Acton she met a person named Edmondson, whom she asked to have a drink. After drinking she went down town, made her purchases, and returned to the Hotel, where she met another person, known as Prof. Cripps, with whom she had several drinks. After a short time she, in company with Cripps, who was also going to Limehouse, made their way to the Grand Trunk Station, he (Cripps) having told her that if she would go with him he would purchase her ticket. They went to the Station, where they had several pulls from a bottle of whiskey which she had with her. It appears that they proceeded from the station to Green street, where they were seen about 9 o'clock by Mr. John McConnell. After this nothing is known about her until she was found the next morning about 5 o'clock, on the track a short distance below the station, by Wm. Auckland, miller at Tolton's mills, who was going to work. He returned to the station and informed the night operator, Mr. Wallace, who immediately got her placed in the freight house. The head and arms which were on the south side of the track, were completely severed from the body and legs, which lay between the rails. Coroner Freeman was immediately telegraphed for.
THE CORONERS' INQUEST
met at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. After the jurors were sworn in, they retired to the station to view the body of the deceased, and then to the place where the accident occurred. The inquest was resumed at 3:20 o'clock. The first witness was
Prof. Ezra A. Cripps, gentleman, sworn, said - I happened accidently at Mr. Campbell's Hotel, on Friday evening, and this woman, Catharaine McAlpine, came in; she was carrying a good deal of stuff with her; I purposed going to the Rock; she told me that was where she lived; I helped her carry the goods to the station, chatting with her while there. I first met her about 7 o'clock; could not say what time we were at the station; I saw her drinking liquor, not spirituous liquor; she had liquor with her, in a bottle; did not see her buy the liquor; she had about a pint and a half; partook of it freely myself; there was a man with a cloth over his eye at Campbell's with the woman. She had with her one of those pot kettles white inside, and a basket full of other stuff. I never saw her before; she said she was going to the Rock, and I said we could go together. While at Campbell's, she asked for brandy two or three times, but she got water impregnated with Morey's Bitters. Mrs. Campbell made up the mixture; I was perfectly sober. She did all the treating; treated twice; she was very much intoxicated when I saw her. She poured liquor into the tin cup at the station, out of the bottle she had with her; I put away a good deal, she did not drink so much, but she took her share. I left her at the station a little before 9 o'clock. I don't remember any more. The next morning I found myself on the green opposite Williamson Ramshaw's house. I think I had been sleeping; met John Shaw, Campbell's hostler, first thing in the morning; he asked me had I heard what had happened; I said, no, what's wrong; He said, didn't you hear about that girl getting killed; I said, what girl; he said, that girl you were with last evening, and he told me, everybody knew of the accident; did not hear anyone say she had been drinking; good whiskey was in the bottle; I left her sitting on the bench inside the station; do not remember any one (particularly) being in the station with her. Every body knows Prof Cripps.
Wm. Auckland, miller, sworn, said - I was walking down the track this morning about 5 o'clock, when I found the woman lying on the track; she had been run over by the train; immediately I found her I went back to the station, and reported to Robt. Wallace that she was dead; as there was a freight train leaving the station, I got it stopped, and went down slowly with it to where the body lay; the conductor and one of the brakemen lifted the body off the track. Wallacwe went down on train; I went to my work at Tolton's. Found the body lying about north and south, head and shoulders outside, body and legs between the rails. I saw her before but do not know her, saw her sitting on the stoop at Campbell's hotel and she was incapable of walking straight. Found three biscuits on the track about 400 yards below the body; think it was the 3.35 train that killed her.
Thos. Stewart, tinsmith, sworn, said - Miss McAlpine was in my tinshop and bought a tin pail and an enamel pot; she did not pay for the things; could not say whether she was intoxicated or not; C. Hill sold the articles.
Thomas Campbell, sworn, said - I was out pitching quoits when she was at my house Friday evening; she was under the influence of liquor when she came; was in bed when my wife told me the woman was killed.
Robert Wallace, telegraph operator, sworn, said - I first saw Miss McAlpine about 8 o'clock, she came to the station with Cripps; both were under the influence of liquor; they left the station about 9 o'clock. Mr. Auckland came up to one of the trainmen, about 5, telling him a woman was killed on the track; the driver pulled slowly down to the spot; I went down in the engine; saw the body on the track; the section men brought the body up to the station.
The inquest was adjourned until Monday, that the evidence of engineers, Marks, Stewart and others might be obtained;
Inquest resumed on Monday.
Robt. Edmundson, laborer, sworn, said - I saw Miss McAlpine about 6 o'clkock, Friday evening, at Campbell's Hotel; she was alone; she asked me to have a drink of beer; went into hotel and had a glass; don't know what she took; after this she went down town and made her purchases; when she came back she told me that she would go down in the train with me; while at Campbell's Cripps came and persuaded her to go with him; they started off together; she was't sober; Cripps didn;t seem very drunk; Didn't see her after that.
W. P. Marks, engineer, sworn, said, - Don't know anything about this case. Am engineer of passenger train going East about 3:15 a.m. saw no one on the track. After leaving Acton kept steam on till near the semiphore, then I shut steam off; saw something on the track, took it to be the remains of a young calf; it was not daylight, and couldn't see very plain; didn't see anything else till I got to Georgetown; could see a distance of 150 yards; couldn't stop on that grade in less that 300 yards; not likely to feel train running over anything unless some hard substance came in contact with the wheels.
John McConnell, laborer, sworn, said - saw some woman and man sitting on sidewalk near tank house on Mill street, about 9 o'clock on Friday evening; about quarter of an hour afterwards saw them again on Green street, near Mr. Ramshaw's gate; thought the man was Prof. Cripps: did not know the woman.
James Stewart, engineer, sworn, said - was on No. 2 passenger train, going west, on Friday night; didn't see anyone on track; moon was not very bright; could only see far as head light; didn't feel engine going over anything; if engine went over any hard substance I could feel it; there was no blood on the engine when she was inspected in Stratford.
Isabella McAlpine sworn said am sister of the deceased, live at Limehouse; sister left home about 5 o'clock on Friday night, to come to Acton: she was sober at the time; she told me if she did not come home before dark, not to be uneasy, she would be down on the train; went to meet train when it came in, but she did not come; walked up the track as far as Andrew Scott's, on 4th line, thinking she would be coming; not meeting her I returned home and went to bed; got up about 5 o'clock, and walked up the track to Acton; when near the place of the accident I saw a number of men; Dr. McGarvin asked me if that was my sister; I said it was; picked up bottle and emptied out the liquor; don't know Cripps; she appears to be just as she left home except her shoes and stockings; her stockings were near her; her shoes had been worn about two weeks; when found she had no stockings on, and only one shoe was found.
Dr. McGarvin, sworn, said - The Constable came to my place about six o'clock, and said a woman was killed on the track; went down to the place and saw the body, but did not particularly examine it.
The jury returned a verdict as follows:-
We, the jury, after hearing the evidence touching the death of Catherine McAlpine, find that the said Catherine McAlpine was killed on the evening of the 19th inst., on the morning of the 20th inst., by being run over by a train on the Grand Trunk Railway, while under the influence of liquor.