CLARK

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 05:40:14 :

The Marin Journal
December 18, 1910
Page 1

Boy Gives Life to Save Pet Dog

To save his dog from death under the wheels of an approaching electric train last Saturday night, little Melbourne Clark, 11 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Duval L. Clark of Corte Madera, rushed in front of the car and was ground to instant death before the motorman could bring the train to a stop.

The accident occurred on the crossing near the Corte Madera station and was witnessed only by Motorman Bradley and William Wyatt, a Corte Madera business man.

The boy was returning from a store across the track to his home, followed by his dog. He had crossed the track and, hearing the approaching train, which had already slowed down for the stop at the station, and apparently fearing that his dog would be caught, Melbourne ran to the crossing. The dog sprang aside and raced to safety, while his little master stumbling when he tried to turn, was caught by the wheels.

Deputy Coroner Ray Keaton, returning from San Francisco, was soon at the scene of the accident, and it was his duty to inform the mother of the tragedy. The father, a butcher employed in San Francisco, had not yet returned to his home. The mother pleaded for the body of the child, but she was informed by Deputy Coroner Keaton that the remains had already been taken away. Later in the evening the sorrowing father and mother visited the morgue.

This was the second tragic death in the family in the past six months, a daughter having been drowned at Sebastopol last summer. There are four other children, the oldest being a daughter of 20.

The family had lived in Corte Madera but two months, having re-moved there from San Anselmo, where the father conducted a meat market for some time.

The authorities have completely exonerated Motorman Bradley and Conductor Crigler, in charge of the train at the time of the accident. The inquest will be held this week.