FLEMING

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 06:47:48 :

Marin Journal
Thursday, May 7, 1914
Page 3

Orphan Boy Killed on Railroad, Sunday

Thomas Fleming, the eight-year-old boy of a widowed mother, Mrs. Anna Fleming of 105 Brazil Avenue, San Francisco, was struck by the Northwestern Pacific train Sunday and instantly killed.

Mrs. Fleming had come from San Francisco to visit her three boys at the St. Vincent Orphanage. When her stay came to a close the children accompanied her to the depot to bid her good-by.

Taking advantage of the interval of time pending the arrival of the train Thomas wandered down the track for some distance and finally occupied himself by catching frogs in the brook a short distance from the orphanage. Hearing the whistle of the train in the distance he was about to return to the station by way of the overhead trestle when he caught his foot in an intricate manner between the ties. His death was evidence that all efforts to extricate himself were futile.

His cry for help was either unuttered or inauditable (sic) and as the 3:47 train shot over the bridge he is supposed to have thrown himself forward on his face. The shoe which he had apparently unlaced to free his foot was found in the creek. The body was unmutalated (sic) except for a deep gash in the child black curly hair in the back of the head.

The remains were taken charge of by Coroner Sawyer and brought to this city. He was buried today in the St. Vincent cemetery adjoining the orphanage.