Jay Whiteman, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
Jay Whiteman
Was He Asleep.
The circumstances which are being developed with regard to the manner in which the late Jay Whiteman, conductor on the Grand Trunk, met his death at Mill Creek station, go to indicate beyond any doubt that he fell from the cars while walking in his sleep. His stepmother who was in the city a few day ago, and who knew nothing in the way in which he fell from the cars, stated incidentally to Dr. Montgomery that Jay was a confirmed somnambulist and had been addicted to the habit of walking in his sleep for a number of years. When the exact circumstances of his death were related to her she declared it as her firm belief that he was killed while in a somnambulistic state. It seems that he was walking along on the top of the cars in a way that attracted the attention of the brakeman, who knew that there was no occasion for his walking toward the engine at that particular time. He had no latern and the night was very dark. One of the brakemen had left his lantern sitting on top of one of the cars. When Whiteman had walked as far as the latern he lifted his foot and instead of stepping over the lantern, stepped directly upon it, which threw his foot off the edge of the car, causing him to fall directly under the wheels. The brakemean says he never uttered a sound as he fell, nor afterward, which he naturally would have done had he been awake at the time of falling. The case is rather an interesting one. -- South Bend Tribune.
Newspaper: Porter County Vidette
Date of Publication: May 21, 1885
Volume Number: 29
Issue Number: 21
Page: 4
Column(s): 5
Key to Newspaper Publication Locations:
Newspapers Published in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana
Chesterton Tribune
The Tribune
Westchester Tribune
Newspapers Published in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Porter County Vidette
Practical Observer
Valparaiso Practical Observer
Vidette and Republic
Western Ranger
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Obituary/death notice transcribed by Steven R. Shook