Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1923, July 4 - Pedestrian fatality, Hull,  Lachute sub.

Ottawa Citizen 4 July 1923 KILLED BY A TRAIN AT WRIGHT'S SIDING Man Thought to Be Theophile Lafrance round on C.P.R-Tracks. At two o'clock this afternoon, a resident of Hull, after viewing the remains, expressed the belief that it was Theophile Lafrance, formerly of Hull, but who had been living at the Union Mission for some time. At the Union Mission it was stated that a man by that name had been there, but not for the past three or four days. The authorities were unable to furnish a description of him. - The decapitated body of a man. believed to be possibly that of Mr. W. H. Murphy, formerly of Toronto, but whose recent address is unknown, was found at an early hour this morning lying on the C. P. R tracks near Wright's siding, a few hundred feet east of West Hull station. The body was seen by Mr. M. Teterson, watchman for Wright and Company, Incorporated, who, when opening up the plant at 5.30, found the remains lying between the rails almost in front of the Wright siding. He communicated with Coroner T. B. Davies, who ordered the remains to be brought to Gauthier's undertaking parlors. Hull, where they now await definite identification. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident, nor had anybody, as far as can be learned, seen the unfortunate man in the vicinity during the evening. Upon the clothes being searched by Mr. Gauthier, a tailor's tage tfas found stitched in an inner pocket of the coat. bearing tne legend, "Trebilcock and Co., tailors, Toronto. W. H. Murphy, March 17th, 1920. D 2163." Coroner Davies. who will open an inquest at the undertaking parlors this evening at 8 o'clock expressed the opinion that the man might have been a resident of Wrightville and was taking a short cut along the rail way tracks early this morning bound East, when struck by the C. P. R. Soo train which passes through Hull around 1.30 a.m. Enquiries at the C. P. R. offices showed that no accident report had been filed this morning by any of the train crews. The man is described as being between 45 and 50 years of age, of fair complexion, about 5 ft. 8 in. or 9 in. in height, weighing about 145 pounds, head bald on top, and fringe of brown hair. He was dressed in a coat of blue cloth with a dark stripe, blue serge trousers, and white shirt with blue stripe.. The body is apparently that of a workingman, as the clothes were in poor condition. There was absolutely nothing in the pockets.

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Updated 13 October 2020