Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati, Ohio
June 28, 1892

HEEDED

Not the Danger Warnings,

But Walked Into the Jaws of Death.

Mrs. Cerilda Gividen Throws Herself in Front of a Train

Her Mangled Body Identified By Her Daughter.

Train No. 6 had left English, Ky., at 5:25 p. m. yesterday.

It was three minutes late, and started out at full speed for Cincinnati.

When about a mile from English Engineer James McCloy was horror-stricken upon seeing a woman deliberately climb up the east bank and upon the track.

His whistle was made to give three long piercing blasts, but the woman heeded them not. He grasped the lever and reversed it, at the same time applying the sand and brakes. Still in that moment the form on the track made not a movement for self-preservation.

Engineer McCloy

Had done all he could, and shut his eyes as the engine swept down upon the woman and tossed her body in the air. The train passed some distance before it came to a stand still.

Conductor C. H. Price ran back to find the woman, and Flagman Jim Wallace started ahead to protect the train. He had taken a few steps when he saw a young girl crossing from the west side of the track.

"Say, do you know who the old woman was?" called out Flagman Wallace: but the girl glanced at him saying nothing.

CONTINUED HER WALK.

"We struck a woman a minute ago. Will you see if you knew her?" and at the words the girl this time stopped, and finally, by the flagman's directions, went to the rear of the train. For one second she glanced at the bleeding, mangled mass of humanity in the ditch on the west side of the track, and then there issued from her lips such a cry of anguish that none need ask her who lay there.

Conductor price went to the girl's side, but ere he had spoken she cried

"MY MOTHER!"

And then her pent-up grief was relieved by a flood of tears.

Mrs. Cerilda Gividen was a widow with meager means who had eked out an existence with the aid of a garden.

The house on the west side of the track and the garden on the east side. Mrs. Gividen had not been feeling well during the day and for some time back, but naught was thought of her going across to the garden, which has been mostly looked after by her son, about 18 years old. She has crossed the track many times, and whether, as appearances seemed to indicate and as believed by many people, she suddenly determined to commit suicide and threw herself before the train.

WILL NEVER BE KNOWN

Engineer McCloy says that he blew his whistle loudly at Wilson's crossing, but a short distance away, which must certainly have reached the ears of any one so near. The woman's relatives and the neighbors say that she was not deaf, on the contrary her hearing was very acute.

She paid no attention to the three warnings of the whistle, but seemingly caring what happened, advanced upon the track. She was struck in the left side and thrown upon the west side of the track.

Both ankles were broken and her arms bruised, but otherwise from a rapid glance the body appeared natural. It was placed in a blanket by the trainmen and carried to the house, where the daughter and several neighbors were left to mourn.

Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati, Ohio
June 28, 1892

HEEDED

Not the Danger Warnings,

But Walked Into the Jaws of Death.

Mrs. Cerilda Gividen Throws Herself in Front of a Train

Her Mangled Body Identified By Her Daughter.

Train No. 6 had left English, Ky., at 5:25 p. m. yesterday.

It was three minutes late, and started out at full speed for Cincinnati.

When about a mile from English Engineer James McCloy was horror-stricken upon seeing a woman deliberately climb up the east bank and upon the track.

His whistle was made to give three long piercing blasts, but the woman heeded them not. He grasped the lever and reversed it, at the same time applying the sand and brakes. Still in that moment the form on the track made not a movement for self-preservation.

Engineer McCloy

Had done all he could, and shut his eyes as the engine swept down upon the woman and tossed her body in the air. The train passed some distance before it came to a stand still.

Conductor C. H. Price ran back to find the woman, and Flagman Jim Wallace started ahead to protect the train. He had taken a few steps when he saw a young girl crossing from the west side of the track.

"Say, do you know who the old woman was?" called out Flagman Wallace: but the girl glanced at him saying nothing.

CONTINUED HER WALK.

"We struck a woman a minute ago. Will you see if you knew her?" and at the words the girl this time stopped, and finally, by the flagman's directions, went to the rear of the train. For one second she glanced at the bleeding, mangled mass of humanity in the ditch on the west side of the track, and then there issued from her lips such a cry of anguish that none need ask her who lay there.

Conductor price went to the girl's side, but ere he had spoken she cried

"MY MOTHER!"

And then her pent-up grief was relieved by a flood of tears.

Mrs. Cerilda Gividen was a widow with meager means who had eked out an existence with the aid of a garden.

The house on the west side of the track and the garden on the east side. Mrs. Gividen had not been feeling well during the day and for some time back, but naught was thought of her going across to the garden, which has been mostly looked after by her son, about 18 years old. She has crossed the track many times, and whether, as appearances seemed to indicate and as believed by many people, she suddenly determined to commit suicide and threw herself before the train.

WILL NEVER BE KNOWN

Engineer McCloy says that he blew his whistle loudly at Wilson's crossing, but a short distance away, which must certainly have reached the ears of any one so near. The woman's relatives and the neighbors say that she was not deaf, on the contrary her hearing was very acute.

She paid no attention to the three warnings of the whistle, but seemingly caring what happened, advanced upon the track. She was struck in the left side and thrown upon the west side of the track.

Both ankles were broken and her arms bruised, but otherwise from a rapid glance the body appeared natural. It was placed in a blanket by the trainmen and carried to the house, where the daughter and several neighbors were left to mourn.