Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1899 — Their Only Son. [ARTICLE]

Their Only Son.

Edwin P. Hammond Jr. Instantly Killed, on Christmas DayMeets Death on a Monon Train, at Boaehdale. Seldom if ever has the intelligence of any single death came as a greater shook to the people of Rensselaer, than was that of Edwin P. Hammond Jr., only sou of Col. Edwin P. Hammond and Mary A. Hammond, now of Lafayette, bnt for so many years snch well known and greatly honored residents of our community. The young man met death by accident on Christmas day, about 2p. m. He had been at Bloomington visiting college friends, and was returning home to Lafayette on the Monon train *which is due here at 3:27 p.m. He was accompanied as far as Roachdale by Miss Lena Triplett, of Evansville, to whom he is said to have been greatly attached. She intended to journey with him unti they met the southbound train, and then to return upon that to her home at Evansville. The trains met at Roachdale, Eddie, or Willie as we need to > call him, put Miss Triplett aboard . her train, and after it palled out , started to board his own train, which had started also, and evidently was under considerable headway. He caught the hand rail of the front platform of the chair car, and rap with the train a short distance. There was a break in the platform, where another railroad crosses the Monon, and stepping off this, Willie lost his footing. He was thrown with greet force, his head striking

either the car wheel or the end of the track. He was dragged a short distance but was not drawn under the wheels. There were gashes on the back of the head and the temple' and the right arm was crushed. He was killed instantly. An inquest was held that evening and the body then taken to Lafayette. The news of the occurence did not reach Lafayette, until the train which killed him arrived there. The train was late at Roachdale, and after the accident stopped, and was delayed some time longer.

The agent of the Monon at Lafayette conveyed the news to Wm, V. Stuart, Judge Hammond’s partner, who in turn, broke the news to the Judge. Those of the family who were at home were Mrs. Hammond and their youngest daughter, Nina. The oldest unmarried daughter, Jean, was in Bensselaer, visiting her sister Mrs. W. B. Austin, and has been sick for some time past. Edwin P. Hammond, Jr., was the third child and only son of Edwin P. Hammond, Sr., and Mary A. Spitler. He was bom at Bensselaer on March 1, 1873. After completing his studies in this city he entered Indiana university, graduating from that institution in 1895 with the degree of A. B. Having decided to study law, he entered the law department at the university, and remained there until 1897, since whioh time he has been associated with his father in Lafayette. He made an excellent record as a student and bad a bright future before him. His father saw in him a promising attorney and did everything in his power to encourage him. He was with him a great deal and permitted him to accompany him to other cities where he was engaged in important litigation. The young man was a close student, an indefatig-

able worker, and his ability was fast advancing him to a front rank among the younger attorneys. He was ambitions to rise, and his father was ambitions to see him master of the profession in which he had attained so mnoh prominence. At sohool Edwin Hammond was exceedingly popular. He had a happy disposition and his personal qualities were attractive. Since looating in Lafayette he had not given much time to society, preferring to devote all of his time and energy to the preparation for the work before him. He was in the fullest sense a true gentleman. His manliness, his industry and his ability won for him the admiration of all who knew him, and the announcement of his death was a terrible shook not only to the members of his family, by whom be was idolized, but to ail who knew him.