Newspaper Clipping of the New Year's Day

Via Newspapers.com

Some people have mysterious lives.  Some have mysterious deaths.  One young man had the misfortune to have them both.  The “Pittsburgh Dispatch,” January 2, 1892:

"James Foster, age 32 years, place of birth unknown, name of parents unknown, nationality unknown; to be buried by the county in the Potters' field." 

This was the first entry on the journal of vital statistics in the Bureau of Health of Pittsburg for 1892. It was the only entry made on New Year's Day. A peculiar story, tinged with pathos, attaches to Foster's killing. He was intimately known to many, yet he was unknown to all. He had many friends who have been associated with him since childhood, yet no one ever knew his parents or where he was born. If he knew himself he never told. From boyhood he refused to talk on the subject. He would never bear a reference to it in manhood, and with him will be carried to-day to a grave in the county's burying lot his life's secret.

James Foster lived with Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Hall, near Homestead. He had lived with this couple since he was seven years old. Foster came to their house then. They had never been able to find out anything whatever of his life prior to his coming to their house. They have known his every movement since. On New Year's eve, Foster with a number of his associates came to Pittsburg, where they joined with many merry makers in celebrating the death and birth of the old and new years. 

The party missed the last train for home. They continued their revelry long into the night. The group scattered toward morning and just as the day was breaking Foster started alone to walk to his home. He was sober. His night's pleasure had wearied him, however, and when near Hazelwood, on the Baltimore and Ohio road, he was run down by a train and instantly killed. He was carried by the train that killed him to Braddock. 

Coroner McDowell was notified. He went to Braddock yesterday morning. He had just taken charge of the mangled body when Mr. and Mrs. Hall arrived at the undertaking rooms. They had heard of Foster's ending and they had come to identify the body. Mrs. Hall was much affected. 

At the inquest the Halls were the only witnesses outside of the railroad men who had seen him killed. Mr. Hall told how Foster had come to them when a boy 7 years old. How he had held as sacred the story of his life up to that time. How he had been faithful, industrious and sober, and how he had left them the evening previous, saying he would return that night. That was the substance of their testimony. Accidental death was the verdict of the Coroner's jury. 

At the time of the killing Foster was well dressed. He looked a thrifty, careful man. After the inquest the Coroner attempted to have the body turned over to the Halls for burial. They, however, refused to receive their dead friend, and the undertaker was instructed to bury the body at the county's expense. The burial will occur today. His grave will be marked by his name, but to those who knew him best he will still be unknown.