Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-07-29
LOCAL NEWS

ooONb IL minutes past . U CioChs du lTlSDkuhu
named Joha Blanch, about eighty years of age,
was run over on the Norwich and Worcester
Railroad, on the Common, South of Front street,
by train of cars backing out of the depot,
and instantly killed. His head was picked up
some thirty feet distant from his body. and
leg found some twenty feet distant, in the
opposite dire2tion, upon the track. His head
had rolled about one foot Westerly of the rail.
His body was found very badly mutilated, upon
the track, between the rails
Coroner Day summoned, and Immediately
called jury of inquest. The jury was composed
as follows: Dr. J. M. Rice, foreman J. B. Dex-
ter, Jr, B. F. Otis, S B. Watson, W. S. Wood,
and H W. Bigelow.
The body, after being examined by the jury, was
given to the sexton for nterment. In the after
noon, the body claimed by the friends of the
deceased, and given to them for burial.
The jury of inquest commenced the investiga-
tion Of the facts about ten O'Clock, and the evi.
deuee came from some who witnessed the acct
dent, aud one or two engaged for the Norwich
railroad corporation.
The first witness was
Samuel HdthGeody, Sicoy7s.-I was passing up
Front street. this morning, opposite Bradley's
residence, about nine A. M train passing
up; saw an old man in front Of train ; l spoke to
him when the cars were ten feet from him, and
he then stepped in front Of them upon the
track when at centre of track he turned his
head and made effort to escape by going
across the track my impression is that the en-
CINE bell was ringing the train going at
slow speed-I should say at rate of four or five
miles an hour the moment the alarm CIV
en-, the brakeman applied the brakes, and made
every effort to stop the train it passenger
train backing out from the depot. and the gate
open to prevent carriages from passing on the
street; the man was on the Common, fifty feet
from Front street; cars were going South saw
the brakeman apply the brakes; the man appear
ed to pay heed to the train at all if the
brakeman knew that the man going to cross
the track he might have stopped the train in
son, but did not think the man intended to
cross the track he fell lengthwise the track,
and | should say killed by the cars
don't think he observed the cars until
he got upon the track if it had not been
for his effort to escape, after he got upon the
track, should think he went there deliberately.
for the purpose Of suicide.
l first the man as he passed up the path
from the gate, after the gateman opened the gate.
He must have known the gate was being opened.
HI left the gate after it was being opened 10 per-
nit the train to pass. The man passing from
the east towards the City Hall, passing over both
should say no blame could attach to any person
the tram. When he' stepped upon the west
track, in front of the train, it was then
too late to stop the train, and that moment
the man seemed to discover the danger he was
in. Should think the train carried him some so
feet from where he was first struck. Have heard
his name was Banch. Have no knowledge of
his name.
C. S. Turner, S,ooril Agent Of the N. & W.
X. X. Live in Worcester. Did not see the ac-
cident. Was on the train at the time. 1t is dit
fcult to tell exactly the sp ed of train or a
carrlaRe-people differ very much in their esti
mate of speed. Did not pay particular attention,
but should say they were going at the usual speed
as they generally back out from the depot. The
engineers have instructions upon their general
rules, and some SPECIAL instructions some four
or fve years ago. don't pay so much attention
to them for this reason, that people don't agree
about the rate of speed, and because l act upon
my own judgment in determining whether or not
the train exceeds the proper speed. 1 should
Judge the speed at the time of the accident did
not exceed four miles an hour.
John Hickey, Si0oFn - Live in Worcester
work on Norwich and Worcester Railroad, tend
ind gate on Front street have known the man
who was killed six months name of the man
KILLED is John Blanchfeld; he lived on Mechanic
street in this city-has some nephews and neices
here-no other family here he was intending to 4
go home to Ireland next Fall he was partially
helpless from palsy think he was fifty years
old saw the accident he was talking to me
before l opened the gate /; l opened the gate as
usual and BlanchGeld left me and walked to-
wards the track, towards Southwest to reach the
seat, as thought, under the tree l am sure he
saw me open the gate he could not help seeing
the train approaching the engine bell was ring
ing; the train was going at speed the same
ual should think the train was going no faster
than four or five miles an hour
Edward King, baggage master on the train.
who was on the hind end of the car that frat
struck the unfortunate man, testified that he
saw Blanch when he got most to the track,
when Mr.. Blanch stopped and seemed to be
thinking of something. King motioned to him
to get out of the way but he did not seem to real
ize his position-thought he was hard of hearing.
Blanch's eyes we're directed towards Front street;
he seemed COMPOUNDED, and did not seem to look
at the train. He had no chance to make an eff.
tort to get away when he got upon the track, as
he was then only three feet from the train.
King put on the brakes hard and pulled the bell
rope to warn the engineer, and thought he might
catch hold and save him as soon as he did that,
but had no time. Cars were going very slow, at
the rate of l.2 miles an hour. Heard the en-
CINE bell ringing at the time of the accident
King shouted to the man when the latter came
to the track he made full stop.
Other testimony, by Thomas Warner of Wood
stock, and James Lalley, E. H. Dodge, o. W.
ClaAin, and NJ D. Marcy. of Worcester, corrob-
GRATED, as far as it went, that given above.
The jury, after being out short time, return.
ed the following verdict;
"That said John Blanch came to his death on
the morning of July Is. 1858, at about fifteen
minutes after nine o'clock, while carelessly and
illegally being and walking upon the track Of the
Norwich and Worcester Railroad Corporation,
upon the Common, in this city, and near the
Front street crossing, by being struck and run
over by the train of passing out from the de-
pot of said corporation, and that all persons upon
said train in the employ of SAID corporation, who
were aware of the danger to the person killed,
used all due diligence to prevent the accident,
and no blame attaches to the employees OF said
corporation"
THE WEATHBR.-Yesterday was the first good
"hay-day" that the farmers in this vicinity have
had for nearly week, and it was extensively i'm
proved. AS yet large portion of the hay crop is
uncut, and few more successive days Of