The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-22
FATAL ACCIDENT AT FULTON FERRY.

Mr. John Kempston, Clerk OF the Superior Court.
Part and for about eighteen years . law reporter
tho HERALD came TO his death suddenly last evening
Mr.. kempston Was in company with his son, youth
~ seventeen years OF age bis way to Brooklyn, IN
w ich city he resided, al six o'clock r. NJ. and
sbon' to cross tho Fulton Jerry Tho had Just
rived tom thu Brooklyn sIds and had been made fssA
20 the br tge whom Mr. KempSto who in the foot
path east q the carrageway, b,us IN tho crowd on
doavoring b ,et on board, slipped and fell th0
beam which divides the footpah fr,rs the carragsway,
his head aud Que arm extending into the latter. Juss
about this ums cart driven by III SDcs shhuer ana
heavily laden with bsdss was coming OF tho boat.
had reached within foot or so Of where Mr. Kempslon
ic ana tue Nhee 81 the vehicle passed o. on hs neao
killing hun instantly.
The body conveyed 10 the Beekmap sire y station
house. where an Inquest vas held by Coroner Cover
An nation or the remains was rnado ~ DR.. John
Beach, testified thai tho dsceased's lower il ~ had
been fractured also The third vvicat
vertebrse which injury produced instantaneous with.
Francis H. Grant Frank Shader the driver or the vrt,
aud officer Michael HaSgery pasroman q tho Sect os
precinct were examined, and teEtined that tho IN
accidental. Mr. Grant acqusted tho driver from
blame and thinks that mo did not see tho deceased fail
n was after dark a. the time. Oicsr Haggery whe
DUTY tho ferry and arrested Shaler testified
that he tShaner stopped his horse - the acct
deat happened The officer SAID also, The arrange
is reproheosblo and dangerous Il Is su,prisins
70 mo there are not more accidents happening
here, a. the rush OF people at this hour OF
tho evening 10 tremendous" Mr. Shaner. tho drives
OF the cart, testified that his laden with hsdss
~ the Time OF tho accident: crowd Of persons iWere
going on the boet but there the oarsge,
way tho drst insmation he received that anything lad
happened was hearing scream, upon which ~
pulled bis horse. leaned his cart aud OBJ
jsot being raised u1 could not distinguish whether IL
was a man, woman. or child, a OVID gathered very
suddenly did not the deceased and knew noshsaG
OF the accident until he heard the scream.
The Coroner recapsuated the testimony to tho jury
and remarked that II within their province
the ferry company thoy found from the evdsacs
that proper precautions were provided TO prevent
accidents OF this nature The Jury then retired and after
lew minutes dciberstson rendered the following YER
dot
. That the deceased. John Kempston, came TO hts
death FROM injuries received by bc,ng BY ..
cart driven by Frank Shanor, at tie Fulton forrys on
the 2ist Of December. 1867; but wo cxoncrate SAID
khaner from all blame and severely consure the Unea
Ferry Company for not providing TO prevent
DeDgers from entering boat unul tho sde
fst and aA Tho passengers aod vehicles landed. We
farther recommend the city suthories PAYS
nsOce compelling sad company 70 provide tho bams"
NJ: kempSIon was gentleman highly respected ~
all who know him. and especially BY Tho prominsnt
mombers OF the bar OF this city. who his intimate
friosds. Hswas an Irsbman by brtb and had been In
this country about twenty yossA Two years ago he
received the appointment OF clerk tho Superior Court
which position ne held when no with The unforts-
nAto accident which caused his death.