The New York herald., 1869-05-06
Graphic Description Of the Terrible
Slaughter.
The Condition Of the Track
Pronounced Bad.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
The Railroad Company Held Responsible
for the Accident by Neglecting
Their Duty in Keeping the
Track in Proper Order.

Pursuant to adjournment Coroner Hendrickson
and the jury empanelled TO inquire into the circum
stances touching the deaths Of the parties killed re-
Gently on the Long Island Railroad, near jamaica
assembled at Remsens Hotel, Jamaica, yesterday
morning to resume the further prosecution OF the in
vestgatlon. There was a fair attendance OF specta-
tors and the interest in the proceedings seemed
unabated. One Of the Witnesses Mr.. G. B. Gruman,
who was passenger on the Inflated train and mar
rowly escaped with his life, gave very graphic and
touching narrative Of the that occurred in the
rear car at the time of the calamity which sent thrills
of horror through breasts OF the audience, and
caused them to indulge in low murmurs of sympathy
for the unfortunate victims who perlshed on the
lamentable occasion. The whole testimony taken
yesterday was OF an exceedingly interesting cha
racter and will be found in full below.
The witnesses were examined, as on the previous
occasions by District Attorney Downing.
Mr.. Oliver CharlIck. accompanied by the supern
tendent of the road, Mr. Barton entered the at
an early stage Of the proceedings and stayed to the
close, occasionally indulging in the luxury OF
Havana and listening to the testimony with the
most perfect sang IrOtd.
TESTIMONY OF CHARLES HALLET
was on the train going east at the lime Of the
cdent; was bound for Roslyn; my business is
moulding and planning business; was about the
centre of the middle car, facing to the west with
both feet on top Of the stove; did not notice
whether the train was behind time not; was
facing to the end Of the train and an old
gentleman jumping up, or springing TO his feet;
saw him jump up and put his hand to the back Of
the seat felt the arring motion Of the train about
that same Instant it seemed to be jarring motion
and swaying motion OF the car, so much 80 tnat l
had to put my hands the seat to steady myself the
train came then to a stop; only saw this old gen.
tleman thrown into the middle OF the car; should
Judge there were thirty or forty passengers in the
car was in; knew Mr.. Craig that was In the car;
there were great many ladies' In that car; should
think the majority were ladies'; presume there
was between twenty-seven and thirty in the rear
car; knew from the motion OF the train that there
was truck or the car was in; got OIL the train
and looked at the truck after the accident; saw
the wounded parties coming out Of the car; one was
a lady with her face badly cut; saw them coming
out OF the wrecked car; the lady came out of the
door with her face all covered with blood;
then i saw two or three men crawling out
OF the window; as stood there helping the lady of
the platform | heard somebody state there were two
Or three killed; tnen took the lady to MIR. Giles
pies; on coming out OF the car first l saw the
wrecked car lying nat ON the track, with no truck
under it; the truck lay OF to the rear OF 1t to the
northwest side OF the north rails noticed there
people that were dead on the track; noticed Mr..
Rushmore and this woman and her son; this lady
lay with her body inside the track and her head
alongside Of 1t like; Mr.. Rushmore was all rolled
up In ball; the brakeman Van Nostrandl
next person l saw on passing on TO the west,
lying between the tracks; Mr. Shannahan
was then alive; he lay with his head to the north;
stopped and spoke with him a few minutes; he re-
cognlzed me; asked him II he was badly hurt, and
he said he could not tell IN getting his head up he
had an idea that he was badly hurt; should think
he lived for threequaters OF an hour; then stepped
from Mr.. Shannahan TO woman that was wounded;
/ do not know her name, and when got back TO
take ner name she was out OF her head; next saw
Craig lying on the south side OF the track: he must
have fallen right on the track when he came out
OF the car; | pulled him down the bank so that he
could lte ON an inclined plane then went into the
thought she was German; went from there back
TO the truck to discover If possible what caused lhe
accident; saw an infant lying dead that was killed
also; did not see the child on the ground, but at
Glespies house; / noticed the truck was In good
order until passed Mir Shannahan when notceda
section "a the truck torn up, with the ties running
across-that Is the two rails were connected to-
gether by the ues, put were % ooln iilted up about
were not broken at all; these rails were all per-
feet after the accident; this was not directly at
the spot where the accident occurred; between
this end OF the track and where the car
had stopped / should judge was very close on
100 feet; the ground between the rails all broken
up BY the movement OF the ties ON gong westward
further | found the track In perfect condition for
about forty feet; there was no mark on the track
until we came 10 where these rails were disturbed;
going back on the track | saw these broken rails
lying IN line with the other track and said the
break was; there was mark at all there; noticed
II as very strange because the did not OF the
track at that point at all; was there only Few
moments on the track.
q. how can you account for there being no mark
OF plunge or wheel during the distance OF this forty
feetbeyOnd where Shannahan lay A WANTED to 1nd
out how the accident had occurred, and not how the
tram ran OF az that point; noticed that the king
bolt OF the forward truck wa4 bent IN o curved
form, and the King bolt of the truck was broken
square or the king bolt was in the forward truck
timer attached TO the truck; the car was lying on
no IA
twelve inches Or may bc more; did not notice
ANYTHING unusual about the size OF the wheel or of
the truck being different roni ordinary trucks re-
mained there TIL about haif-past TWO In the alter
noon; was there when they repaired It; tod them
not TO disturb anything until the proper authorities
came to examine 1t: from the time saw the acci
dent until saw the track was about liitoen minutes;
To Mr.. O'Donnell-From the wrecked car TO the
place where the truck was displaced was about 100
feet; from that 10 where The broken ran was was
from thrty 10 forty feet one or two OF the pieces OF
the broken rail were lying down between the ties,
but all pointing In the same direction; they might
have been six eight inches below the level of the
track; Iexamined the pieces and could see that the
cars had them after they ha been broken; Is
plaiu TO be seen where the truck struck them after
they were broken; was sitting the south side
OF the car; we felt a thump before this
swaying motion OF the car; I suppose II was the
road hands that replaced the displaced truck for
they came up rom the west with ties aud other
things TO fix the track think three loads OF wood
came up; could not say positively rs TO that; am
fore they commenced 10 fix the track tue track was
mostly fixed before the dead bodies were taken away
1rom there; " was hNeu ABOUT an hour and half
after the accident; think lt was Mir. Tnompson
replaced the broken rail-; Mr. Thompson came no
with gang Of men; ] noticed the ends OF
the iron; I noticed the ties and pronounced them
as sound as they ordinarily In a RAILROAD (the
small piece of broken rail shown wtness); could
not be positive about seeing this; pronounce that
piece sound; would not consider this broken end
sound end.
To the District Attorney trucks locked together
ut this point where the rails lay, In the position
have described.
at this point was found that one Juryman had
10 fhp and hp pfi icprM w A. gpnt hp
barroom to hunt him up The Sncrn, Mr.. Iendrick-
son, was In the room duriug the proceedings, and
was. therefore. TO blame for allowing the delinquent
juryman to escape. lie was, however, soon found
and conducted to his seat, when the proceedings
again went on.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM 5. BENNETT
Reside In the town of Jamaica; am q farmer; was at
She scene of the accident shortly after 1t happened.
q. What was the condition OF the track the day