Middletown transcript., 1875-08-28
Terrible Accident.
ONE BOY KILLED AND ONE
FATALLY INJURED.

y ONE BOY KILLED AND UNE
FATALLY INJURED.
!
: TRAIN MEN IN FAULT.
+ For the past two weeks Middletewn has
been in state Of fevered excitement, caused
, by the murder Of one man and the stabbing Of
another, the general lighting Of tramps, and
the danger in loading and marketing the
immense peach crop. Predictions of serious
accidents on the Delaware railroad have baen
numerous, and they were not unfounded, for
Thursday evening witnessed one that caused
Il the death of one person and the serious injury
to another, besides other damage done.
II There is station for freight situated two
miles from Middletown on the Delaware Rail-
road named Ginns, al which large number
4 Of peaches are loaded. During Thursday the
shipments were continued, and it was quite
busy time with all interested. At six o'clock
. team Of R. A. Cochran, Jr.' wac nearing
the station with a large wagon load Of the
fruit on which were seated bis son, R. e. Lee
Cochran, aged IL years, and.a colored boy
named Robert Brinkley, aged IA years. There
is a peach orchard to. the north Of the
read that excludes any vision of approaching
trains, and the road at the crossing is cut
low. On Thursday evening engine 68 left
Middletown al minutes before 6 o'clock
| under orders to go to Townsend, get train
and return BY $50. The train was running
at the rate Of between 25 and 80 miles an
hour, and when she reached Ginns she struck
the team Of Mr.. Cochran, which was then i'm
medically on; the railroad on it's way to the
peach house, right in the front of the wagon,
killing almost instantly the colored boy,
seriously if not fatally injuring 'Lee," and
killing the two mules and tearing the wagon
and contents completely up. The engines
headlight was torn f,but besides that no in-
jury was done to it. The colored boy Brink |
ley, was caught on the engine and carried |
with it until it was stopped, but s'Lee' was
thrown to the side with the wagon and his |
skull fearfully mashed and shoulder very
badly injured. As soon as the engine return
ed the injured and dead were placed upon it !
and were quickly brought TO town for medi-
cal treatment AS soon as tie news of the |
accident became known the greatest excite
msnt prevailed in the whole town. Relatives
and friends of Mr.. Cochran assembled in large
numbers at the depot, many in speechless
state and others shedding sympathetic tears
for the unfortunate son. Drs. Mckee, Cham
berlain, Kennedy and Barr were soon at the
depot and an examination showed that the
skull was broken 10 the length Of inches,
and inches wide. Some medicine was ad-
ministered and the suffering boy was removed
TO the residence of S. N. Reynolds, Esq,
where all that could be was done, and al
his recovery, he lived through the night, and
at present writing lies in state of uncon-
with no hope Of recovery. The
colored boy was lying on the cow-catcher Of
the engine when it came in town, and he was
removed from there to the depot and subse-
quently to the undertaking shop Of Geo. W.
Wilson, while the train continued on her trip.
On Friday morning, an inquest was held on
the body Of Brinkley near Mr.. Wilson's shop, I
and the following testimony was taken in the !
Office OF J. Thos. Budd r
John T. Wilson, sworn-Was standing in (
peach house at Ginns heard whistle blow, (
and is my impression it blew around curve ,
below. st. Anne's crossing; the boys could
not see train on account of peach orchard
thought the engine was running as fast as
could go when the train passed '
ne; did not see engine strike the wagon.
Duval Gibbs, sworn-Between five and six {
o'clock got 10 Ginn's station after I passed
he crossing at that point saw engine l25 c
1ards from the crossing passing the peach
louse it was coming fast; did not see the
ngine strike. ffsfsv
David Hutchinson, sworn--Was in peach
ouse at Ginns, and saw the engine pass; did I
Iot hear her blow until after she passed, d
rhen she blew twice; right after struck the i
vagon there is a cut in the road at crossing n
nd do not think that persons can see. t
Joseph G. Hutchinson, Jr., sworn--Was in
be peach house when the engine passed
card her blow before she passed, suppose it
Tas at Lockwood's curve; Mr.. Cochran no. d
ced it and said Z: uHere comes our train;', Il
id not see wagon struck; the engine run II
uarter of mile after striking before it was
topped. IN
B. W. Hutchinson, sworn-Have no recol-
ction Of hearing engine blow, as was busy
! peach house, except when she blew for !
rakes .tsft
= after 8 clock; we passed engine just as !, i
le was below the peach house; after passed =
,ard them blow; did not see engine until q
used long row of cars; she was running :,
ny fast; saw team coming as turned in, =
,out as far off as was when turned in; -
= back was to them and did not see acci- :,
mt the train must have been at least mile :;
when it blew; engines blow at crossings !,
ways; was driving very fast. o
s. Spencer, sworn-Know nothing of it but
at was standing In Mr.. E. R. Cochran's
chard below Middletown saw the engine
'ss heard her blow after passed do not IN
low how long after; suppose the engine =
as running about 20smiles per bonr ! was 70
'wn one-fourth the length of orchard; think ~
9 engine can make 60 miles per hour. In
Joseph G Hutchinson, ST., sworn--Was at 70
nns' station 10 minutes, and then started
+ home; heard blowing up the track my ye
use is 300 yards from station had scarce Sc
reached it when heard whistle; as the vi
CINE passed the switch heard noise ac
1ich attracted my attention; saw smoke fo
lck emerge from back of the orchard, heard ne
crash and saw them put down brakes, then
ard them blow; engines usually blow be-
- y