The daily gazette., 1878-07-02


road, and while walking along a wagon
overlook me, and the person driving
hailed me, and asked me if | would like
TO take n ride, and | old him | would;
do not know on what part of the road he
overlook me; | then got in the wagon,
and he took me nearly down to Clay
mont; IL was but a short distance from
the station where he tuned off of the
main road; | think the time was about
10 o'clock. | then came down the track
about half mile; | came over too bridges,
the railroad might tenn them culverts; as
| crossed the last one the idea just came
in my head, that placing cross tie OH
the track, and then going back, and war
ing the train OF danger, L might get 4
stuation / then picked up cross tie
from the ditch, aud put it ON the track;
in the first place put 1t over one rail and
under the other, l afterwards took it
out intending to throw 1t off the rail, as
| thought it might throw the train from
the track, i thoaght to lay it on the track
and stop the train, and thereby get
position; l intended to throw the tie en-
tirely off; / thought that l would not
leave it there as it might wreck the train;
| took it OFF the track when | heard the
whistle blow, and gave it 4 fling, think
ing that ! had succeeded in throwing 1t
OFT. i started to warn the approaching
train; | think it was the south bound
train that blew the whistle; when the
north bound train passed | was just turn
ing off the turnpike into the railroad; y
looked up and saw the train coming
south, AMI started north: signaled the
train by waving my handkerchief, and
when the engine passed hallowed.
1 was perhaps 100 yards above the cul-
vert when the train struck the tie. | did
not have any accomplices in the work or
any prompting; | came back TO The tram
when the accident occurred the first per-
son ] saw wa, the conductor, i am not
acquai nted with him; | asked him II any
one was hurt, and he replied that his
passengers We're all right, but he was
J afraid that the engineeraud fireman We're
both hurt. | think he was right at the
wreck; | had no conversation with any
other gentle man until met Mr. Lawson,
and Mr. Pratt, | think his name was;
Mr.. Lawson, asked me about the cross 10
aud told Min that | was walking down
The track and found The cross-lie the re;
do not distinctly remember what fur
| ther information l gave Mr.. Lawson; |
do not think that either Mr.. Lawson, or
| the conductor asked me why | did not
| remove the obstruc1on; | did not know
what train would stop at Claymoni; by
| the way met Il gem lleman GU the road
and | asked him whether the next train
stopped at Claymoni; he told me that he
thought that the next tram that stopped
there was the 11.39 train out of Phlladel
phia; 1 thought that the next train was
an accumulation; do not know what
| the penalty for the crime is; left the tie
| what / supposed clear of the track, so
| that it would not do any damage, |
| thought had thrown 1t clear fthe track
| | did Dot put it there to do any damage
| the thought TO put it there never entered
my mind until | arrived at the bridge, 1t
came on me suddenly; | have no malace
against any person living; it was my in
trntion to leave 1t remain there anu &C
back, and stop the train; i dropped the
tie when / heard theNwhistle blow; wa
in the employee of the company 10 year:
and months; / lett the employ year,
ago last April, LETT of my own free vii
to engage in farming; | never wrote {
letter to a person telling them that
would have good situation during thu
coming month"; my sole motive of put
iting the tie there was to apprise the ap
preaching train of the danger, and there
by get good sltnatlon.
| L had no intention of doing harm Il
any one, either TO the railroad propert.
or it employees mo inducement has beei
held out to me to make this statement
when | put the tie THERE | thought
would have time TO stop the next ap
proaching train: | had no idea that ther,
was an Intervening train between tn,
94j and 1l.30 train from Philadelphia
the man that | met on the road did no
tell me where he resided he had darl
moustacne aud goatee when | got out o
the wagon, thought | would go to Clay
mont, and come down on the irst ae
commodation train after | got to Clay
mont, | thought rs ! had some time
! would come down to Holyoke, and TAX
the train there. | make this confession
without any promises from anyone.
fell on the stones and tore my pant
after l had aced the tie on the track
and started to meet the train"
| This concluded Mr.. Browns statemen
and it was read over to him, and he sta
ed 1t was correct. 1t was then hande
: to him to sign, he grasped the pen an
I was about to sign, but several of the j.
/ rors got around him, and advised hir
not to sign it. Mr.. Brown hesitate
for sometime, and finally stated that h
had concluded not to sign it at present
, but after consultation and moro time
| think if he concluded to sign it he woul
send for it.
= Previous to his conclusion the Alto
, | ney General stated that if the Witne'
1 signed it, it would be used as evident
against him, and If he did not the Stat
could call all those present to testify thi
they heard it.
? MIR. Mcbride moved that the prisont
y be examined by medical experts to see
}. he was not crazy.
Il The Attorney General said that was
t question for the State and not for I'll
: Coroner's jury.
, The Jury then adjourned until o'cloc
, in the evening, and the train starte
!. back in this city at 6.05 o'clock.
THE INQUEST CONCLUDED.
t Pursuant to adjournment at New Ca
Il tie, the jury met in the directors, loom
e the z. w. s. B. K. r., at the depot
, thls city at o'clock. After being calle
to order the Attorney General, said
In order that you may come TO concl
: sion in this matter without any trouble,
t have three propositions to make to yo
First, are you satisfied that train WI
5 thrown from the track Oh last Saturds
e evening?
= Second, were the persons upon who
Il this Inquest is being held. killed by th
accident. Are you satisfied OF this +?
: Third, are you satisfied that the ac'
n dent was not the fault of the employees
o of the p. w. 81 b. r. R?
Fourth, are you satisfied that IL
IS train was thrown of ?
Z Fifth, are you satisfied that III.
:. Brown, put the cross-tie across Il