The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1883-06-18
PATRICK JoRDAN's DEATH.
The Verdict of the CorOner's Jury-More
Railroad Gates Needed.

injuries received at the Fourteenth street
crossing of the p, w. 81 b. railroad on
Tuesday last, was comprised of the follow
ing: H. B. McIntire. james DANNY, William
B. Hickman, Daniel B. Woodward, William
s. McNair, E. Harold Rhoads, Rayworth
Weldip, i. Alfred Collins and Frel Hag-
mayer The jury met at 3 o'clock and pro
ceeded 10 the late residence of the deceased
where they were duly sworn and organized
by electing H. B, McIntire foreman, and
w. s McNair secretary. u..
After viewing the remains the jury ad-
journed to meet at the Cay Hall, yesterday
afternoon at 2.30 O'Clock. John SC 0rley
testified that the body viewed in thu pres
ence of the Coroner's jury ON Satni day was
that Of Patrick Jordan, and that he saw
him frequently betwtG the time he Was :
jured aud when he died. jordan, he sail,
was sligatly lard Of hearing. W. II. Cor
nell testified to the SAME effect.
Robert Hammond, one of the most inl-
portant witnesses testified that he was
crossing the railroad when be saw Jordan
driving down the bank toward the tracks
and told hun that he had better stop,
though he did not know whether Jordan
heard him or not The latter whipped up
his horse and afterward the witness called
to him to whip up and he did SO, thou1 b
he appeared confused. The train was going
toward Wilmington, and Jordan was on the
opposite side of the horse from the
train. He only knew the man
slightly. The whistle began to blow
about halfway between Brandywine
Station and the Fourteenth street crossing,
and the horse was on the track when the
whistle began to blow. The witness did not
know whether or not the whistle blew before
the train passed the station. There was no
lagman at the crossing and the the train
was running pretty fast, over six miles an
hour. Jordan was coming westward toward
Claymont street when struck, fell on the
sidewalk, while the cart was thrown over
him. The man paid no attention to wit
ness's warning and could have seen the train
coming if be had looked. He was within
fifteen feet of the track when first called to-.
If he had been two feet further ahead the
train would not have struck him. The train
was Stacking up when 1t struck and the
hindmost car was not passed when it stopped.
Thomas G. Riddle was present at the time
of the accident and was going toward Jor-
dan while Hammond was going away. The
latter spoke loud enough for the witness tc
hear little piece off when he called out
"you cannot make it," and afterward
| shurry up" Jordan urged on his horse
which was on the first rail of the first track
when the whistle blew twice or three timeI
for him to get out Of the way. The witness
watched the man with the cart and the en-
gine to see the result. The cart was on the
second track and the driver was urging on hii
horse when the train came upon him and shu
off the view of the witness. When the tr all
stopped the last car had gone ahead ta
enough to enable the witness to see the mai
by looking crosswise from the other side o
the track. Jordan lay with his face on tn
ground and several train hands came to hin
Immediately and he as turned over on hi
| back and orders were given to remove hin
| to Wilmington in one of the cars. He di
not know Jordan and had just come out o
the house near by. Jordan could hav
stopped his horse and backed down out o
danger if he heard Hammond's warning
Jordan's view of the approaching train wa
obstructed only by his horse and the statiol
building. The train was running at rate
of 10 or Is miles an hour. The wit
ness and Hammond were each about 10 fee
from Jordan and the latter must have hear
Hammond's warning unless he was hard o
hearing as witness had heard it reported
Could not see the engine strike but an ex
animation afterward show ed that the car
wheel was struck. The whistle was blow
near the station and Jordan was then ol
the first track. The witness saw and hear
the train before the whistle blew. II Jorda
did lot look up when at the track he coul
not have seen the train on account OF tn
station. The engineer was evidently doin
his best 20 stop the train and the deceased
doing the same to get across.
Theodore II. Osborne testified that b
was conductor on the train No. l, drawn b
engine No. 40, was in the smoking car an
! | only saw the man after the accident.
George Frederick the engineer OF tn
| train, testified that as soon as he saw til
team at the Fourteenth street crossing b
! blew the whistle and applied the brake
thinking that the man would stop, as
) could have done, and escaped injury, for
was on the norlh-bound track at the tim
but he whipped up his horse to increase h
speed. The horse got over all righ
but when the wheels were on IL
q outer track the bumper of the el
gine struck the cart, knocking
over the top of the man, who was waikiki
opposite the front of the cart, which w
thrown into the ditch. Only three of Il
six cars got by before the train was stoppe
. The engine was drifting at the time and Il
u engineer could not see the man until
l. reached Brandywine station, about tw
thirds of a square away. He was on t
Is right side of the engine, while the deceas
t was on the left side of his horse. The ira
| was going perhaps ten miles an hour at /
= time IL struck. 1nefe Is no WhIcHudn
safety gates at the crossing.
S Frank Hawkins, the fireman, corrot
rated the testimony of the engineer al
d said that he was ringing the bell when
k saw the team start across the track and 4
tilted the engineer. He thought the ira
3, was running at the rate of eight miles
d hour.
d Frank A. Mitchell, the baggage mastt
e testified that his attention was called by t
~ engines whistle, and he looked out of
door on the left side and could see abo
Is two feet of the cart. By the time he got
ID the opposite side of the car the man "
= LAYING In the road. The train was runni
4 at a rate of about Is miles an hour beft
s. the brakes were applied, and about eig
IN miles when it struck. The whistle v
blown near the station.
William II. Harris, brakeman, hea
the warning signal and ran to the Plato
to see what was the mattel. He saw no
IN ing until the train stopped and backed.
The jury retired to private room for
he liberation, and finally rendered verd
n that "Patrick Jordan came to his death
er being struck by engine No. 40, train No
oe on the P, w. u B. Railroad on Tuesd
~ June II, 1888" The following pream
er and resolution was also adopted:
st WHEREAS, Patrick Jordan came to his de-
p OIL Tuesday, June Il, by being struck py eng
y: No 40, drawing train No, /, at the Fourtee
OF street crossing of the p, W. * IL. Railroad, q
WHEREAS, There Is no dagman or safety g
to | at said crossing to warn persons OF approach
ne | trains; tn erefOre, be ii
~ p, w. * b. Railroad Company should NJ
en- safety gates erected at all It's crossings VII
ir1 the city limits.