Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-09-15

CopoSER's INQUEST.-Coroner l.. a her-
hv of Fairfax county, assembled a jury this
mornips-consistiDg of r. D. and John
Cats. Richard Cow!ing, Peter Pullman, A.
w Harrison aud Johu TruaX-at the store
a short distance east of the Cats tavern, In
West End, for the purpose OF ascertalnins
the particulars concerning the death OF MT
X. +. Roberts, who was Killed hya pay Train
on the A. 4 F. K. w. Saturday. The lnves-
tigation was to have begun al clock, on'
it was nearer ten before The witnesses
were present and the inquest begun.
While waiting for the Coroner TO can .he
assemblage to order those who hah Vislteu
the scene Of the accident gave their inherent
versions as TO the distance the team and It's
occupant had been tossed, and nearly all
agreed that The deceased had been hurled
seyentv-one feet from the crossing where
struck, that the carriage had been thrown
sixty-three feet, the bay horse (which was
killed outrght) forty-three feet, aud the
black horse (which was SO badly injured
that it had to be killed. sixtythree feet.
The carriage, or much of it, WAS converted
into splinters rather too small for klnd'lne
wood, while the harness was twisted and
torn in every conceivable shape.
Upon the assembling Of the jury, Dr. geo.
II. klipsein, who examined The hody OF the
deceased shortly after the accident, testified
that Mr. RS injuries about the head were
sufficient TO have killed him outright.
There were two terribly lacerated wounds
on the skull the conclusion causing "nlt d
was of nee ssarily fatal nature. He also
thought there was fracture Of the spinal
column.
Solomon Brooks, coored man, who had
been in the employ of Mr.. Roberts, was next
sworn. He testified that he was coming up
the Telegraph road, ashort distance west OF
Roberts crossing between II and O'CLOCK,
a few minutes before the accident, and heard
the engine blow its whistle. He whipped
up his horse, and got beyond the track be,
fore the train passed, after which ne stopped
to see it run by. He did not, however, see
the collision, nor did be hear the whistle
sound for Roberts crossing, nor any bell
ring. The remainder of his deposition was
of DO particular interest, consisting oil the ms
and outs Of who first told him OF the occur
ence of the accident, and of his subsequent
movements.
Daniel Conway, colored boy, was next
examined. Upon being sworn, he said he
was about II or Is years of age, and said be
knew the nature Of an oath and the penalty
for false swearing, when warned by the cor
oner of the wrath to come upon perIurers.
He was in front Of the reservoir when the
train blew for the Telegraph road, or Cam
eron run crossing. He had passed Mr..
Roberts previously, who by that time was
about to enter the road leading to his resi-
dence. The deceased must have been
nearer the track than the witness at that
time-about 100 yards. Witness did not
see the accident, hut heard the noise made
by it. When he passed Mr.. II. he noticed
that that gentleman was sitting, as was MS
custom, sideways on the right hand SIDE OF
the carriage, and with his eyes cast in a
southeasterly direction, opposite from the
direction in which the train was coming.
He was trott;ng his tOrses at the time, and
the witness did not hear the engine blow at
Mr.. RS crossing, though he distinctly saw
the train coming.
James cheshire. who lives at the TOLL
gate. WAS then sworn. Upon being asked
what he knew about the case, he locked con-
fused, and blandy replied "nothing." MIR. H.
d. Cats, one OF the jurymcu, asked witness
if he did not say such and such things about
the accident and also that he had asserted
he would no: testify against the railroad
company, to All OF which Undergraduates be
put in Hat lcniais, when he was ordered to
stand aside and make room for the next
witness, who WAS
James Ryan, no also went into an ex-
tensive rismarole of particulars about what
he had doue after he hrard Mr.. Roberts was
killed. He did not hear any whistle. He
also was soon hustled of the stand to make
room for
BJ. Carver, the engineer Of the train.
Witness said be was an engineer in the en-
ploy of the p, W. 4 3. r. H., Co., and was
running the engine attached to the train
which collided with Mr.. Roberts carriage.
He blew the usual signal, two long and two
short blasts, at the post az he neared the
crossing, after which the fireman, as is Gus
tomary, rang the bell. When about a. carr
length to the east of the crossing, he saw
the fireman throw up his left hand, as if to
shield his face from something, when he
(Carverl saw bay horse dying 10 the right
oftbe engine. lie Immediately shut of steam,
and applied the air-brakes Upon bringing
the train to stand.still, the conductor sig.
nailed for him to back to the crossing, which
he did. Witness did not see the accident,
but averred that it was not in the power of
mortal man to have prevented it. He ex-
planned the rules of the railroad company
regarding signals at crossings, and testified
that be always blew the whistle upon APP
preaching them. He had been running over
the road two or three times month for
about sixteen months, though when cross.
questioned could not tell the names of the
first three crossings west of Alexandria. He
supposed the train was running at the rate OF
81 miles an hour at the time of the collision,
which he supposed was 20 seconds after he
had sounded the whistle.
The fireman of the locomotive, Clinton
Jameson, was next sworn. He appears to
have been the only one who saw the acct
dent The engineer, he said, had just
sounded the whistle and he witness was
ringing the bell, when he saw Mr.. Roberts
drive his team rapidly upon the track. AS
stated by the engineer, he threw up his
hand to shield his face from the fragments
of the wreck The whole thing happened
so quickly that he had no time to collect his
thoughts, for as soon as he saw the team the
train had struck it. Witness further testi-
fed that the cut in the road leading to Mr..
Roberts mill almost INSTRUCTED the view