Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-10-27
EDITION.


Was the RaalrOad 90. ~. Daamer
In the resolutions adopted by the
Corouer's Jury who investigated the
death Of Alexander q. Alfree, who WAS
killed by the cars at Townsend, DEL,
on Thursday last, wherein they censur-
ed the railroad company, there seems
to be difference OF opinion and by the
evidence given before them IL appears
that the un. ortunats man WAS more to-
blame than the railroad company. I'M
orLer that the company may stand in a
proper light before the community nj
synopsis Of the evidence Is herewith
given;
Charles +. Sweeney, n brakeman on
the ID. & u. freight, testified that he
was In the hotel ~ the time train No.
10 blew for Townsend aud came out TO
sec II there were any signals. Saw
O'Neill run to the side Of train No. 10;
supposed something was wrong; gave
signal 10 stop the train after looking
at the man, went for the doctor; did
not know whether the bell on the en-
CINE was ringing er not engine No. AZ
was about 80 feet south Of crossing.
James Hanson, engineer on engine
No. II, train No. 10, testified that he
knew nothing Of the accident, rs hs
did not SEQ the man until the fireman
said I'VE have struck . man." when
the train WAS stopped as soon ~ posi-.
BILE; thought they were running about
IS or Ii miles An hour; blowed for
station the usual four blows; fireman
generally rings the bell feel certain
that the bell was ringing the train
WAS on time.
Richard Townsend testified that he
was walking toward the railroad from
the east side AZ came close TO the
tracks l heard train blow from tue
south thought would wait until il
had passed, and when within 20 feet Of
crossing l saw three persons approach
ing from the west side; threw up my
hands and exclaimed: d" Don Z cross, 70
back, a train Ia coming" l noticed
just as l called out that the train came
in view the men kept Advancing (; l
noticed one give another pull. then
saw what appeared 10 be coat in the
air, and called to man that the ira In
| had struck man. We walked down
the track TO where he was lying
don't think any zone caught the
man that was killed did not see a
man then, or hear man warn them OF
their danger, the band WAS play ing on
the west side Of the railroaa engine
AZ WAS standing. by actual measure.
meDt, about nine yards from crossing
on the q. A. Il X, track did not hear
the bell ring; think steam was Issuing
from the engine standing on siding.
Il. w. Conner, fireman OF the train
| that struck the man, stated that when
approaching The crossing the engine
blew her whistle, while no was ring inG
the bell ; saw four m en- attempt 10 crosi
the track at the crossing and one wal
pulled back the other three locke cd
back and attempted to cross and wer,
struck by the engine. Immediately
Uniformed the engineer, when the traiI
was stopped rs soon rs possible /; The
middle man caught hold OF the mar
mex t to the engine the man that wa
killed was not caught there was q
space Of six or seven feet between tn,
man caught and the men struck wa,
running about IA or 10 miles per hour
l was ringing the bell from the lower
crossing until we crossed the road a
this place.
Win. NJ. Shakespear, brakeman OF
thetrain swore positive that the bel
was ringing and that the train was ruu
mug ABOUT 10 ull ts An DOur.
John O'Neill testified that lie wal
standing within Il feet of the platform
on the crossing two other men wer'
with him, and engineer Of train No. 28
engine AZ warned the three men thai
the train was coming he got near tn
main track; the man in the middl
caught him the man that was killet
stepped forward when the train strucl
m hA tatA In -.
,. the one next to the depot; did not knov
i whether the bell WAS ringing or lot
, my engine was standing y or 10 yard
blow that str ack the m an that Is why
gave the warning did not move tn
) engine back after the man was struck
\ the mel, when warned them, locke.
around and kept on going until ptrucl
y by train the band was playing at tn
, time.
Il Israel Pritchard testified to the effsc
I that he was comirg from the races an,
got ON the track before be saw the ap
i proaching train ; hurried 10 get owe
0 and then looked around to see II tn
e baud was coming just as l locke
( around, raw the ran that was kille
= and the train strike him did not &c
= the train until was on the track di
not notice any one standing on th
d track did not notice the bell ringin
u or hear the whistle blow; could not 30
, tho train approaching or account of u
-, train standing on tn z. A.
/. X. track.
III David Wells testimony was to III
y effect that he heard man near u
4 crossing warn the men To 30 back an
q. not TO cross saw one man era
or another, and at the same time the una
"a next TO the depot was struck an
- knocked about sixty feet. did not he,
ia the whistle blow or the bell ring; stea
9 WAS escaping from the engine ON ii
I'd siding did not think the man woul
= nave BE- en- killed If the ID. Il G. tra
30 had not been up SO far. T. S. Wei
es heard the whistle blow, but kne
he nothing about the accident.
10 Andrew Lockerman testified as fc
"a lows William ard Alex. Alfree III
OF myself we're crossing the track; the
de- were few steps ahead of me l d
ID not see the train until l was betwee
- lac two tracks (the main line and Il
H. q a XIX. Il II, William just stepp.
ov.r the railway when ! caught hi
". and Lulled him back and the ira
Dat struck Alexander; the d. & G. tral
INSTRUCTED our view 80 we could not o.
= the train coming; did not see any OF
5 on the crossing to warn US of O.
danger; did not hear the whistle bic
W or the bell ring; engine No. AZ ",
st. making fuss.
>. William H. Alfree, brother OF I
oead man, corroboratei the testimony
A l'ockerman and stated that he made
ef grab fer his brother but missed hin
, did not hear anyone warn them of tn,
DANGER nor hear the bell rinRinJ