Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-19

The Coroner's Jury, After Long Dis
sussion, Render Verdtct Asking the
Grand Jury TO Investigate the AHair.

From tie 4 t'=atg Ga. Ccnf-t'tafn-
TIE AIRY or inquest over the victims Oi
the collision between the E2st Tecness
and Georgia Pacific passenger trans.
completej their investigation -ast might
o. O'Clock.
The iury's verdict fails to state "''c-
Rad or what parties are TO blame -o. me
Wholesale slaughter Of men women aad
The inrv met in Inc Recorders Court
room at police head aaTteis al c-g- b
Mr.. Jack Suv-le 8. ate1 t-3t be lad ss-
certained that the engineer WHO -"t
charge OF East Iennes see 80. H. -D-id
throw some liglt 0u toe ccllsicn ana -uE-
geated that The engineer Pc li'I41-d ~ d
witness. The suggestion was acted 0l.h
srJ thu engineer was brought 4h. tls
name was Sohafer. aud his testimony
was simply as 90 the time no. - leil " Dc
blston. where he met NJ.
Col. sage was recalled and recounted
his evidence OF the prey lou- day. lie as
serted that the dancer poles between
which - was standing When y ran mo u
were considered absolute protection. ana
that the conductor had no cause TO send
back a hagman.
The EVIDENCE WEIGHED.
In less than TWO minutes after the Jury
began weighing the evidence IL was APP
parent to every member that it would
never arree. some Of the mem pers
wanted to attach the entire responsibility
for the accident TO the Georgia Pacinc
others wanted to put 1t all on the L4sl
Tennessee, and others wanted 10 diFide
the responsibility between the two roads.
After some informal discussion oil tne
situation the foreman asked:
eAre Won ready 10 make verdict,
gentlemen
"WeU I'm ready 10 make verdict
said Sir. Jacs Smyth.
And too, =" said Mr. Eason.
II am as Well prepared as I'll ever be-
said Mr.. Billigslea.
And me. too" said Mr.. Braddu5.
For my part" said Mr.. Smyth, Il am
satisfied that the Georgia Pacific Is en-
tirely responsible for the accident, be-
cause"
II But I'm not" put ln Mr. Thompson
Il think both are responsible" sand Mr..
johnson. Both roads violated rules ihat
night. and had either one chung 70 rules
the accident could not have happened II
nattered not what the other did
"Weli. I haven't much TO say SAID
Mr.. Holdings worth. land l'tl say IL quick
and get through. Last night ] put II
down Oh per. II Is in the shape Of
verdict. n re it is
Then holding up the paper he sald;
eve. the Jury npaneied in the name of the
State 10 iuVe-tlR tIe tNs causes Wuica leu 10
the go l.elYl a. .I-m-le water tank. aud con-
ee1ueut lcs. OF ~. lives oi =. i . HuElev and
orbers, On Monday nlEht. Dee. li. i,,3 Feeling
me VIC cltT resp1uflu.NfI rr-ilhg upon i9 as
sworn iur0r-. after gathering SD The a-laule
testimony relative % The ca-e- and m4tuTe|F
weizHIn NJ ana cons dertne tue same Nnt iHat
said co iI-luu occurred 10y Dor -louAt pas
EeBger tram schedule Sc. u, East cnnes-
&c. Virginia and Georgia railroad. run
mud utJ the rear of west-bOund combination
tram freight and passenger schedule NO. %.
o. or-ia Pacific ia broad. ana tAat The de-
ceased, J.. j. Hu-aey and Others, came TO
III r deaths by sca.dlug ana ineaia' IN OF
steam from the ruptlre1 boiler OF the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad en-
Ne further lind that said collision might
have been avoided by a strict adherence on
the part OF the conductor ana cn2ineer Of the
East eunessee. Virginia ana G"orgi ran
road TO the rules governing trains approach
ing stations on that road.
We further find that said collision Nigh
have been avoided by the conductor Of the
Georgia Pacific railroad tram droppiug a nag
man 10 the east END Of ne curve 10 Yards
east o. the point OF he disaster.
Part Of that is good and part ls not"
said Mr. Bentley.
That is what think about it," said
Mr.. Lowe.
.Wen, 1 suggest" said Mr.. Chastain,
chat the roll be called. and that every
subject and show where be stands
HOW THEY STOOD.
That verdict will suit me,v said Mr..
Smyth, whose name was first called,
s.provided YOU add that ! think the entire
responsibility rests with the Georgia Pa
cifc, because the conductor failed 10 send
"A hagman back when be stopped at the
tank, and because Ayers. the train dis
patcher, failed 20 10 his duty when he did
not stop No. u at Middleton. Now listen.
Rule No. =. special rule. too. says: Should
a train by losing time tall back upon the
time Of another train Of the same class, II
does not lose its own rights, but IN such
cases the rear end Of the train must be
fully protected.
"NOw, 81 was back on 1878 time, and yet
5gs conductor failed 10 send a hagman
back. The engineer on II was exempt
from those danger poles, because Col. Fry
has told you so. Had Ayers. the operator.
ordered Middleton 70 stop T. until - was
found. the accident would not have oc-
Cured"
IL agree with Mr.. smyih," said Mr.
Bradius-'Just put me down that way"
"Wen. I don't" said the foreman. ~
believe that those danger poles were as
good as a fagman. ] think both roads
are to blame. First, the East Tennessee.
according 10 evidence, had these poles put
up nc IblEo 90 H A--NiN
TO PROTECT EVERYTHING
inside Of them. ana the East tennessee
engineers are instructed 20 slow up when
they pass the outer pole, and nave the
train we'll in hand when NE reaches the
second post so that he can stop iI there's
anything there, and ne must always OK.
pect 10 find something there. N we are
10 believe what the Witnesses say, on that
night Owens Went down there with a
rush and paid no attention To- the danger
poles. Had he observed these he could
nave stopped in a minute. Then the
Georgia Pacific was at fault IN this.
When Ayers found that 81 had not
reached Austell, knowing, as be did, that
II was on l2's time, he should have made
habeton stop T. and hold her until 81
was found. In doing this
HE SHOWED HIMSELF CARELESS
Of human life; or il he requested Mable-
ton. as he says be did, 20 stop T., then
Middleton is at fault. The conductor
ought 10 have sent a flagmau back when
he stopped az the tank, because he knew
he was on 1875 time; but his not doing it
was in obedience 10 rules and orders. SO
far the Georgia Pacific is 10 blame, and
Ill take that verdict
.'But can't said Mr.. Billlngslea, "for
! think that the accident was the Geor-
gia Pacifc's fault altogether, ana | IN.
dorse what MIR. Smythe has said
Il think both roads responsible" said
"A al N