The Monitor., 1885-07-24

The Atlantic City express train leaving
Atlantic City at 6.45, and due in Philadel-
phia at $50, was wrecked on Saturday
morning at Franklnville, twenty-four miles
from Camden, by running through an open
switch and colliding with fiat car loaded
with lumber. George E. Murphy, of Cam.
den, engineer in charge of the train, was
crushed so badly that he died before reach
ing Camden. about two hours later on the
10 Atlantic express, to which the passen-
gers of the wrecked train were transferred.
The train consisted of one parlor car and
eight coaches, and was drawn by loeomo-
tive No 500, the parlor ear being next to
the engine. The siding on which the
wreck occurred is just north of the ticket
office at Franklinville, and the open switch
was not noticed until the train sweryed
from the main track and was rapidly ap-
preaching the heavy carload of lumber,
which was some distance up the track.
The engineer reversed the lever and ap-
piled the air brakes before the collision oc-
CURED.
The force of the collision threw the lum-
Der over the locomotive, stripping off some
of the machinery and turning it over ON its
side. The parlor car was thrown at nearly
right angles with the tracks, and two of
the coaches We're thrown from the tracks.
The engineer, WHO was still alive when ex-
tricated from the wreck, was badly disfig-
ured about the head, and having other in
juries about the body. 1t is supposed that
he was struck with the flying timber from
the freight car. The fireman Was not Sc
riously injured. The passengers in the
coaches were all thrown from their seats,
and number of them were slightly bruis-
ed, but none seriously hurt. They crowd
ed through the doors and windows of the
overturned cars.
John F. Starr, ST.. of Camden. received
cut in the hand by being overturned in
the parlor car
Coroner Beale on Tuesday at noon at his
office in Camden began the inquest on the
body of the dead engineer. |. r. Quigey,
the conductor of the wrecked train, first
took the stand and testified that ON the
morning of the accident he left Atlantic
City on time with train Of nine passenger
cars When the accident occurred they
were four minutes behind time He notice
ed particularly that the block signal was
up. A moment later they were on the sid
ing and the crash came.
John j. McClintock, the fireman of the
engine, said he also saw that the block
signal was properly set. He said further
that he nau no CONVERSATION WITH Tue
engineer as the engine was about to strike
the cars standing ON the siding and denied
that he jumped from the engine, After
the collision he crawled from the wreck,
severely bruised After this testimony
the Coroner and jury visited the scene of
the accident in special train provided by
the railroad company and there continued
the inquest.
John Erwin, foreman of the section gang,
testified that he opened the switch few
moments after : clock Saturday morning
and ordered John Hickey, the assistant
foreman. to take the car off the siding and
close the switch. Hickey failed to do this
and followed the foreman down the track.
The verdict ofthe jury was that Engineer
George Murphy came to his death by the
collision and John Hickey is criminaily
responsible and John Erwin not entirely
exempt from censure; also that the en-
gineer did all in his power to avert the
collision and the railroad company are
exempt from all blame. Hickey was sent
for but could not be found. His where
abouts are unknown