Bridgeton pioneer., 1888-06-07

AoAC AC SOulA DllhB ~ w a. StctllustAli,
the train was entirely past the body of
the man.
Members of the jury questioned Mr..
Schenck closely. to obtain from him
an opinion as to the safety of the
dumps for riding, and he thought they
were perfectly secure, and would not
be afraid to ride in them.
Clayton Moore, the conductor in
charge of the train, told his story. He
usually rides on the platform OF the
engine facing the men, and saw the
car when it dumped and immediately
had the train stopped, assisting him
self, by putting on the brake of the car
nearest him. He went Immediately to
the spot where Mr.. Affenberger fell,
and found fim lying in an angle by
the side eFof sshe track, with his head
much cut Itswas bis opinion that the
facture of the skull was caused by the
boxes of some OF the cars, or the pilot
of the engine striking him, his head
being in a proximity to the track as to
make it possible. He thinks that the
deceased went head first through the
trap door of the car. y ~
He explained how the cars are held
in position by pins, kept in place by
wedges. These wedges the men who
work upon the car are supposed to
look after. The wedge upon this par
ticular car was a new one, and might
have been a little loose and worked
out by the swaying of the car.
Mr.. Cheesman questioned Mr.. Moore
very closely and drew from him an
opinion that fiat or platform car was
safer for the men to ride upon than
the dumps. The dump cars had fre-
quently turned in the past, bnt with
out serious accident Mr.. Moore then
went on to say that yesterday morning
he took from the yard of the company
a gondola car and at the suggestion of
Mr.. Creighton, one of the officials of
the road, required all the men to ride
upon it, although four of them thought
the dump cars were safe enough and
did not care to run to the platform car
each time after the load
Ebert Bradford, the. gentleman who
was on the same car from which Mr..
Affenberger met his death was called.
He said he was on the same car with
Efenberger and was hurled about
eight feet from the car. He had no
idea how Mr.. Affenberger twas hurt.
Heretofore he had thought OF no dan
ger connected with dump cars, but
now he perferred riding on a gondola.
The wedge he known was put in the
car before he started as he saw Mr..
Affenberger pound it down with his
shovel.
Henry Vogel was the last witness
called. He was upon the next car
from that upon which the accident oc-
Cured, and saw Mr.. Affenberger go
through the trap AS soon as the
train was stopped he ran to the in
jured man and raised him He was
unconscious and died he thought
about ten minutes after he was hurt.
He helped carry him home. He pre-
ferred riding on a dump car rather
than run his legs off to get on the
fiat car. AS he thinks it perfectly safe
for short distances. He would not
like to ride on them as far as Phila-
delphia.
This ended the testimony and the
jurors for about an hour considered
the matter and rendered the following
verdict. ee-
The jury in the case of John Affen-
berger, killed on the w. ]. R. r. ex-
tension, Saturday, June 2d, 1888, hav-
ing heard the evidence and made a
thorough examination of the facts con
cerning the death of the said Affenber-
ger, submit the following: The jury
believe that John Affenberger came to
his death not through any fault of the
officers or men in charge of the train
at the work on the extention, but that
it was of an unforeseen and entirely ac
cidental character. 1t is the opinion of
the jury, however, that as similar
accidents are likely to occur SO long as
men continue to ride on the dump
cars, it would be better for their safety
that flat car or platform car be at
tached to each gravel train, and to
that end we suggest to the w. J. r. R.
Co., that such course be hereafter
adopted and the men required to ride
upon them"
The jury also passed resolution
authorizing the coroner to present to
the widow the fees allowed them by
law as jurors. The amount in total is
three dollars.
e Sylvia Dubois, an old colored woman,
of Mechanic, who died recently, is
claimed to have been 119 years old.