Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-16
DEATH AT THE CROSSING.
-Four Men Killed and One Seriously In
jured at Bennings.

-Four Men Killed and One Seriously In
| jured at Bennings.
4 WAGON STRUCK 81 A D. AND r. EXPRESS TRAIN
GOING AT THE Rate OF FIFTY MILES AN HOUR
THE conoNER's INQUEST THE wAToHMAN
/ CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
| The New York express train on the Baltimore
and Potomac railroad due here at $40 D. m.
Saturday struck wagon at the Bennings cross
ing, ::killing four men and seriously, perhaps
fatally, injuring another. The wagon was
owned and driven by Francis Godfrey, known
about Bennings as ''old man Godfrey" The
stage" as it was called, made trips at irregu-
lar intervals between the old toll gate at the
eastern terminus Of q street and the cross
roads OF Bennings. When the wagon left the
toll gate on its last trip there were four pas
sengers in it. They were R. e. Keyes, white,
and Morris Snowden, Charles Mackall and
Edgar Jones, colored When the express train
| passed the station, which is about one-third
OF a mile from the crossing, the engineer blew
the whistle and the fireman tolled the bell.
The watchman at the crossing, John q. Richard
| son, ons-armed man was in the watch box
| when he heard the whistle blow. He came
| out, but the train had nearly reached the
crossing. Owing to his having only one hand
there was delay in lowering the gate.
THE SMASH.
Godfrey's wagon was fast approaching, and
| notwithstanding the warning given by the
| Waterman the old man, who ii IL said had been
drinking, attempted to cross the track before
the train reached there. The horse reached
the opposite side in safety, but the engine
struck the wagon broadside and landed ali the
occupants except Jones into eternity. When
| the train was stopped the body Of one Of the
men was found on the pilot or ''cow-catcher."
That body was placed in the baggage car. The
Jones was also placed in the car and brought
into the depot Jones was sent to Freedman's
hospital in the police ambulance and the dead
body was taken to the morgue. The police
patrol wagon from the ninth precinct went out
TO the scene Of the accident and brought the
other three bodies to the morgue. All the
bodies we're horribly mutilsted except that of
Snowden. The gateman (Richardson) was ar
rested and held on Q charge Of causing the &C
cident
THE CROSSING rs DANGEROUS ONE,
there being two switches, in addition to the
regular tracks, crossing the road On either
side Of the railroad are deep bitches that
might at any time prove disastrous should q
frightened horse run away. Within 100 feet Of
these tracks is the track Of the Baltimore and
Ohio road leading to the Union stock yard
This track is not protected by gates. The
tracks are above grade and vehicle approach
ing in hurry would necessarily lose few
seconds. In the present case such q slight loss
Of time proved fatal. Coroner Patterson viewed
the bodies and Deputy Coroner Schaeffer ex-
amined them.
An inquest was held at the sixth precinct
station yesterday morning to inquire into the
cause of Godfrey's death. The jury was COM
posed of William A. Peacock, ]. b. Hunt, Pat
rick Cusick, John F. Kelly, Bushrod C. Hay
and Everett Wroe. The prisoner Richardson)
who had spent miserable night behind the
bars, was given q seat where he could hear the
evidence.
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
The first witness called was Chas. Fox, the
engineer Of engine No. AZ, train No. 81, who
testified that the accident occurred at about
$3.50 o'clock. When within about 200 feet of
the crossing he saw the wagon crossing the
track. The bell had been ringing some time
When witness saw the wagon he shut off the
steam and put down the brakes. The train
was stopped IS soon as possible. The body Of
q colored man was found on the bumper. The
train backed to the crossing and Edgar Jones.
car. where the body Of the man found on the
bumper had already been placed. The train
then came into the depot, leaving three dead
men on the ground near the crossing.
-, ao" 1885 Wss your GaAn IuuninB! asked
the coroner.
''About so miles an hour" replied witness.
"Were the gates DOWN."
81 don't know" replied the engineer.
'Is there q fagman at that crossing2" asked
juror.
II don't know" was the engineers reply,
''but believe there is"
THE FIREMAN's TESTIMONY.
George Stevens, fireman, testified that he
was pulling the bell just before reaching the
crossing. When he saw the vehicle he called
to the engineer.
Had the engineer seen the wagon before?"
Il think he had; he had shut off steam"
"How fast was the train going2"
"About 80 miles an hour"
"was that the usual speed for an express
train at that point9'
Eyes, SIR"
did the train stop at Bennings station?"
mo, sir. Baltimore the last stopping
point before reaching Washington"
or not2"
mo. sir; but If the gate had been closed I
don't think horse could have gotten inside"
OTHER TESTIMONY.
Robert Porter, conductor, gave similar evil
dence as to the rate Of speed and the finding Of
the man on the "cow-catcher," and so did
James A. MCGEE, brakeman. Charles F. Cess
ford rear brakeman, testified that when the
train stopped he walked back toward the cross
ing and found two of the dead men,
Daniel p. McKeever, superintendent Of the
railroad, testified that the company has a
Waterman at that crossing. whose duty it il to
lower the gates at the passage of all trains.
William II. Sherry, baggage master, testified
without eliciting anything new.
wATcHMAN RICHARDSON'S STORY
J.A.Richardson, the Waterman at the crossing,
said that when the train blew for the crossing
he was in the house cleaning ashes out Of the
stove. He saw the wagon coming and called
to the driver: Hold up there; you can't get
across there" The men in the wagon, he
said, were very noisy, as though they had
been drinking and some one hit the horse. It
was not the driver. When he called to them
| to stop, then it was that the horse was struck
and some one said - let the -
60" The prisoner said that he attempted to
lower the gates, but the wagon dashed under
them before he could get them lowered. He
| FIRST saw the train about six hundred feet from
the road.
Did You know what time the train was due?"
mo, sir" replied Richardson, I've don't
have any time. / had no timepiece."
What signal do you get to lower the gate?'
None whatever. l am supposed to lower
the gate when the train approaches"
THE BODY OF GODFREY.
Deputy Coroner SchaeYer described the
body Of Godfrey as being man about fifty
two years old, with part Of his skull wanting