Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-05-02
THE NEWPORT oArAsrRopHk.

Inc uOrFlUlo fbllhuhu hVotualN ~ Now
port, yesterday week, resulting in the
death of three human beings, as was
briefly mentioned in last weeks GAsErTE,
caused widespread sympathy for the
relatives and friends OF the unfortun-
ate victims. The details OF the tragedy
are narrowing. John Wade. aged 50,
aud Matilda, his wife aged SO, had been
attending market in this city, were they
were familiar figures on King street be-
tween Second and Third, and were re-
turning to their home OF Appleton, Nd,
about three miles west of Newark. They
were ACCOMPANIED by James @. Lender
man, the .years.oid son of Louis NJ.
Lenderman. machinist employed by the
j. Morton Poole COMPANY. who lives at
No. 228 Parrish street. Young Lender
man babe his parents good by shortly
before noon, having received permission
to go on two weeks vacation into the
country with the Wsdes. On the way
home, Mr.. Wade stopped ut the phos-
phste works Of J. A. 0ranston Il Com
psuy at Newport, where he purchased
400 pounds of plaster, and it ives while
crossing the p, W. d B. tracks on his
journey home, after leaving the phos.
phate works, that the accident occurred.
Just after crossing the P, W. d b.
tracks the road to the phosphate works
turns to the left and after running psral-
lei with the railroad for about 400 feet,
turns sharply to the right into the works.
Several hundred feet below the fatal
crossing the railroad makes sharp curve
80 that 1t il rather difficult to see a train
until close upon the crossing. Upon
Wsde's return from the phosphate works
Edward Cook, colored man, who worked
in q field along the road, called to the old
man to beware of the train which he
knew was approaching beoauae the signal
was down, but Wade either did not hear
hin. or would rot pay any attention to
him. He did not look for the train, but
drove directly on the track in front OF
the first section OF express train No. IA, due
to leave Wilmington at 227 p. m. which
was dsshing along at the rate OF 40 miles
per hour Samuel Bailey and Edward
Hinesworth, who were on the other side
of the track, beckoned wildly and cried
out to Wade to hurry, but tho latter from
some inexplicable reason, stopped right
IN the middle OF the track, it Is sup
posed, to listen to what the men were
saying. In a moment, horse. dearborn
and its three occupants We're thrown high
into the air and landed some distance
| from the scene of the accident.
The man and woman were killed
| outright, the formers neck being broken
and the lstter's skull crushed in. The
boy whose skull was also crushed lived
two or three minutes. The horse was
killed instantly and the wagon broken
| into splinters. The bodies OF Wade and
his wife which were thrown a distance of
about 100 feet, were considerably
maDgled. When Coroner Gamble and
Deputy Coroner Bsrnhill arrived on the
scene about g. 10 O'Clock, the bodies still
lay where they had been placed by tho
railroad employees. William Wade, o
butcher of Newark, identified his uncls
and aunt and James W. Thomas. an uncle
of Lenderman, identified the boy who
had been unknown up TO that time. The
three bodies were brought TO the morgue
in this city where they were washed and
spsctive homes for burial.
The road to the phosphate works Is q
private one, never having been decided to
tine town. There are no safety gates there,
although from SO to SO trains pass daily,
at this crossing.
MT. NhuH WAh WtIi-kIuWu lbtubti
agvlhg come u uiaft.a. we for years. II,
has several nephews Engaged IN hnsines
! III Newark One daughter, al ct s. i
made an orphan by the catastrophe.
The Jury sworn by Coroner Gamble 4
hold en- inquest on John and Matild
Wade and James Il. Lsnderman, TIL
three victims OF the Newport railroad
catastrophe, met at Newport Tbursda,
afternoon ut 3 O'Clock and viewed tn
I scene OF the accident. II was eviden
! that the crossing was o dangerous one, q
the view down the track from the roaI
which Wade WIS travelling was obstruote,
7 by q building, aud the approach of
train could not bs seen until O person ha
almost reached the track.
: Edward Cook, oolored, testified that b
u called to Wade and tried in every way /
warn him OF the approach of the trair
but without avail He thought that il tn
men ON the opposite side of the track ha
y not called and induced Wade to stop, ID
wagon would have cleared the track.
john Z. Whann testified that Wad
had been drinking but not enough
y canse him to lo.e his senses. The wpgo
= was closed on all sides except the iron
&C The testimony of the several witness,
showed that Wade cid not look cut fe
the approach OF any train but drove u
from the phosphate works on trot an
il when his morse came to waib, tho tea
was already on the track in front OF Il
al Numbering express train. The horro
20 stricken men who called to him to hol
~ bach which induced Wade to stop on Il
II track say that they heard the engine,
as blow his whistle almost ut the same tin
Is that the monster locomotive dashed in
y the vehicle.
. All the witnesses agreed that tue eros
th ing was dangerous one, although the
as was diff srence OF opinion as to wheth
ya the town authorities had ever requests
on the railroad company to erect safe
y, gates Tiers. Mr.. Mhann said that Il
W phosphate company had talked OF placil
~, I watchman there to protect it's cnstol
he ers, but unfortunately it had never be,
os, done. The jury adjourned to meet
I'M the coroner's Office Friday night, at T.
he O'Clock,
Els
nd The coroner's jury In the case OF I
ad tragedy met again Friday night q
ier reached verdict. The engineer, Wilt
~, r. Beckley, Conductor r. F. Waite
"A "A Baggage master a. p. Meyers, Brakem
Of f. reither and L r. Chapman told I
els story OF the accident. Superintendt
Fl. II. Garter testified that he did not OF
the slider the road where the accident
o,d Cured public road and to the best
IN IN his knowledge the railroad company b
de-. not been asked to place safety gates the
llly A letter from Ephiram Myers, sec
ays tary of the board OF iowa comm ssiou
Gus of Newport, to the coroner WAS re-
az containing the following resolution VII
req had been unanimously adopted by /
W town commissioners at meeting held
a, November 9th, 1856
Tx, Resllyed That for the protection oftha II
ity otthe citizens ofthe town oil Newport ,imr
har ntivR unneaaftu daTnpudp :,