The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-17
A DANGEROUS CROSSING.
THR ERIE ROAD SHOULD BUILD
GATES At COLES STREET.

So Said the Jurors Who Heard Evil
dence as to the Death of the Jamison
Boy-Nobody Could Say Which Train
Killed Him Gateman Blameless.
The time of Coroner Brackner and his
jury was wasted, SO far as ascertaining
what train or drill engine ran down and
killed the Jamison boy. The boys mutt
lated remains were found lying between
the tracks of the Erie Railroad, near the
Coles street crossing, early last Saturday
morning. The body was cold. 1t is pre-
sumed that he was struck by an outgoing
passenger train about eight O'Clock. If
the jury's recommendation is accepted by
the railroad company and gates are
erected at the dangerous crossings then
the inquest will not have been held in
vain. fhe inquest was held in the Free
holders meeting room at the County
Court House. The first witness called
was Frank A. Bates, conductor of a
freight train, which left the depot at
twenty minutes past midnight on Satur-
day last.
He testified that his train stopped sud
denly, and, ON looking out to ascertain
the cause, he saw the fireman going back
with q torch. The fireman told him that
q littn Whb LYNX OcUWcGu OuC OAdChS. AHC
witness, fireman and baggage master
went back. The boy was lying face down.
He had been dead some time, as the body
was cold. The witness notified the flag
man at the crossing and the office of the
company. He was positive his train did
not strike the boy.
G. w. BLIZZARD, engineer of the train,
the train.
THE FLAGMAN'S STORY
Daniel McGowan, the fiagman at the
crossing, said:-"About eight O'Clock Fri
day night a train was backing down.
saw two boys standing at the crossing.
Mr.. Grace came along and cried QUIT
Stand where you are, for the train is
coming. For your lives do not STIR. |
also told the boys to stand where they
were. / scarcely had the words out of
my mouth when one of the boys ran to-
ward the train. l said to Mr.. Grace and
the other boy that it was a narrow escape.
/ saw nothing more of him until after
twelve o'clock, when the west bound
train stopped. | knew there was some
thing the matter and went to see. l
could not say positively that that was the
body of the boy that / saw standing on
the crossing The body was lying forty
feet west of the crossing"
TO a juror-'I do not know that gates
would make the crossing safer"
street, licensed vender, testified
'When reached the crossing q freight
train was backing down, and a passenger
train going out. | told the two boys to
stand still. One jumped across just as
the passenger train was going by. did
not see the train strike him. | told the
hagman that the boy had had a narrow
escape. l think the boy wore no coat"
James Evans, the boy who was stand
ing at the crossing, but needed the warn
ing not to go across, was sworn. He lives
at No. 214 Coles street. He testified that
he was not acquainted with the other boy.
He corroborated Mr.. Grace, and said:--
II did not know the boy was killed until
next morning, when the fagman's wife
stopped me and asked me if knew that
the boy was killed.
10 the Coroner:-"The hagman told us
to stop before the boy ran across. The boy
wore q dark coat, knee breeches, dark
stockings. shoes and soft hat"
This witness was closely questioned by
the jurors, as it looked as ii he had been
drilled for his examination.
DANGERS OF THE CROSSING.
William e. Moore, the policeman who
had the body removed to the morgue, tes-
titled that there were many complaints
about the crossing, and it was surprising
County Physician Converse described the
wounds. The jury promptly decided on
the following verdict
eve find that said John Jamison came
to his death by being injured by some
train on the New York, Lake Erie and
Western Railroad unknown to us ON
August 8, 1882 near the Coles street cross
ing of said railroad. We would hereby
recommend the said company place gates
at said crossing to ensure the safety of
life hereafter, and we exonerate Daniel
MCGOWAN, the fiagman, from all blame"
The jury on motion of Mr.. j. G. Sweeny,
the foreman, decided to contribute their
fees, 50. to the undertaken who buried the