The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-09-12
A SCENE IN COURT.
As the Mutilation of Mrs. Wards
Body Was Described Lady
Screamed.

United States Senator Rufus Blodgett
was present in court today to watch the
proceedings in the suit for damages
brought by the executors Of Rachel
Ward against the New York and Long
Branch and the Central Railroad of New
Jersey, the history of which was told in
THE JERSEY CITY NEWS, yesterday. The
testimony Of Charles e. Williams was
that he saw the south bound train run
into the carriage in which Mrs. Ward
was seated.
He said he heard no signals, such as
whistles blowing and bells ringing, but
he noticed that the locomotive of the
train going north was blowing off steam.
When he saw the south bound train col
wreck and found the bodies of Mrs.
Ward, her son-in-law, Joseph A.
Keating, and the nurse, Kate Lawler.
They had been thrown to the north
bound track and all three were dead.
The child Elsie was found in a ditch
fifty feet from where the carnage was
struck. She was alive and was taken to
the depot where she died soon afterWard.
The horse was killed in the collision and
the harness and carriage were demol-
ished The bodies of the three dead per-
sons were much mutilated. Witness
said the south bound train
stopped as soon as possible and
backed down to the scene of the disaster.
He described the temporary third track
which ran nearly parallel with the main
line, and said it was elevated two feet
higher than the main tracks. At the
time OF the collision there was train OF
gondola cars on it. Witness thought the
Ward carriage was very near this track
when it waited for the north bound train
to pass.
DR.. w. S. Whitmore testified that when
he examined the bodies he found them
horribly mutilated. Mrs. Wards head
was entirely severed from the body.
When he SAID this one of the ladies in
the court room. a relative of the deceased
Mrs. Ward, uttered pitiful scream and
burst into tears, and the other TWO ladies
with her began crying also. From their
actions it was apparent that they had
been kept in ignorance of this frightful
condition of Mrs, Ward.
Ex-Chancellor Williamson saw the
effect the disclosure had on the jury and
at once objected to description of the
mutilation being given.
Mr.. Magee, for the plaintiff, insisted
that it was necessary, for he wanted tc
prove that the three adults were killed
Instantly. This the ex-Chancellor said
he would admit, and further details o.
the butchery were omitted.
Counsel then agreed among themselves
to accept the stenographer's notes as evi
| dence in the three other cases to be tried
and the case was adjourned for the day
This morning counsel were prompt il
attendance at court and the case went on
| No one appeared to recognize New Jer
sey's junior Senator except ex-Chancello
| Williamson and ex-senator Applegate
who greeted him cordially.
Fireman John Harrington, of the soutf
bound express, testified that he was look
ing out of the cab window when his tralr
was approaching Conover's road crossing
and that the north bound train passed
him there. He said when it went by h
saw Mrs. Wards carriage as it attempted
| to drive over the track.
| Cross examined, he testified that b.
rang the signal bell from the signal pos
until the collision took place. He say
Keating, who was driving. whip TIL
| horse with something, but could not sa
| whether with whip or the lines. Whel
struck the horse bounded forward AM
| then the engine dashed into it.
Engineer Provost. of the north boun,
track, testified that ne had endeavored t
warn the occupants of the carriage of tn
| approaching south bound train as h
| passed by shaking his hand and pointing
but that his warning could not have bee
| needed.