The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-14

h Jury Recommends That thu Company
Enforce some Rule to Prevent
Moro Sue Accidents.

Hugh boyle, aged about 45 years. a track
worker for the Montana Central railway,
was run over yesterday morning In the
depot yard and received injuries from which
he died about half an hour later. Boyle
waa working about half past ton with sew
eral other men in the yard under David j.
O'Conneli. Near whore they were at work
seven cara had been left by a switching on
CINE which had Ont one Of the cars out. and
was backing up with four more to recouple.
When the coupling was made the force OF
these oars coming together started the seven
and moved them about twelve feet. BOYLE
was crossing the track and the bumper OF the
last car struck him and knocked him down.
He triad to throw himself from the track
but was caught by the wheels, which ground
his legs and hips. As soon AZ the cars
could be pulled of, Boyle was picked up
and taken to st. Johns hospital. He recog-
nized the fact that he was mortnlly hurt
and sent for a priest. Bishop Brondel re-
sponded. The injured man died about II
O'Clock.
Coroner Rockman summoned a jury Of
inquest which met at the court house in the
afternoon. The testimony in regard to the
accident was about in accordance with the
facts stated above. The only disagreement
between the witnesses was as to the signals.
The fireman Of the engine said the bell had
been ringing at the time they began back
ing, but he did not remember that it was at
the time the cars came together to be
coupled. About twelve cars had been
hauled out of the house track in order to
ont out one OF them. When this was done
the engine on the four cars backed up to
couple with those left o. the track. They
were moving very slowly. The witness was
under the impression that the ten or twelve
feet that the cars moved might have been
due to the slack between them. Other
witnesses gave testimony to the effect that
they heard no signal. Engineer Weber,
however. declared positively that the bell
was started ringing whom he began to back
and it was kept up until the coupling was
made. There was some difference OF
opinion between the witnesses as to the
70 CO with which the cars came together,
but all except the engineer and the fireman
thought they bumped with considerable
force.
The jury, which Was composed. of james
Sullivan, w. q. Miller, III. Phamme, r. +.
Piper, Louis Davis and William Sprague
brought in a verdict that Hugh Boyle came
to his death BY being crusned under Ine
wheels of a freight car belonging to the
Montana Central railway; that, while u
able to place blame upon any one Of the
employees, the jury recommend that the
company enforce a strict rule to avoid such
accidents in the future.
Boyle was an industrious, sober work
man who had been about Helena for some
two years or more. Through his industry
he had saved some money. there being
found in his trunk certificates Of deposit or
Helena banks for 81, 150, and one for $500
on a Mandan, N. d., bank. The latter wae
taken out two years ago and was only &c
bear interest for six months, BOYLE having
evidently neglected to renew it. He had
just written a letter to an aunt, Mrs. Mary
Gallagher, county Donegal, Ireland. en-
closing two pounds sterling. 1t will be
forwarded. The remainder of his property
he asked just before he died should be sent
to his sister in Philadelphia. II consisted
in $47 in cash and the certificates of deposit,
some very nice clothing and some odds and
ends. BOYLE was evidently a single man,
though very little is known of him.
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