The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-04-24
rHf, INQUEST.

THE INQUEST.
An inquest began at the scene of the accident. on
Thursday on the body of Martin, who was seen to
lump from the box ear as it took the leap into the
ravine. He was taken out alive but died an honr
afterwards. The jury, with Justice Charles W.
Proctor coroner examined X. ": Jones, mos.
A. Shannahan, A. Dailer, Owen Ward, larry >.
Robinson, Barney Quinn and Joseph q. favour,
none of whom saw the accident, but arrived at tne
spot shortly afterwards. The jury then adjourned
to meet in Bel Air Friday morning, when they re-
Engineer William H. Dodson was the first wit
ness examined. He was at home, suffering from
many bruises and an abrasion on his cheek bone,
but was not seriously injured. Being unable 10
leave the house the jury took his testimony at ms
the train had arrived within about 10 feet Of the
north end of the treste when the structure sudden
ly gave way and the engine fell He remembered
nothing more until he found himself lying against
a tree, His fireman, Charles Watts, was lying I'M
der the engine, caught by his legs. His engine was
resting on the sloping bank and the two engines
which were in the rear of the train, Nos. IA and 2
were piled up along with some cars near the mid
die of the ravne: John j. Martin, brakeman.
was lying under the cars in the stream. He drag
ged him to the edge of the water and then crawled
under the debris in search of his brother. James
A. Dodson, but could not find him. He managed
to walk to Fallston: from whence, with Mr.. Cox he
was taken to Bel Air.
The train was a heavy one but he had no fears
about the trestle. 1t was in bad condition
year ago but 1t was repaired and was considered
safe.
John Cox conductor of the repair train gave his
testimony from buggy, in which he was seated,
near the station He was sitting talking with the
| conductor James A. DodSOn. in the cabOose car
which was just in front of the two engines that
were in the rear of the train When the tres
tie the whistle sounded for down brakes and at the
same time the car was slightly checked and he OBJ
served that his car had broken 1oOSe from the ell
| CINE behind it. Dodson arose and then the car
went over into the ravine. AS it went down he
saw The engine pitch over the end of the caboose
car. He remembered no more. After awhile he
recovered consciousness and found himself among
| the timberS. He saw glimmer of light and NOV
ed one piece after another until he got out, and
found himself on the north side of the branch. BY
| this time the wreck was on fire. 1t began at the
| caboOse, where the two rear engines were piled up
He looked for Dodson but could not see him. He
| but began to feel faint and walked to Faliston
| where he gave notice OF the wreck. He had not
examined the trestle but believed it was in good
VIM. H. Waters, a former President of the rail-
road company, testified that the Overshot trestle
was built of good white pine, and estimated to sup
port with safety an engine and or 10 loaded cars.
Engineers say that the strength life of white pine,
exposed to the weather, is about years. This
| treStle was completed in March, 1888. For year
more past he had not considered any of the tres
ties on the road SAFE. He had called the attention
of the President of the railroad company TO the
! age of all the trestes. Upon examining, yester-
| day, the benches remaining at the scene of the ac-
cident he found that although apparently sound
| outside they were decayed inside. He had heard
| that the trestles were all repaired and supposed
they were in better condition than this one ap-
| pears to have been.
! Frank C. Norris, a juryman, had hurried to the
spot from his store at Fallston, as soon as Cox
|
was appalling The cars were in blaze, a num-
Der Of persons were trying to get Watts out; rail
road man on the south side of the trestle was call
! ing for water for a wounded man. Mr.. Norris ran
| to the stream and filling his hat with water carried
it to him. A little way down the stream Martin
was lying fatally injured. A year ago he had eX-
amned this trestle and upon testing the timbers
with his pocket knife he found that while
WATSON treste Was also in bad shape He called
the attention of VIM. Groves a track walker, and
other raj road men, to the fact, and had heard that
no a h.lh hAp on hn hnf
Theodore r. Moore, another juryman. said that
last fall new ties We're put in and he noticed four
or hye new pieces OF timber i'll the treStle on the
side towards Fallston, but no entire new benches
| Several timbers which he examined at the bottom
were decayed. There were one or two new TIM
bers above the uprights on the first bench next to
| Fallston.
James Riley heard the crash about mile away
and was the first man on the ground, and aided i'll
| getting Martin and Watts out. The railroad men
did very little. Four weeks ago he examined the
VIM. l.. Cooley examined the treste, on Thurs
] day, with VIM. III. Bauer. He exhibited piece of
The wood was decayed and the tenon rotten
Dr. Charles A. Bagley arrived at the same time
| DR.. Baldwin, the company's surgeon, did. Dodson
was vomiting blood, but was not in dangerous
| way. He inspected the timbers and thought them
| decayed. There was a wall on each side of the
| branch and water had soaked in, causing them to
sink or inches. He mentioned in newspap er
that the lemons were rotten. but railroad hands said
tie was the talk of tie Heighborhood He lie was
astonished to see how the mortises were almost
| 0b11terated.
Henry c. Preston arrived half an hour after the
wreck occurred. Everything was on fire. In as
| sisting to take Watts out the timber used to
block up with was so rotten the men were afraid
VIM Sewell arrived a few minutes after the
accident He tore some wood work away to give
Watts air and procuring ShovelS helped to get
| him out. He had heard, before the accident Oc
Cured, that the trestle had sunk.
The jury in their verdict say, THAT the said
John Martin came to his death on the 10th day of
April 1891 at Overshot Trestle, on the line of the
Maryland Central Railway Company near Fall
| Ston, III said county. by reason OF the treste
longing to the Maryland Central Railway Company
| ing way of said treSte was due to decaying tim
bers and CONSEQUENT neglect on the part OF said
Maryland Central Railway Company to keep it in
proper repair and in the opinion of the jury there
| Tins"
The verdict is signed by j. Wilson Moore. fore
man. VIM. L. Hanway. Charles w. Amos. William
L Amoss, Rlmsey Flowers, Frank NJ. Cline.
Andrew Smallsbeck, Edward Cogan. Frank C.
Norris, Samuel L. Houck and August Knofler.
and the others with merchandise. large guam
tty of fertilizers were being shipped to the Henry
Reckord Manufacturing Company, They were
David Hanway, Bel Air. lost about $50 worth OF
hardware: Jas. G. Young, of Bel Air also had a
quantity of goods OH the train; Jas. X. MhitefOrd
of Cambria, lost lot of KANT. +. &C. Norris and
Roe 4 Tucker, Forest Hill, were also among the
losers.
FUNERAL OF CONDUCTOR DoDSoN.
The funeral of Conductor Dodson took place on
Sunday at Delta, and was the largest ever seen in
that neighbOrhood. Services were held in the Hap-
fist church. by Rev. X. j. Stewart assisted by Rev.
j. NJ. Batchelder and Rev. A. l.. Hyde. The pail
bearers. who were all employees of the railroad,
wero Wm f. Johnston, VIM. Licking John Carey,
Henry RObb, w. i. GuytOn and VIM. Brown.-
The nterment was at Salem Cemetery, Chance
ford township.
INQUEST ON FIREMAN WATTS
A coroners jury, in Baltimore, on Sunday, made
an investigation and gave verdict that Charles
from the breaking of the overshot trestle mile
south of Fallston Hartford county, on the Mary |
land Central Railroad. Thursday, the engine fall
ing upon and crushing him." Watts fire |
man. The jury made no investigation into the |
condition OF the treste or the cause of its giving
way.
Nj C. +. Kerchner, Superintendent of the road,
said everything possible was promptly done by the
company for the rescue and assistance of the IN |
of the accident reached him and he directly |
to the help of the sufferers He found Dr. Bald |
win, one OF the cOmpany'S physicians, on the |
ground. Watts had been drawn out from under |
the engine cab. At DIR. Baldwin's suggestion |
Watts was sent to the city for treatment and was |
taken to the hospital. Watts told him that he felt
the engine sinking and jumped
VIM A. Herman, who lives at No 1919 North |
Cary street. fireman of No. engine. testified that
when he felt the train ahead ierked and Jared his |
locomotive, he jumped and escaped. He and |
others worked half an hour before they got Watts |
out In his agony Watts crIed "for Gods sake, il |
YOU are friend kill me-"