Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-05
THE LITTLE NEwSROY's DEATH.
The Coroncr's Jury Declares the Conductor
and Driver Free From Blame.

The Cororcr's Jury Declares the Conductor
and Driver Free From Blame.
Yesterday afternoon at the sixth precinc
station Coroner Patterson held an inquest il
the case of Willie Chic, the newsboy who wa
killed by being run over near the Peace monu
ment by street car, as published in yester
days STAR
Conductor Flemming and Driver Feaste,
were present at the hearing as were Col. Enoch
Totten. counsel for the railroad compsny, and
Superintendent Sailor.
THE BOY JUMPED OFF.
j. W. Cameron, the first witness was on The
east-bound car. He saw the boy as the car hit
him and knocked him down. The boy. he said,
jumped off the car going west, and after he
went under the car one wheel passed over him.
The driver, he thought, could not possibly
nave stopped the car in time to prevent the ac-
cident.
When examined by a juror witness said he
thought the boy stepped of the car. although
he did not see him in time to tell whether he
stepped. jumped was pushed off.
q. F. Scott testified that he on Conductor
Trimmings car at the time of the accident. He
was sitting on the second seat from the rear.
He saw the boy jump on the car and witness
heard him talking to the conductor and the
latter told him to get of. The boy either
jumped of, said witness, "or he fell of"
he could not tell which, as he was
not near enough to the boy. Witness did
not think the conductor made any move
toward the boy. When witness saw tho boy
roll under the other car he looked around and
saw the conductor standing on the platform.
tlemmlng remained there a few minutes and
witness remained there fifteen minutes. when
some man came along Ill buggy and said he
would go to the station house for the ambu-
lance Witness said that no policeman or doc
where he learned that the ambulance had been
teIephoned for. Witness said that the con-
ductor had been talking to a passenger and he
was IN such good humOr that witness did not
think he would be guilty OF such thing.
he SAW THE CONDUCTOR PUSH THE BOY.
Jos Fowler. who lives on Fenton street. tes-
tilted that he was crossing the avenue and he
stopped to let the cars 60 past. He was about
fifteen or twenty feet from the car when he
saw the conductor step down and push the
boy of the car Il am positive" said witness,
when questioned by the coroner. that the
conductor put his hand the boy, but
whether he intended to push him off or not 1
cannot tell" The driver of the car that ran
over him did his best to stop his team but the
boy was too close under the wheels for him to
do anything.
John White, crippled colored boy. testified
that he saw Willie Chic when LIE jumped from
the car. lie fell and rolled beneath the other
car. witness did not see the conductor. He
salo that the car he jumped of was the one that
ran over him.
Theodore Mills was a passenger on car No.
lO4, gclng east. He testihed that he was look
ing at the other car when he saw the conductor
hleh CT push the boy of the car with his foot.
when questioned witness said that when he
saw the boy first he was of the car and the
cOLd1ctor foot was coming after him.
/. Iurvey. who was On Conductor Flem-
miDSs car, testified that lie got on car
No. 81, and when they reached point
near the Peace monument several boys
jumped on the car. He told them to get off
and they all did so except the Chic boy. who
'Suyed the conductor, calling him fatty
Witness said that the conductor was OH one
side of the car and the boy was on the opposite
side The nearest they were together was the
width of the car. When the conductor started
to the rear of the car the boy jumped of. He
either stumbled or missed his footing and fell
beneath the car.
CONDUCTOR FLEMMING's STORY.
Conductor Joseph F. Flemming testified that
when his car reached near the Peace monu-
ment three boys jumped on the car He told
them to get off and two of them did SO, but the
Chic boy called to him.
ION. you fatty, YOU can't catch me-"
He told the boy that he did not want to catch
him, but TO get off the car before he got hurt
Witness denied that he touched the boy at any
time either with his hand or foot.
so far as touching the boy is concerned"
said the conductor. las God is nv witness I
never touched my hand to him nor put my foot
near him. He was TOO far away for me to
reach"
Joseph Guy, a fireman. testified that he was
on the car and heard the boy guying the con-
ductor. He saw the boy jump OF the car and
tall against the other ca. He thought the
boys face was turned partly around and he
Jumped directly against the other car. When
the boy jumped the conductor did not touch
him.
THE VERDICT ExoNERATEs THE CONDUCTOR.
This closed the testimony and the jury re-
turned verdict that the ''said Willie Chic
came to his death about 1890 am. June 4 at
Providence Hospital from injuries of the legs
received on jumping from "a car Of the WASH
ington and Georgetown Railroad Company
about 40 pm June 3. 1891. From the evil
dence We believe that the affair was purely
accidental, and that neither the conductor nor
driver was to blame" The driver and con-
ductor were thereupon released.
TYPOS ENJOY THEMSELVES.