Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-17
PLACING THE BLAME;
Trouble Found in Settling the
Responsibility in the
Wylie Avenue Case.
TOO MANY STORIES TOLD.
A Rumor That There Was Oil on the
Track Is Exploded.
THE COMPANY'S SIDE OF THE CASE
Hundreds Of People Visit the Morgue to
See Young APPEL
THE COMPANY'S SIDE OF THE CASE
A CHILD KILLED on THE soUrHsIDE

that ne SAW Tue grlpmen 10 tnelr Dtst u
stop the cars, while the next. man.who i
spoken to will say that no effort was mad
to check the cars This state of affairs la
caused Coroner Mcdowell to postpone tn
inquest until Wednesday afternoon at
o'clock. The case is so complicated that tn,
Coroner wants to thoroughly investigate i
before the hearing.
The sensational story that oil was poured
on the tracks by small boy has been e1.
ploded. 1t was thoroughly investigated by
Coroner's Clerk Brush yesterday afternoon.
He, accompanied by DISPATCH reporter
and Superintendent Smith, visited the
scene of the wreck. The tracks were closely
examined and there was no sign OF OIL It
was learned from bystanders that a boy had
been seen running in front of the parade
trailing broken torch along the rails The
people said that Lieutenant Scott, of the
Police Department, had set the oil on fire
after the accident and burned it of.
Denied by the Bandsmen.
Mr. Scott could not be found in the after
noon, but the parties called on the members
of the band who had marched in the front
rank. They all denied the story and said
that no one had been in front of them COM
ing down the avenue. Lieutenant Scott
was found last night He had not burned
any oil on the track, nor had he seen any
evidence of any or even heard that there
had been oil OH the tracks
Superintendent w. e. Smith, of the Cen
trail Traction Company, had this to say
about the disaster: ''The accident, from all
that can learn, was purely unavoidable.
The men certainly did all in their power to
stop the cars. That slope is the most dam
gerous place we have on the road. This is
not the first time there has been trouble in
stopping cars there. The cars have often
slipped the length Of themselves on tnat
hill Both 81 and 81 had heavy loads on
Saturday night. 1t is an unusual thing to
come down with crowded cars The travel
is usually scattered on the down trips
A New Man on the Road.
81 have been told that Gripman Gledhill,
Of car Ga, had his car nearly stopped at
Fulton street for some reason. He is new
man on the road, but has been doing very
good work.. The fellow seemed to under
stand his duty. It is said that he ,swore at
the crowdat Fulton street. I do not think
this is true. This happens sometimes be-
tween gripmen aud teamsters, but there was
no fight Saturday night between my men
and the marchers. Gledhill had come down
through their lines for q couple OF squares
and mad no trouble. Coming down the hill
he only had his grip on short way. The car
was running itself. Richardson. the gripman
en- car 81, is the Oldest enploye of the com
pany, and until Saturday night never had
an accident. He certainly did all lie could
to stop his car, but he had u heavier load
ha hrs koG fDn hnf fl,a
are as good as they can be. This is evidenced
by the TACT tnat the wheels were sliding.
81 was downtown whom the accident oc-
CURED: did not know that there was to be
a parade on nIWylie avenue or l would have
been prepared for it. There are SO few pa
rades along the avenue that think II best
to let them have the right of way. Had
known OF the parade l would have had u
man stationed at the street where the
marchers came onto Wylie and he would
have regulated the running of the cars. / am
working with the Coroner in this matter and
want a thorough investigation"
Told by Victims Brother. 49,
Many people were seen yesterday who
told stories about the accident. One Of the
most Interesting was told by A. II. APPEL, q
brother OF the boy who was killed. Il was
playing in the band Saturday night" said
he. Coming down from Fulton we we 70
playing and heard an unusual noise. To
me it sounded like horse running away.
y
noise sounded loudest jumped to one side
The next second the car went by me. saw
man lying under the Cur at INV Ieet. 1t
was Snitzer, our clarinet player. There was
brother Oh mine in the crowd and he came
up to me and pointing 60 anOJber form un-
der the car said, My God, it is our brotlIerv
I'VE raised car "a and got snitzer from
under the cow-catcher. He was lying with |
his legs crossed. We had gotten him out,
and were just Iuising the Car to rescue my |
brother Henry when car 81 collided. Henry |
Nno aflxar f,k,4 $xy,NL
sticking out when the collision occurred. |
The car ran entirely over him. I think he |
would not have died had 1t not been for the |
second accident"
Word for the Gripman.
R. B. Cunningham saw the accident. He |
thinks Gledhill did all in his power to stop /
the car. He is positive that the wheels |
were locked, but they were slipping.
E1-Councilman Charles Hannah was an.
other man who saw the accident. II occur.
red right in front of his door. 81 saw the |
car coming down the hill ut a rather rapid |
rate" said he. II am certain that the grip
man did not throw one OF the levers back
until he struck the marchers do not know
whether it was the one which controls the
brakes or the grip, but then saw him pull
back on it with all his force. When the car
was finally stopped the front door was
opened and Gledhill was standing in it, lie |
threw up his hands and exclaimed: My
God, could not stop the car The other |
car was then coming down rhe hill. saw
what was going to happen and not wishing
20 see the crash walked into my store"
William Marsua, business manager of the
Military Band, told remarkable
story about the accident, especially CON
,erning the rate the car was running. He |
was in the front rank OF the band 'sI could
" car, said he, "that car 81 GOV cred the dis
'ance between the curve, three squares
iDove Townseno street. down to the scene
If the accident, in three seconds. This will
De able to prove by my drum major.
Remembers His Last Note.
II know just what note 1 was playing
when the accident occurred The drum
major ut that time was facing down the |
avenue, and according to our music he
would have to be facing the band Just three |
econds before that. l know he followed
he music, and he says that he could not see
my car coming around the curve ut that
ime This is great deal fasrer than the cars :
Usually run. The second car came down at
Utmost tile same rate. 1t was the one that
lid the intal work. No one would have been
killed had not the collision occurred"
Superintendent Smith is feeling very badly
,ver the accident. He was present yester.
lay when these interviews were given. but
he parties did not know who he was. He
nent of the road very keenly. Along the |
treets the people were talking about the
ccident and scoring him severely, Once
ar "a passed young man just as the inyes-
igating party came along. The car was
poken OF in language not very choice. Mr. |
mith remarked that he supposed both n
nd car 81 would be hoodooed.- He said that
omctime ago one OF the cars ran over q
olofed boy and since then none OF the col.
red people would ride on it.
Henfy APPEL was kept at the morgue until
O'clock yesterday afternoon. He was then
emov3d to Beinhxuer's undertaking. rooms,
~'