Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-29
Correspondence of The Evening Star

VILE.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
HYArTsvILLK. Nd, August 20. 1892.
The sad accident of last Friday night at the
intersection Of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
and the Hyattsville turnpike, which cost the
lives Of Messrs. Wait Z. Brown and James Arm
niger Of Beltsville, has caused no little excite
ment In this village as well as in the place where
the unfortunate men resided An inquest was
begun here last Saturday evening over their re-
mains, the body Of Brown having been removed
| to this place from the morgue Of the sixth pre-
cinct in Warrington, instead of being sent to
Beltsvile. Justice Hurley of Bladensburg held
the inquest and the following jurors were sum-
moned by Deputy Sheriff Darnall: Jury sit
ting in inquest over Browns remains-Rufus
H. Vincent, foreman; VIM. Foulke, Levi
Simms, Henry Constantine, Chas. A. Lynch.
Edward Suit, DIR. l.. A. Etcherson, ]. W. Wal
ker. J. W. Lynch, Thomas E. Suit, N. R. Som
mers, Daniel Thomas. Jury sitting In inquest
over Arminger's "Reminiscences Gasch. fore
man; Chas. W Barr, Frank II. Gasch i. A. Fowler,
c. E. Fowler, Andrew Lynch. VIM. I. Barr,
J. c. Kanode John Freshman Fred BAREBACK.
W. J. spicer, J. Q. Shipley. The bodies we're
viewed by the respective juries and examined
by Drs. Charles O. Lewis and s. Clifford Cox,
| who found that in Browns case there was dis
location of the seventh cervical vertebra also a
| fracture Of the humerus of both arms Just be-
low the shoulder joint and severe confusion of
the back. extending from the lower end of the
spinal column to the shoulders. Death was
caused by the dislocation Of the vertebra and
| shock. Arrninger was SO badly mangled as to
be almost unrecognizable. A watch was found
on Browns person, which had stopped at I1:I2
pm. An investigation of the accident was then
held in the Office Of A. r. Fowler by Justice
pe fhn
present and also Mr.. james G.. Rogers, who has
been engaged by the relatives of the deceased
men to enter suit against the railroad. Several
witnesses for the railroad were examined and
questioned by the jury. The first witness was
Thomas Shipley, conductor of train No. 8, 60
ing south, who stated that he heard whistle
blow for target and the brakes were put on;
that he then got ont and was informed by some
one that a man had been struck. He then had
the train backed and the man put in the bag
gage car. When asked what time that occurred
he answered about ten or twelve minutes after
IL.
D. C. Caskey of Martinsburg. W. Va, con-
ductor Of the train which killed the two men,
was then examined and stated that he heard the
whistle blow and felt jar and the train stopped ;
that he was then informed by the fireman that
a wagon had been struck at the crossing. He
walked down to the place and saw a man all cut
up and sent the brakeman to stop train No. 3.
He also saw a man still living who was lying
between the tracks and had him sent to Wash
ington. This happened about IL OF. and the
whistle did not blow at the crossing when the
men were struck. He also said that the train
was running at the rate of about 40 miles an
hour when the accident happened, and that he
made every effort 70 stop the down coming
train. In answer to the question as to whether
the whistle should be blown or not he replied
that he did not know, that there was no time to
blew it.
Isiah Stevens, engineer of the same train.
was the next witness, and said that he knew a
wagon was on the crossing and that he hit ii; ;
that he was too close to the wagon when he saw
1t to reverse his engine, although he tried to do
go. He blew at the crossing whistling place
when he saw the wagon, put on his air brakes
and stopped ut the switch target, and then
walked back and found man at the crossing
He only sow one man, and he was lying between
the tracks. The whistling included two cross
lngs, and it was customary to ring the bell
when passing through the town, but he did not
think of il at that late honr. He did not whistle
at the last crossing 1t was impossible to see
any object at the crossing until it was reached.
His engine was No. 1902 and it was about IL .01
o'clock when the accident happened.
W. II. Markie, engineer of train No. 3, going
to Washington, then gave his testimony, stating
that il was his train that ran over the horses
that he was signaled, but too late: that engine
S0S reached Hyattsville about Hip, and that
engine 1902 was west of target. He generally
rang the bell when going through the town, but
did not know whether he rang it on that occa-
sion or not. He saw man lying between the
tracks and he smelt liquor.
Thomas II. Burk, an engineer, who was pas
senger at the time on the train that struck the
men, stated that he heard Stevenson sound the
whistle and that he went down the track and
found dead man and then found another man
groaning. The conductor stopped the west
bound train and put the grooming man upon it.
Al. Al
sounded little beyond the bridge, and that he
did not hear the bell ring, although he believed
it was the law to do so.
n. Z. Rainshower was then examined, but his
evidence was Of no consequence and he
soon dismissed.
n. A. Aldridge, a conductor, who was q pas
senger on the train that killed the two men. was
the last Witness and stated that he heard the
engineer blow for the station, also heard the air
brakes being put on and felt the shock caused
by the collision; that the accident happened
between IL .O7 and II 03 p. m.
Justice Harley then decided to continue the
case until Tuesday morning ut 10 O'clock when
a number of witnesses on the other side would
be ready to give in their evidence. Browns re-
mains were sent to Beltsville yesterday evening"
after being viewed by the jury and Arminger's
body was conveyed to his home at that place
this morning by Undertaken Gasch. Both
horses were buried near the track Yesterday
evening. Many citizens Of this place are of the
opinion that the railroad company should have
a man at the crossing near the station all night
to warn people Of danger and to attend to the
gates.
FUNERALS OF THE VICTIMS.
The funerals Of Messrs. James Arminger and
Wait E. Brown, who were unfortunately killed
at the crossing near the Hyattsville station last
Friday night, took place yesterday evening at
Beltsville, Rev. Mr.. REGISTER, pastor of the
Methodist Church Of that place, assisted by
Rev. Mr. Robey, conducting tie services. The
former was buried from the Methodist Church
at o clock, the remains being inferred in the
Beltsville cemetery, and the services over the
remains Of the latter were held at 5 O clock at
his home near Beltsville, the body being in
TERED in the family burying ground. Rev. Mr..
Register alluded feelinglv to the sud accident
which cost them their lives and spoke highly Of
their characters. Many beautiful floral tributes
decorated the collins and both funerals were
largely attended, especially that Of Brown.
IMPROVEMENTS CONTEMPLATED.
The board Of town commissioners is consider
ing actively the grading and graveling Of Spen-
Ger street from Pike to Wine avenue II also
proposes to extend the present brick walk along
the pike from Spencer to Franklin street, one
half Of the cost of the sidewalk to be charged
against the abutting property holders. Ar
rangemeuts are being made for borrowing sufi-
cient money to pay for these and other i'm
provements, SO that the Improvements may not
cease pending the present DELAY In the colac.