Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-14
NOT PROPER SAFEGUARDS.
Verdict of the Coroner. Jury In the Case
Of James Laurie.

Atrterlaf hteruoon when IHE STARS re-
port closed al the inquest held IN the case Of
James Laurie. Who killed on the New Jer-
sey avenue crossing % the Baltimore and
Potomac railroad. Waterman Griifs was giving
testimony. After describing hos the deceased
~a- struck. he -aid he thrown on III. pilo;
and carried across the street to the east side Of
Nrw jersey avenue. There he rolled Of the
pilot aud part - the train passed over him.
Witness said that the gates. which extend across
the entire street and sidewalks. we're down at
tn iime.
How fast do YOU suppose the engine was
ssksi. ''' ~ ~ MI A-l'''' '-' ''''''e'
II don't suppose IL going over twelve or
fifteen miles an hour, wa his reply.
How Ear did the engine 60 after striking
Mr.. Iaurisg'
II think 4; went about fifteen feet"
Witness said he hal been Satskseper at that
crossing Tor about eighteen months.
Witness -.id that the other gentleman who
vas crossing AZ she samc time called to Mr.
him.
''HoN did Mr. Laurie get on the crossing IL
The gates we're DOWN a-ked juror Gadd-.
II don't know" responded witness. when
saw him he va ths track. He may have
gone under or around the gate.
Witness Nhs asked u 70 vas not customary for
Inn % lift the gates whcn a train vas cut on
Crossing. ant be -Aid n was n there were any
vehicles waiting. but on that occasion there
vere no vehicle- there and passengers gener-
ally walk around the gates.
How far were you from the deceased when
you bTst saw hins"
DID NOT VARS TIE DECEASED.
About thirty feet
"Did You warn him Of the danger he was
mp
''No. sir
Wa here fAsman on duty at the timer"
''No fagmAn to warn people Of the danger"
remarked Mr.. Albright
Witness -ail that there a good view from
whore the decsa-ed was struck.
How many tracks are there at the crossing!'
he WRs asked
Il dnu't know exactly" he answered. but /
think there about fifteen or eighteen"
Twenty-Five by actual count" remarked
counsel
SWITCH TENDER SHEA.
Denni. shea. switch tender a. the fatal cross
Ing. Wa present at the time Of the accident.
bat a. hi- view was broken by the train he
could not see when the train hit him.
WHAT train obstructed your Wow"
Tbs Train that struck him. was sitting at
The boz eating INV dinner a. the time"
Witness said that he accident happened
about ths midiie of the crossing aaI he picked
a. the man about FORTY feet from there. IL
got crack there myself. said witness. IL
ran into the tram and II laid up for six
week."
Then the train didn't run into you?"
No. sir. I ran into the train fair and square.
Must have had a hard head to have knocked
against train IN that way was what counsel
remarked.
Witness said he wa in the employ Of the COM
psny at the time. lie thought that the engine
ran ninety feet after striking Mr. Laurie. The
shiftcr wa- away from the crossing aud . north
bound train struck HIM Witness said that the
gates were not raised for pedestrians. n they
we're supposed 20 walk around the gates. lie
said hat they we're kept lowered almost con-
stantly and were raised only FOR teams
And nor then. remarked the coroner. ''un-
"a after YOU have waited some time
WHAT LABoRER GARRISON SAW.
George T. Garrison. track lsborer testified
that b. was walking up the north-bOund track
near ID street when lie the deceased start
across the track When he first started across
h. stopped and STEPPED back. and then he
started across again The train struck him and
witness saw him on the pilot. When witness
nr-t saw Mr.. Laurie he on the track. lie
did not see how be &C: on the track. Witness
thought the tram vas going slow At the ,kne
Mr.. Laurie Va= struck. Witness gsSing
ont % the way 81 the train when he zsk the
deceased He saw other the track
~ the time.
KSGTSEER cARvERs STORY.
gine that inflicted the fatal injuries. testified
that he resides at Wilmington, Del He was on
TIE engine gong out. The train left the sta
ton on time and wont through the city as
Usual When he got in sight Of the
View jersey avenue crossing he noticed
that II was perfectly clear Of trains
and persons. just a. the engine got on
the crossing the fireman shouted something
O. him that he did not understand Witness
applied his brake immediately and stopped the
train a. soon possible and the fireman told
him that they had struck man. As witness
did not see the man on mis- side Of the engine
he crossed over o. the other side TO see II there
wac any sign - the man on the bumpers. He
dbl not SEE him and 50 be looked back. Still
h. -aw no one. but a. persons were coming in
the direction 81 the train he got down and
there -sw the man living On the crossing near
tie edge OF thc car. Witness did not 20 back.
but waited for n signal from his conductor and
then h. went on Witness felt no Jar Of the
train when the man was struck. but be Thought
he vac struck about on line with the side
walk Witness questioned about the gates
~ the crossing and h said that there vac more
OF less shifting at the New Jersey avenue
crossing. but on that particular day there
clear track.
SPEED oF THE TRAIN.
How fast wa. your train running that day7''
Il should judge about eighteen or twenty
mile an hour.
= an you stop a tram going a. that rate IN
such a short di-tanee?"
Ives. sir
Elm what space can YOU stop train going at
such . Fate % -pecdy
I'm a very short space IL everyt thing il
favorable
Witness explained that there IL rise In tn.
grade ~ the New jersey avenue crossing and II
4 good place 20 stop train. The train Is
known ss the -sashore tram and has three
hOurs and twenty minutes t. get from Washing
ton o. Philadelphia
CoRRoBoEATED BY FIREMAN O'LKARY.
Daniel Leary. the fireman on the train.
gave similar testimony. He saw the man be-
tween the two tracks. Tie hesitaied and then
stepped in front % the engine. II he had
stepped the other wav he would have saved
himself Witness aid that the train Wa run
ming betsee ten and fifteen miles an hour at
the time. and even IL the engineer had seen him
when he arst stepped on the track he could not
have prevented the accident.
DR. EAYNEs EVIDENCE
DIR. J. W. B4yne. who attended Laurie, testi-
hed that the patient was unconscious when he
reached Providence Hospital. His left leg was
torn OF al the ankle and his boot was hanging