Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-06-11


ink nm thakrossIne. and signalied for the
car to come. Conductor or operator
could have seen the appr;)aching train
If thew had looked up the ;track. / saw
only two three passengers on the car.
When it was turned arqnnd l saw no
passengers in it, so / raY down think
ing they were all killet. The train
ran the length of itself and stopped.
Both of the ladies were lying beside
the track, Cars do not kiwsys stop at
the crossing, but the CONDUCTOR was OH
In good time. 1 did not1see him look
up the track"
AN EYE w1TN!ss.
Ed. Pearl is proprietor II the "North
Branch" saloon at the raj road crossing.
His testimony was as follows: II was
standing In front OF the saloon. The
car came up and the conductor got OIL
and walked backwards up 10 the track,
all the time talking to the operator.
He did not look up the track at all. l
heard some person cry lookout snd
then there was crash and the motor
was struck, The car moved slowly up
the grade, waiting for the fast freight
to pass up. 1t did not stop. The
south-bound train was moving at such
rate that 1t could not be stopped
until the front gondola reached
the Boggs Run bridge. When
the train stopped, both ladies were ly-
ing beside the track, and one had her
clothes caught in the wheels. turned
her face upward, and she looked into
my face. l saw Mr.. Emsheimer on his
hands and knees. l picked him up,
took him into the house, and washed
his wounds. The conductor did not
look up the track. | heard no signal
from the south-bound train. A person
would have to be about thirteen feet
from the track before my house would
interfere with view OF train coming
down.
THE TRAIN CONDUCTOR.
M. J. BreDnan-"Live In Wheeling;
work on the B. 81 o. Am conductor OF
the yard engine which struck the
motor. We were coming down to
Riverside with nine gondolas ahead OF
us. We were about thirty yards from
the crossing when the car came on the
tracks and we struck It. The engineer
blew the whistle twice, and blew down
brakes once or twice. The train was
moving about eight miles an hour. The
engineer blew twice for the crossing
before the car was seen on the tracks.
The train ran the length Of six cars be-
fore stopping. When got back to the
crossing some of the bystanders had
removed the bodies from beneath the
cars. We have been very careful since
striking the car few weeks ago, to
give the proper signals.
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
John Cusick, engineer on the yard
engine, was next called. He said;
"When we got close to the crossing, l
saw the car on the tracks. Made every
effort to stop, but 1t was impossible. L
blew the whistle twice, and blew down
brakes. Train stopped when six cars
had passed over the crossing. When
went back, the two ladies were lying
beside the track. Train was moving
about eight miles an hour. Did not see
the conductor. Could have seen him
II he had been on the crossing"
BRAKEMAN wIGFIELD.
F.F. Wigfield-"I am brakeman On
yard engine. Heard the engineer blow
down brakes, and looking ahead, saw
the car on the track. After the COL
llsion the train run four or five cars over
the crossing. The train was running
seven or eight miles an hour. A flag
man started to the front Of the train,
but don't know where he was. Flag
man should be on the head OF train
when it is backing. l was on the third
car from the engine, and the fagman
was two or three cars ahead OF me 60
ing forward, when l last saw him."
THE FIREMAE's EVIDENCE.
Harvey ]. Fee-"On the engine OF
the train; fireman. We're switching
near the coal chute, and started for the
Riverside. Engineer blew for the cross
ing. entered the cab and sat down.
] saw the car on the crossing. The en-
gineer saw it at the same time and
whistled down brakes. 1t was too late
TO prevent the accident. It&Bcustom-
airy to have flagman on the front OF
the train when backing. Running
seven or eight miles an hour. Did not
see the conductor on the crossing. II
he had been on the crossing l could
have seen him."
THE FLAGNAN.
J. N. Hedge-"Brakeman on the B.
& o. On train that was in the accident.
Was on head OF train going down eight
or nine miles an hour. Saw the car on
the track; gave the engineer signal to
reverse; then Jumped Oft. Was holding
the brake on the rear end OF the first
gondola. Engineer blew down brakes.
lie whistled three times before. No
person had been instructed to act as
fagmsn. Only an accident that l was
on front of train. On other roads 1t Is
the duty OF the conductor to place the
men In certain positions, but not here.
The conductor was not on the crossing.
II he had been l would have seen him.
The operator could have seen the train,
II he was looking In that direction.
THE VERDICT.
This concluded the evidence, and Act
ing Coroner Riddle cleared the room,
while the jury deliberated upon its YER
dict. After some time they arrived at a
decision and sent for Squire Riddle.
Their verdict was as fellows;
We the jury, find that the deceased,
Miss Kate Fitzpatrick, met death by being
run over by a B. & o. railroad train at
Boggs' Run crossing, in collision with
street car. And that said accident was
due TO the carelessneSs Of Conductor Chas.
Schrader.
Mr.. Emsheimer's Statement.