Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-18
THE BODY IDENTIFIED.
1t Was Harriet Gfiis who Was Killed by the
Railroad Train.

1t Was Harriet Gniis who Was Killed by the
Railroad Train.
Yesterday afternoon at the sixth precinct
station Coroner Patterson held an inquest in
the case of the coored woman who was killed
on the Baltimore and Potomac railroad at the
9th street crossing. OF Maryland avenue, We'd
nesday night The body had been identified
as that of Harriet ellis. about fifty years old.
wko had lived with her husband in Spring
manns alley. She was we'll known in South
Washington, where she member OF at
least one of the large colored societies.
THE DEAD woMAS's HUSBAND.
The first witness called was an old colored
man who gave his name as John ellis. He
ssid that he lived at No. 637 Springmann's al
ley. The coroner asked him If he identified
the body of the dead woman as that of his wife
and he said he had not seen her. He was at
the morgue about o'clock in the morning
and again about noon, but he couldn't see the
body. After visiting the dead room he re-
turned and said that the body was that of mis-
wife. Her name was Harriet GillIs. He did
not see her yesterday after she left the house
In the morning to go to her service place. near
10Th and streets southwest.
Which way would she be likely to return
homer inquired the coroner.
Just that way" he replied; ''she usually
crossed the track at 9th street and then came
down as far as It'll street.
The coroner handed the old man bunch Of
keys taken from his wife, pocket and the 25-
cent piece which she dropped from her mouth
when she WAS picked up. One of the keys had
been broken. and a button hook taken from
her pocket iookedas though If had come in
contact with part of the railroad train.
The husband said that his wife was a member
of society and that the society would take
charge Of her body.
CONDUCTOR ELLIS STORY.
William E. Ellis, conductor on the train, tes-
titled that he was standing ON the steps of the
engine as the train approached the 9Th street
crossing. The gates were down and the track
was clear. Witness jumped off and ran to the
telegraph station for orders The engineer
jumped from the engine and followed him
after the engine had cleared the crossing and
the fireman remained in charge of the engine
and pulled the train down until all the
cars had cleared the crossing. Then witness
shut him off and he stopped the train.
After receiving their orders they started up to-
ward the engine. and as they were gong along
witness noticed what looked like a bundle of
rags on tine outside of the rail under the front
trucks of the sixth car from the engine. Wit
ness called to the engineer, who was just ahead
of him, and they went back aud discovered the
woman 8 body. He then went for policeman.
did you discover any evidence of the body
having been dragged?' asked the coroner.
YES sir" replied witness. .'She was struck
on the crossing and had been dragged about
forty feet. There were blood stains on the
track at the crossing"
Witness said that there were no blood stains
on the engine or the first five cars. There were
one car and a cab behind the woman. He
thought that the woman had attempted to pass
between the cars while the train was i'll mo-
ton.
When examined by the coroner witness said
that the engine could not have struck her las he
saw that the crossing was clear upon the ap-
proach of the train The train was moving
about as fast as person would ordinarily walk.
POLICEMAN TREADwELL-
Policeman Treadwell testified that when he
| reached the seen of the accident the woman's
body was lying beneath the trucks of one of the
cars. Witness described the manner in which
her body had been mangled and told OF finding
her umbrella about forty feet from where her
body was. Witness also told of the coin that
dropped from her mouth. He took lantern
and examined the train but failed to find any
blood OF pieces of flesh any except the car
under which she found. The train. he
thought. struck the woman right near the post
to which the gate is attached, as he found
pieces Of flesh there on tue track.
One of the jurors questioned witness con-
corning an empty bottle found in the woman's
pocket snd he said he Judged it whisky
bottle because it YVES pint flask. He did not
smell the bottle 20 learn whether there had
been liquor in it or not
Vim. IL. Bailey, the engineer was called and
he corroborated what the conductor said.
aATEAAS cLEARY.
7. W. Clesry. gateman at tine 9th street Cross
ing, also gave testimony. The crossing was
clear as the train approached and he lowered
the gates, which remained down until the
train had passed. He did not the woman
until the dead body was found.
ltd a Ia.
testim ony similar to that given by the
other t. ain men.
THE VERDICT
The jury returned verdict attaching no
blame to the employees of the railroad, finding
that the womaE's deatk was accidental.
He Robbed n Desk.