Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-31

signal. When the freight train stopped
the flagman started back but how far he
went the witness did not know. He
started back when they pulled ahead to
back in. The conductor was on the
ground and threw. the switch for them
to back in. He first saw the express
train when it was at the station, 200
yards away. If he had remained where
he got off the freight train the tlagman
would have been back far enough to
have prevented the collision, He had
red lantern when he came in. The wit
ness had not seen him since then. There
was no fog and a person could see
pretty good distance. The engineer OF
the freight train could not prevent the
accident.
George Lofman testified that he was
fireman of the freight engine. He did
not know there was anything wrong
until they were struck. First there was
a flash and then there was crash. He
was about 40 or 80 feet from where the
express train struck The collision
occurred at 1927 o'clock. They arrived
at Porter in time to get out of the way
but they were blocked by train on the
| other road. They left the Bear 2B
| hItuu VI lilN IlSilt 80
saw the headlight of the approaching
locomotive when it was between quar-
| ter and half mile distant. lie did not
know it was the night line. He thought
the flagman was back and when he saw
the headlight coming he did not feel
any alarm. If the engineer of the
passenger train had seen red light on
the track he would have stopped. II
was the rear brakeman's duty to take q
red light back. The witness did MOI
hear any torpedoes explode. The engi
neer of the freight train could not have
prevented the accident. The witness
had not seen the fiagman since the COLI
sion occurred.
Thomas B. Lewis testified that he wa
conductor of the express train. Tn
first he knew of the accident was whel
they struck the freight train AM
stopped. He jumped off immediatel.
and shouted to his brakeman to GO back
He did not look for the flagmen of til
freight train. The accident happene,
at 1928 O'Clock. His train was not sig
nailed to his knowledge. He had jus
got down to working his train, whic
was his first duty. He saw the fiagma
of the freight train after the collision
The express train was due there at 1872
o'clock He did not have any convel
sation with the freight flagman. Th
| express train lid not stop at Portel
When he saw the freight fiagman, b
= thought, it was about 10 minutes aftt
/, the collision. If the express train ha
been properly signaled the collision,
believed, would not have occurred. ii
III | a. 4 ha aNNF Z
the passenger train and thought u
!, freight tlagman did not signal The el
!. gineer of the passenger train was con
y petent and careful. There was no doul
Is bur what he would have stopped if
;. had been signaled, unless there W
y something the matter with him that Il
= witness did not know anything abor
u He had compared time with the ems
o neer before they started. The engine
70 was sober. At the rate they were ru
y ming, the witness thought, they cou
s have stopped in four train lengths. Tn
III did not seem to be running very ia
nc The engineer told him he shut off
p the curve north of Porter. When I
~ witness went back to the station
=. found a red light on the track.
- picked it up and the flagman came a
70 got it. He had not seen the hagm
=. since.
IN The coroner's jury failed to reaci
" " verdict Monday evening. Drs. ].
s Draper and Howard Ogle testified u
ne they were called to the scene of
ne wreck and gave medical and surgi
ne aid to the victims. The jury deciC
,n that it was necessary to have the G
NJ dense of the operator and the TESTING
' rs of the railroad Flagman Galloway. 2
., % jury adjourned to meet at the call OF
- coroner