The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-27
a. O'clock.
The L0NSDALE INQUEST.
Hearing on the Grade Crossing
Fatality before Coroner Brennan.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY TAKEN.
A Bottle Of Liquor Found on the Person
OF Driver Richardson Of the Sleigh
Whistle Blew and the Bells Rang
Testimony of the Engineer.

The inquest into the grade crossing
disaster at Lonsdale on the 1SJh inst. by
which eight persons lost their lives and
nine Others were more or less injured,
was begun at Valley Falls yesterday
afternoon. by Coroner James NJ. Bren-
nan The inquest was public, aud "A few
interested persons were in at .endance.
Railroad Commissioners Edward l. Free
man occupied a chair by the coroner, and
offered suggestions during the eNamina-
ton.
The first witness called was Nathaniel
:. Bishop, who resides in the immediate
vicinity OF the crossing. lie testified 20
being aroused by the confusion ANA tax
ing some of the injured persons into his
house.
john Brady, night Waterman at the
No. 4 mill of the LOnsdale Company, tes-
titled TO hearing the crash OF the collision
n the screams of the ill-fated people in
the sleigh. lie went out ana looked for
n momen upon the scene of destruction
and being unable 20 endure it he re
turned to the mill. He did not hear the
whistle or the bell OF the locomotive that
night, but he had heard them upon other
occasions.
Fred A. Sherman, who lives near the
crossing, was called upon by some OF the
party To get "A doctor, which he did. he
also took some OF the injured into his
house. lie had often heard the whistle
and bell, but did not hear them that
night.
DIR. Gsrvln's Testimony.
Medical Examiner Gtrvin arrived on
the scene about l o'clock. He attended
one Of the wounded at Nathaniel s.
Bishops house before he went to the
crossing. There he found seven dead
bodies, the most OF them lying on the
concrete walk at the side Of the track, at
different distances from the crossing.
The only body lie examined was that OF
Sarah Ann Draper, "A record Of the view
OF which he for warded to the coroner.
DIR. Garvin said that he considered the
crossing a very dangerous one, especially
when approaching IL from the east. He
did not recollect ever hearing the whistle
OF the train which passed at-tffat hour.
His residence was within easy hearing
distance of the railroad.
Witness stated from experience that
owing TO the steep grade of the road at
the crossing a person would have di0i.
Guilty in refining up his horse on short no.
tice.
Witness found n pint bottle i'm the
pocket oil the coat OF the driver. Daniel
;. Richardson, with n small amount of
whiskey In 1t. In the pocket of another
person was an e npty quar- bottle.
Waterman simmons.
Job Simmons, night Waterman at the
Ann and Hope Mill, which is situated
near the crossing on the east of the rail
road, said he generally heard the mid
night train when ~ came along. On the
night Of the collision he heard the engine
whistle and the bell ring. lie heard the
members OF the sleigning party sing
ing and came out To the door
TO see what was coming. Part of the
party were singing and Others shouting.
He RnIrln mot Gna . hg gIafuh In. ,.... IL
sound he judged IL Were driving fast. He
heard the crash OF the collision. The bell
OF the locomotive was still ringing at the
time of the collision. Witness saw the
headlight Of the loco motive at least half "A
minute before the crash. simultaneously
with the collision came the whistle of the
engine for down brakes The train
was stopped after running a distance /
about equal to its length. Witness went
up to the crossing and saw the bodies.
he smelt liquor on some OF the party.
The Engineers Testimony.
Harris Atwood, the engineer OF the
train, testified that he had been m engi-
neer for six or seven years. ard had been
driver OF the train in question for about
three years. lie left Worcester on the
evening Of the 18th inst. at HIS. He
was scheduled TO leave at IL o'clock. IL
was customary 10 make up all the time
possible on portions OF the road where
there would be the least liability OF dan
ger from such a course. On the night of
the accident he had no stops between
South Worcester and Valley Falls. The
average speed run on that night WAS
about twenty miles an hour. At Woon-
socket-he w,s-two miHHtes-4ate" From
there the speed was about seventeen
miles an hour
The rules of the road were to blow the
whistle upon approaching Il crossing,
and ring the bell until the crossing was
covered. IL was possible Co see obstruc-
lions on the track for a distance Of 200
feet. The first thing he saw was the
front pair of horses on the track ahead
OF HIM. lie Immediately whistled down
brakes" but for some reason the train
could not be stopped until 1t hal gone for
a little more than it's length. He was
making no steam at the time. the steam
having been shut off at the upper
crossing. The only way be could
account fer not being able 20 reverse his
lever was that some part OF the harness
or something about the sleigh got caught
In the machinery and prevented IL. lie
could tell by the way the train slowed
down that the brakes were beng applied.
There were four brakemen on the train.
the regular humber in a crew. He could
not tell how soon "A train could be stopped
in case Of an emergency. There were
thirteen long cars Oh the train. Tho
statement that n train could be stopped
In half its length applied TO passenger
trains.
Witness position was on the right
side OF the engine. From this position
he could bully see the two front horses.
To get where he first saw them he
thought they must have jumped over tie
pilot. At the crossing he was a minute :
late. IL be had been on time that night
the rear end Of his train would have been
leaving the Lonsdale station at the time
the sleigh reached the crossing.
AT $50 this afternoon the inquest was
resumed. Conductor Walter r.. Cooper
testified that he was sitting i'm the !
eaboose. He had no special in
structions regarding the LInsdalc
crossing. They were not allowed 10
run over twenty miles per hour.
10 was his duty 20 brake when nece..
sary. All OF the crew were ar their posts.
lie knew nothing about the accident +,
until the train bad almost stopped. lie
at once hurried back aud assisted i'm
caring Tor the injured. TIE sleigh Law
about i've feet from the track. lie VIZ,
first 10 get 20 the crossing. All of the
injured except one Law face douu