The Bessemer indicator., 1893-05-27

crushed out beneath the
wheels of a street car
Whiskey the cause.-the
jury eXonerates the motor
man from all blame.
One of the most horrible acci-
dents that ever happened in this
city occurred at 30 o'clock last
Monday night when Even Owen and
Grilf Harris were instantly killed
and fearfully mangled beneath the
wheels of a street car at the cross
ing of Northern and Evans avenues
The struggling men fell in front of
a moving car and their lives went
out like flash.
| 1t was at that hour that the two
unfortunate men with other pas
sengers were returning from Pueblo.
At the corner of Northern and
Evans avenues they all got off, the
car, No. 4, William Clifford motor
man, going on to to the terminus.
Coming back at what was said to be
the usual rate of speed the motor
man saw two men standing close by
the track. When within few feet
of them the men engaged in
struggle and fell in front of the car
the motorman being unable to
check it in time to save their lives.
In a couple of minutes a large crowd
had gathered to view the fearful
sight. Harris had fallen beside the
track, his head resting on the west
rail. The wheels passed over his
head just above the ears crushing
it entirely off, carrying his skull and
brains in his hat several feet beyond.
Owen had fallen fully between the
tracks and was rolled over and over
until the end of the plank crossing
was reached when the depression
between the rails permitted the
guard to catch his body and the
wheels passed over it crushing the
bones and mangling the flesh. Death
was instantaneous with both men.
About two o'clock the undertake
ing wagon of Mcmahon & Collier ar
! rived and after acting Cor. Brasius
had surveyed the scene of the ac-
cident the remains were gathered
up and taken to the morgue. The
following merning crowds Of
curious people gathered at the spot
and gave expression to their horror.
, AT 8 o'clock Tuesday morning Il
jury composed of George Willauer,
John Kane, NJ. F. Dempsey, Thomas
Jhmes, Daniel Shay William Farm
ell was impanneled at McMahon &
Golfers undertaking rooms when
| the following facts were produced:
The two dead men with David
Griffith, James Lewis, Miss Annie
Lloyd, Mrs. Nellie Jones and a
stranger whose identity was not
established were passengers and all
got off at the crossing named.
William Clifford was motorman
and \B. w. Carter conductor. The
men lin the car were under the in
fluenee of liquor. Owen was quar-
relsolpe and did not want to get off.
After Getting off some fighting was
indulged in in which the mysterious
stranger took an active part. Lewis
and Griffith testified to this. The
women knew but little as they had
made off directly after alighting.
The straightest testimony came
from George Tremlin, the celored
minister who said that he had been
attending festival of his brethren
in the little building corner of
Northern and Routt. He was ad-
vancing toward the car tracks when
he heard the two men who were
afterward killed talking loudly.
One was determined to board the
oncoming car and go back to Pueblo
the other was trying to persuade
him not to go. AS the car approach
ed the men locked and struggled,
falling in front of the car as before
stated. 1t seems that Harris was
the man trying to get in the car and
Owen was trying to hold him back.
Both were drunk and reckless of
the danger they were in. The story
Of mysterious big man pounding
Owen and Harris, the men who were
killed, and Griffith and Lewis, wit
nesses is not generally credited.
The jury adjourned until 8 p. m.
and again until p. IN. when it re-
paired to the spot where the ac-
cident occurred to view the
grounds and establish comparisons,
a crowd attending. Clifford, the
motorman, was ordered to take the
fatal car by the crossing in the
same manner as he did at the time
of the killing. This he did, making
a good stop and to the satisfaction
of the jurors. Manager Chubbuck
and Supt. Martin of the car COM
pany were present. After some dis
cussion the jury went to the city
hall and about midnight brought in
the following verdict:
"Evsn Owen and Griff Harris
came to their death by falling under
and being run over by an electric
motor. We further find that Even
Owen and Griff Harris were at the
time under the influence of liquor.
| We herewith exonerate the said
motorman from all responsibility.
There are a few who endeavcr to
fastsn the blame on the motorman
but the accident was one of those
unavoidable happenings and it is
wrong to blame the motorman with
I