The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-02
PARKGR'S FOOL VICTIM
Indignation Meeting Of the
Erie Track Elevation
Association.
SYMPATHY FOR Mr.. CURTIS
A Committee Appointed To Assist
Him In Prosecuting the
Erie.

Va bAe ASSAo
partook of a u indignation turn. There
was a good attendance of property own
ers. and as one of the aims of the Asso-
citation is the protection of life and
property. the recent killing OF four year
old Burt Curtis, a child of a respectable
citizen of that neighborhood, coupled
with that OF a well-dressed stranger.
deadly grade crossings. afforded themes
of considerable discussion. the outcome
of which was the appointment of q conn
mittee to await upon Mr.. Curtis and
%profTsr the aid and sympathy of the As
ISOLATION in the matter of prosecuting
the and the instruction of the
associations counsel to gather evidence
in connection with the case and submit
it 10 Prosecutor WINFIELD.
The associations counsel said that 1t
was bns meet aud proper That such in-
dignation meetings should be held by
the association. The Erie corporation
had no more right to kill aud mangle the
bodies of citizens and citizeus' children
on the virtually unprotected crossings
than they had to blow OFT their brains
with firearms. He would not deny that
some corporations were OF benefit to q
CITY, There was In this city a multi
plicity or corporations. some good and
some bad. Individuals could not cope
with them. More could be accomplished
financially and intellectually by organi-
cation. It was proper to let corporations
know that the people are not asleep.
The law compelled railroad corporations
to fence in their tracks through cities
with O feuce four feet nigh, otherwise
| they would not be allowed TO run their
trains beyond the rate-six miles an
hour through the city. Yet with tooth
- -.,A IA N p In ernGeInN Ia svn
only erected for show, trains we're run
over the Erie at the rate OF sixty miles an
nour. The law expressly stipulated that
fence protection was to keep out children
ana cattle.
Several gentlemen, including Felix S.
Brown. William Barr and John Cross.
expressed their mind freely about the
matter. Messrs. Barr and Cross were
appointed u committees to walt upon Mr..
| Curtis and proffer the aid and sympathy
Of the Association in securing proper
damages.
PARKER's TOOL VICTIM.
Mr.. A. j. Corcorap, when called upon
for an expression OF epiniou said ne pre-
| ferred to sea others doug the talking.
but his whole heart ana soul was in the
work of thu Association. Two cases of
mangling or human bodies on the Erie's
deedly grade crossings had been
| re- ported since the last meeting OF the
Association. He deeply sympathized with
Mr.. Curtis in the loss of his child. u he
| felt sorry for the relatives and friends #
the well dressed stranger, whose body
was mangled beyond recognition. The
| Erie's counsel. MIR. Courtlandt Parker,
| had told the Street and Water Board
that the Erie Railway Company couldn't
be held responsible for the death or chill
dren aud fools. To say nothing of the
| death of MIR. Curtis four year old child,
who did not even nave to stoob his bead
to pass under the guards. when he saw
the mangled condiJion OF the stranger
he was naturally inclined to say:-"An-
other OF Parker's fool Victims" IL was
| nothing short OF murder.
III you dig a cellar" said he, you are
| Obliged to surround to with a safeguard.
| BUT here is a ver1table death trap with no
protection"
Mr.. Corcoran said he thought = that the
Curtis case was a lit subject for tae
Grand Jury investigation. Corporation
| Counsel Edwards had assured him that
there would be Il trial on September IL
that would demonstrate not only the
Ineficiency of the compaDy's gates,
but of the criminal danger OF the
grade crossing as well. Mr.. Corcoran
called attention OF the meeting to the
fact tina he had secured the passage of
the following resolution by the Street
and Water Board, aud that it had. been
duly served upon the officials OF the
company
whereas, The recurrence of accidents have
demonstrated tho insufficiency OF the gates now
used at street crossings by the New York, Lake
Erie and Western Railroad Company.
Resolved, That said company be and is hereby
directed to Immediately cause to be constructed
at the several street crossings of said railroad
in this city, such gates as when lowered will
prevent the passages of pedestrians ar vehicles.
WHAT THE JURY HAvE DONE.
Secretary Corcoran asked If tue mere
| fact Thar the Coroner's Jury which in
vestigated the death OF Burt Curtis
censured the company settled tbs matter,
If the matter dropped there.
the counsel replied that the jury, had
It seen tit 10, could have handed the case
over TO the Grand jury.
President Casey with reference to the
death OF the stranger expressed the
| opinion that if some mar instead of a
corporation had been resp lnsibls for the
mutilated body he'd lave bseu lyncned
Felix s. Brown said that he had bsen
given to understand that the police
some time ago timed the Erie's trains
rushing through The city. AND he further
understood at the time that about sixty
arrests had been made. What had be-
come OF the matter?
1t was explained that these were the
CAGES to be heard in the First police
court on September IL.
Among The contributors to the funds
of the association last night were the fol-
luwing:-Patrlck Means, SIS; William
Barr. SIS; John Cross. S.: Henry Hohorst,
s.; Felix 5. Brown, s.; A. j. Cor
| corau. S..