Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-20
WERE NOT TO BLAME
Conductor and Gripman Not Held
Responsible
FOR THE DEATH OF Miss FERGUSON.
Evidence Before the Coroner's
Jury Today.
THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED.

DR.. Woodward. the coroner for the Dis
trict. held an inquest this morning at the
second precinct station into the death CT
Mrs. Jane b. Ferguson. who was struck
by cable car near the Baltimore and
Ohio station on Monday, and died at her
The verdict Of the jury exonerared both
the conductor and the gripman of the train
by which she was run over.
The members of the Jury were George
Melting, jr.. John S. Cissel, Herman Burk-
hart, z. Downing, A Gaegler ami John r.
v. Ritter. Prior to the inquest at the s,a-
ton house they were taken 10 the house
OF Maj. Ferguson. where they were sworn
In and viewed the remains. Then they
adjourned to the second precinct station. on
5th street between NJ and n stresss, where
the testimony was taken.
The principal feature OF the hearing WAS
the difference in the story OF the occur
renee as told by the gripman and the con-
ductor and that of the other witnesses.
The weight Of evidence howevs-. was to
the effect that the unfortunate woman
was struck by a cable train that was Gving
up the hill at the point where the two
tracks converge into one Schooler ara
Thomas. the gripman and conductor, gave
their testimony willingly. although the
coroner assured them that he could rot
compel them to testify IL they lid not want
TO. The two men have been locked Up
ever since the accident, but we're brought
up on an order from the court this morn
ing. They seemed to feel he deepest re-
gret for the accident. and told their story
in straightforward manner, that carried
with il the conviction that, as the cars are
now shifted at that point, the accident
could not possibly have been averted by
them
First Witness.
DIR. A c. Merriam was the first witness
called before the inquest He was not pres
ent. he said. when the accident occurred.
but saw the injured woman at the hotel
shortly afterwsrd. or a few minutes before
10 O'Clock.
DIR. Merriam described her condition when
he saw her. On the left leg there was .
compound fracture with extensive iacera-
tioas and bruises. On the right leg there
was a multiple compound fracture about
the calf of the leg. The tissues of the leg
were scattered all about the scene of the
accident There was also a fracture OF the
right upper arm. a bruise over the left eye
anG one on the back. Mrs. Ferguson was
conscious. courageous and seh-possessed
after the accident The limbs were badly
twisted and were hanging only by some
flesh. She was suffering but slight pain
at the time and all was done that was pos
sible to make her more comfortable After
administered and hasty preparations made
for an operation. She became nervous and
excitable. crying out that she was dying.
About 230 O'Clock DR.. Ford Thompson cut
of the remnants of the right leg. 1t could
hardly be called an amputation. Shortly
afterward she fell into a deep sleep and her
pulse faded into nothing. She remained In
this pulseless condition until she died yes
terday afternoon. though she recovered con-
sciousness after this heavy slumber.
Conditions Explained
Dr. W. w. Johnston, the physician for
the Ferguson family, who was summoned
to the house shortly after the accident. also
testified as to the nature Of the injuries
when he saw her. She was excited and
suffering considerable pain.so morphine was
administered. but there was no rallying Of
the pulse from then to the time she died.
In the afternoon her pain increased until
she fairly screamed with agony. She was
conscious through the night, eonversing
with the members Of her family, and she
remained conscious until within twenty
minutes Of her death
The Accident.
Fred Furlong. a young white man. who
saw the accident. was the next witness
sworn by the coroner. He was standing in
front of the Hotel Enrich at the time OF the
occurrence a few minutes before 10 o'clock.
The FIRST he saw was the catching of a
lady's dress under the car. and this dashed
her under the car which was going down
the hill. The conductor jumped OF the rear
end of the car and was calling for help.
Another man reached the car before the
witness, and was holding on 10 the car, try
ing to stop it The trailer, the car which
ran over Mrs. Ferguson. was not attached
to the grip car. The latter was standing
still on the opposite track, and there was
no one standing on the front platform OF
the trailer.
When witness reached the car Mrs. Fereu-
son was under the middle of the car, with
both legs under IT Within a couple OF min
utes the car was lifted from Of her body
and she was carried Immediately 20 the
hotel across the street.
DR. Johnston was recalled. and stated that
the cause of death was shock. and that her
death was Immediately attributable to this
cause. the injury to her nervous system.
DR.. j. Ford Thompson, who performed the
operation OF removing the worst injured
limb after the accident, also stated that
the cause OF Mrs. Ferguson's death was the
shock. In plain terms DR.. Thompson said.
the legs were torn from the body. ana he
did not consider the removal of her limb
an operation. as the papers had described
IL. He simply took a pair of scissors and
cut through the shreis OF flesh by which
the leg was attached. She did not know
that this was being done. although she was
not under the influence OF anaesthetics and
was at no time in condition to undergo
an opera ton.
Curtis Brown. a young colored man. was
the next witness. He testified that he saw
the accident The front part OF the car
pulled her down by her dress. IL was a
trailer, and there were no passengers on
the car. Witness was coming out of a
store on New Jersey avenue opposite the
depot. Mrs. Ferguson was on the north side
of the track. Brown said that he was on
the sidewalk behind the car when the acci-
dent occurred, but had not noticed her rrior
to that.
other Accounts.
Alexander Brown, an elderly colored man,
stated that he was coming out OF the Com
missioners' Offices and was standing at the
northwest corner OF New Jersey avenue and
street and was looking toward the car.
He saw a lady crossing the north track in
front of the car. The car caught her dress
and pulled her down. and Just as she fell
she gave one scream. Witness was the first
one to reach the car and saw the conductor
jump of the rear end. The lady was COM
ing from the sidewalk on the south side OF
the street. and WAS struck by the front end
OF the car. She was in about the middle OF
the track when she was struck. Upon be-
ing picked up. the witness stated. a remark
was made by someone in an ordinary tone
of voice. that she should be taken 20 the
hotel She heard the remark, and at once
asked TO be taken TO her home.
Edward II. Forrest. also colored. and a
he'd carrier by trade. testified that he was
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