Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-20

had got across the track. There were no
passengers on the car, and there was no one
at all on the front end of the car, but he
saw some one step off the rear end of the
car, though who it was he could not say.
Witness said that before the woman started
TO cross the track ne heard her say, 81 wish
those cars would couple. for I am in hur-
~ to catch train" Witness stated that he
used to be a slave. owned by ex-Gov. Bowie
lnd had worked under ex-Gov. Swami.
When the injured woman was pulled from
under the car he recognized her, as he used
to see her in Prince Georges county, Mary
land. He saw her get off a cable car alight-
ing on the south side of the track, and stood
there for a moment while the cars shifted,
waiting for them to clear off, so that she
could cross. When she started to cross he
thought the car was standing still, and no
one warned her. nor did he hear any gong
ringing.
William Henry Berry, a colored bootblack,
testified that when he first saw Mrs. Fer
guson she was crossing the track in front
OF the car. and either the car struck her or
caught her dress and threw her to the
ground In company with Fred. Furlong
witness ran across the street to the assist
ince of the injured woman. When the &C
cident happened he saw no one on the front
Of the car.
The Gripman.
Lewis r. Schooler. the gripman, testified
that he had been employed by the WASH
ington and Georgetown Railroad Company
Tor seven months past. He was in charge
of No. train, behind the train that ran
over Mrs. Ferguson. His car pulled that
car up the hill and at the top the two were
uncoupled. He did not see the lady until
after the accident Witness was on his car
ringing his bell. and the conductor OF the
coach Of No. 4 train was on his car ringing
his bell. The gripman explained how the
shit Is made at this point. The grip car
leaves the trailer just before 1t reaches the
switch, to be pushed up by the next grip
that comes along. He had received The
signal from his conductor to 60 ahead. and
Ing showed up the hill. The conductor OF
this car. No. Is, was standing on the west
end OF the car, with one hand on the bell
rope and the other hand on the brake. At
this point the two tracks come together
and there is a single track for a short dis
lance. 1t was just about the junction of
The two tracks that the accident occurred
The woman was struck by the east end OF
was pushing 1t. The conductor was at the
rear end OF his car.
In answer to a question from one OF the
jurors the grtpman said that IL there had
been some one on the front Of the car the
woman would have been seen and the acct
dent might have been avoided. All the wit
ness could do was to obey the signals as he
got them. and IL the woman had been his
own mother he could not have avoided
striking her.
The Conductor.
William &. Thomas. the conductor on the
car. was next put upon the stand. He
stated that he was in charge of trailer No.
-. which ran over Mrs. Ferguson. He did
not know who she was until she told him
after the accident. He conversed with her
in an ordinary tone OF voice and her hear
ing seemed to be very good. The witness
then described the accident.
1t was about $50 a. m Witness was
standing on the west end OF the car. as
to let his brake go that his car might drop
back TO the grip to be pushed. He pulled
the bell so as to ring at the opposite end of
the car, and was keeping a lookout through
the car ahead. The first intimation he had
of the accident was when he heard an eX-
clamation and then felt the car run upon
something He applied his brake instantly
and stopped his car at once. The witness
stated that he was standing in his proper
place on the car, according to the orders
and rules OF the company. He has to be at
that end because it is the front end OF the
car when IL comes down in order to couple
with the grip when ii reaches IL. His car
was being showed up the hill when 1t struck
Mrs. Ferguson, and 1T was about a car
length from the switch and two or three
car lengths from the very end of the track.
In his opinion the lady must have started
to cross the track just about the time the
car started to move. The car had not gone
a length before IT struck her. At this point
the main. or right-hand track, runs very
close to the sidewalk.
The Verdict.
This closed the testimony in the case, and
the room was cleared in order to give the
jury a chance to decide upon their verdict.
They were but a few minutes engaged upon
this. Their verdict was to the effect that
Jane Byrd Ferguson come to her death.
about 1 O'Clock p. m, December -, 1885,
from fracture Of legs and other injuries and
resulting shock. From the evidence IT was
clear that the injuries were received from
being run over by coach No. - OF the
Washington and Georgetown Railroad Com
pany, and that the gripman, or conductor.
or any other employe was without blame In
the case The verdict recommends that
man be stationed by the railroad company
at the point where this accident occurred to
assist in shifting the cars and to warn pass
ersby OF danger.