St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-08
THE SUNDAY TRAGEDY.
INQUEST OYER THE DEAD HELD. At
STILLW&TER YESTERDAY
THE TESTIMONY AND VERDICT

An Eye Witness Tells the Fatal
Stnry-He Warned the People
Without Avail-Efforts to Stop
the Train-The Crossing Very
Dangerous-Verdict That All
Were NegIectful.
Coroner Frellgh and jury composed
OF the following persons: G. T.. Mosier,
George Robinson, E. }. Spindle, w. G.
Masterman, Beu F. Lyman and David
Carmichael held, an inquest yesterday
relative to the terrible accident which
resulted in the awful death of E.. w.
NewStrum. of White Bear; Mrs. IL. P.
Clouse and Mrs. j. z. Nordstrom, of st.
Paul. at Dellwood, Sunday. After
viewing the remains the jury went to
the city hall, where the inquest was
held.
The first witness examined was VIII.
Breen. the st. Paul jeweier. Who is
spending the summer at Dellwuud. He
testified that he was walking around iu
his yard, about seyenty-nve feel from
the crossing, when he heard the APP
noticed carriage coming along
Oh the road, and thinking that they had
not seen the train he held I'D his hand
aid warned them of the approaching
danger. They did not seem to notice
him, and continued TO drive until the
morse was on the track. The man sat
as II spellbound, and made no move TO
get out OF the way other than to turn
the head of the horse off the track. The
horse was struck fairly, and was car
rled along the track some distance, and
then Slid down the enbankment. He
hrSt observed the buggy when it was
500 feet away. They were not driving
rapidly, and seemed to be occupied
In conversation. He explained to the
jury that there is deep cut east of the
crossing, and that it is impossible to see
approaching trains until they are very
close to the crossing, say twenty-five
feet The lookout on the trains cannot
see the crossing distance of more than
forty feet. The train was backing
down, and the conductor and brakeman
were standing Oh the rear platform. He
heard the train whistle at the station,
but could not say whether or not the
bell was ringing. He thought that the
train was running at a1Speed of about
fifteen miles an hour, and said that it
ran fully 500 feet before it stopped after
the air brakes were set.
Albert Tayior. the brakeman, and
Conductor Bardsley both testified to the
setting of the air brake just as soon as
they noticed the horse on the crossing.
They also testified that when the trains
are backed down from Mahtomedi that
they are required to be Oh the rear plat
from as ''look-outs." They did not see
the approaching buggy until the horse
was on the track. The engineer and
fireman also testified to the setting of
the brakes and reversing the engine.
but that they were unable TO stop the
train until it had passed the crossing.
After listening to all of the testimony
the jurors expressed desire to view
the scene of the accident. and left here
at l:45 tor Dellwood. The crossing is
one Of the worst along the entire line
between this CITY and White Bear. and
the general opinion is that the railroad
Il
the embankment so that an approach
ing train can be seen at greater dis
lance than forty feet from the crossing.
The following verdict was returned:
That the SAID parties came to their
death by being injured and killed by a
railroad train, owned and operated by
The st. Paul d Duluth Raj road COM
pany, at a certain crossing near the
Hoo -fnfT
ington county on the 9th dav of August.
1893, at or near the hour of 80 o'clock
a. III. We further ind that the said
crossing is very dangerous one, and
that the said railroad company is
Deglectful of the public safety i'll main
tanning said crossing in such condition.
We further find that the said E. w.
Newstrom, Mrs. IL. p. Clouse and Mrs.
j. L. NOrdStrom, deceased, did not take
due aud proper precautiOn for their
safety ill view of the dangerous loca-
ton of said crossing"
Conductor BardSiey, of the Duluth
train, claims that injustice was done in
the statement that controversy arose
over the disposition of the bodies.
He says that when the train was
stopped Just beyond where tie accident
tightly that it was necessary to wait a
moment so that they could be recharged
before going back. Wnen this was done
he (Bardsley) ordered the engineer to
back up. and he did and The train crew
alighted aud did everything possible to
assist in taking care of the bodies. The
man was still BREATH ng, and he asked
doctor standing close byif anything
| could be done for him. The doctor re-
piled that the man was dying, and that
the only thing to do was TO take care of
the bodies. There was no controversy
as to what should be done with them,
but as soon as boards were secured from
yard close by they were picked up
tenderly and placed in the baggage car.
and were not taken out of he car until
they reached Saltwater. Conduct or
Bardsley refused to allow any on to
enter the car other than those clothed
with the proper authority, and when he
| did so he believed he was doing right.
GONE JOHN SHERMAN.