The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-05
RYAN'S CONFUSION.
Conductor of the Car That
Killed Mary Cleary
Tried to Explain.
SEEMED ANXIOUS TO hide SOMETHING
Jurymen Surprised at His Actions
Sutton Not Asked to
Testify.

An inquest touching the death of Mary
Cleary. who was killed on Decoration Day
by Greenville motor No. 220. at Myrtle
avenue, was begun by Coroner A. J. Volk
and a jury last evening at Kachlee's New
York Bay House, Ocean and Wilkinson ave-
nues. The jury, which is an exceptionally
good one, is composed of the following we'll
known residents: - Foreman, Benjamin
Vreeland, Herman Cordes, james Murray,
Andrew Blink, Charles Luton, Alexander
Kachlee, Fred W.. Busting, C. D. Beecher,
William St. John, Hermann Weyhausen.
Peter O'Connor and Charles Escher. The
inquest developed many interesting facts,
one of which the company has tried to dis
prove, namely, that the motors on Decora-
ton Day were run with less Roadway and
with much greater speed than usual.
Coroner Volk, after administering the
oath to the jury, read the statement OF
County Physician Converse regarding the
cause of the death of the young victim. The
statement showed that Mary Cleary receiv-
ed a compound fracture of the right leg, and
that her head was crushed almost to a pulp.
The County Physician reported that the In
juries to the head were instaneously fatal.
EXAMINED
John Searles of No. 251 Clark street was
the first witness called. He said that he was
waiting for a motor car on Ocean avenue
on the afternoon in question, and although
he did not see the car strike the child, he
saw her dragged under the wheels. He did
not know whether the bell was rung or
not.
Grocer Louis Cross, of No. 227 Ocean ave-
nue., repeated the testimony which he gave
at. the trial of Motorman Sutton at the
Third District Court, and which, was pub
lished In the JERSEY CRY NEWS. Mr..
Cross said that he noticed that the cars on
Decoration Day were run much faster than
usual, and that the motor which struck
Mary Cleary was going so fast that it would
nave been impossible for the fnotorman to
prevent running over the child. Policeman
=. j. Enright, who arrested the motorman,
testified to finding theb body of the child un-
der the car, and said that he did not see the
car strike her.
Conductor James Ryan was next placed
on the stand, and for over a half hour the
monotony of the inquest was relieved by the
many contradictory stories he told and by
his assumed ignorance of all rules of the
company. Ryan said that the first intima-
ton he had of the trouble was when the car
was brought to a standstil with a jerk. He
then left the platform and saw the mangled
body under the wheels. He said the car was
a special one, and only ran to and from the
New York Bay Cemetery.
.aWe were running on a,headway of two
and a half minutes, !" said he, ant were 60
ing at a moderate rate of speed
"What do you call a moderate rate OF
speedf' asked one Of the iurymen.
"Well,.' replied Ryan, ~ am not a motor
man and don't know. I should judge we
were going about seven miles an hour. The
bell was rung continually from Wilkinson
avenue to Myrtle avenue, and the car be-
hind as was over two blocks away"
Ryan, when c~ross-examined by the jury
men c~ontradicted nearly all Of these state
ments, and in an endeavor to clear himself
made matters worse. His confusion greatly
amused the jurymen as well as the large
number of spectators.
Motorman Patrick Sutton was also pres
emit, but as he was called TO testify Mr.. G.
w. Flaacke, Jr., of Vredenburg & Garrett
son. objected on the ground that he is now
under S., 900 bail to appear before the Grand
Jury. Sutton did not testify.
GOING AT A VERY SWIFT RATE.
Harry F. Peterkin of No. 800 Ocean I've
nue., said he was coming down Ocean avenue
and noticed the motor going at a very swift
rate. 1.-THE car was making at least fifteen
miles an hour, and ] am positive that the bell
was not sounded, y said he. ''The car which
was following was not over sixty feet away,
and the third car was still neager to the pre-
ceding one. Isaw the cars when they were
all in motion and all were going at an un
usual rate of speed" When cross examined
he said he was employed for many years on
the Elevated road in New York and could
come very near telling the exact rate at
which a car in motion Is moving. He said
he did not see the car strike Mary Cleary,
but saw her as she was being dragged under
the wheels.
Policeman Michael Walsh of No. 13s
Sussex street, who was with his G.. A. r.
Post at the cemetery and on his way home
! boarded the car Immediately following the
| one which struck the child. He testified
| that the cars were running extra fast and
| that sometimes they were punched together
! and sometimes they were far apart. He
said in his opinion the cars were moving at
a rate of ten miles an hour.
Owing to the absence of a number of i'm
! portant witnesses the Coroner was unable to
conclude the inquest which was adjour ned
until Friday evening.
ARGUMENT AFTER THE MEETING.
Among those who took a lively interest in
the proceedings were Counsellor Vreden-
burg and Assistant Superintendent Walter
| Brady and Detective Archibald Smith of
| the Consolidated Traction Company. There
were also a number of ex-employes OF the
meeting they had a lively discus
sion with Superintendent Brady re-
garding the speed at which a motor
can travel. Brady contended that the
| motors could not run more than twelve or
| fifteen miles an hour, and tried to convince
one of the jurymen that this is true. Joseph
Woodleigh, an ex-conductor, took the wind
out OF his sails, however, by declaring that
he, while in the employ ofYthe company, ran
! a car from the Greenville stable, q distance
! of four miles in eleven minutes.
81 will state this to the jury said Wood
leigh.
This aroused Brady, and it looked as
| though there would be trouble. Brady re
tired, however, without any further argu-
ment. II Woodleigh is called on to testify
next Friday evening the Traction Com
pany counsel will object, and a lively time
will follow.