The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-09
COMPANY AT FAULT
sz
So Decided the Coroner's
Jury in the Case of Little
Mary Clearly.
THE HEARING LAST EVENING
Ex-Judge Noonan Objected To the
Coroner Questioning the
Dead Child's Father.
HE HEARING LAST EVENING

The final hearing in the inquest touching
the death of Mary Cleary, who was killed by
a motor on the Greenville line Of the Con-
solidated Traction Company on Decoration
Day, was held at Kachlee's New York Bay
House last evening by Coroner Volk and the
jury. 1t was expected that there would be a
lively time, as a number of ex-employes OF
the company threatened that they would
testify as to the speed at which the motors
can be run, and there was a large attendance
in consequence. But those who attended
with the expectation of witnessing a rumpus
were disappointed.
Shortly before the inquest began ex-Judge
Tom Noonan walked into the room with a
stride that made those present n If he
had a mortgage OF the earth. He sat down
OF the reporters table and took the place
hat belonged to a scribe, who had to stand
up while taking notes. His presence at the
inquest was a mystery to the Coroner as
well as the Jury and remained unexplained
until Michael Cleary, the father OF Mary,
was called to the stand.
MR.. CLEARY's COUNSEL.
When the Coroner asked Mr.. Clearly what
he knew of the accident he replied:-'I know
nothing of it. I did not send my child to
the store"
. "Was your child playing on the streetT
asked Coroner Volk.
Before Mr.. Cleary had an opportunity to
answer Mr.. Noonan jumped from his seat
and yelled:-
81 object to that question"
II won't entertain any objections from
any one here tonight" replied Coroner Volk.
81 won't listen to it,"
"Well,n said Noonan, 81 am Mr.. Cleary's
counsel, and you have no right to ask him
any further questions. Mr.. Cleary says that
he knows nothing of the accident, and that
settles him as far as testifying here is con-
cerned. 1t is not his duty to answer any
further questions. You are only piling up
the costs of the county by proceeding on this
line"
Coroner Volk ignored the ex-judge and
asked the foreman and the jury if they had
any questions to ask. They answered In the
negative, and Cleary was excused. Noonan
made no further objections during the even
ing.
Grocer Cross testified that the car was com
ing down the avenue at a very fast rate OF
speed. 'sMary Cleary started to cross the
track" said he, ''when the motor was at
Myrtle avenue, about two hundred feet
away. I did not know she was struck until
| saw her body under the wheels. did not
hear the bell rung."
IS.xO u LII VI ANO. 4 OSScbh ~
nue. said she was on Ocean avenue at the
time and that her attention was attracted
by the violent ringing of the bell. 1t her
opinion the car was not going as fast as
those behind it. ''The cars to the rear
said she, 'were only a half block apart. 1
saw the car strike the child. but the motor
man made every effort to bring the car to a
standstill."
Thomas Langdon of No. 260 Ocean avenue
was also placed on the stand, but when
questioned he said he did not arrive on the
scene of the accident until twenty minute
after it occurred.
JURY'S RDIC
The jury was out but a few minutes and
rendered the following verdict.
1--WE find that Mary Cleary came. to her
death on May 80, 1894, by being run over by
motor car No. 22s belonging to and operated
by the Consolidated Traction Company, and
in charge of Motorman Sutton. We find
that the said company is guilty of criminal
negligence in not having proper safeguards
upon their cars for the protection of human
life. We also censure the said company for
the high rate of speed that the cars were
run at on the day of the accident"