The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-16

She public school house in Hunters.
Nille yesterday and was conducted by
Justice Hawks aud the following gen.
tlemen composing the two iuries:
Jury No. TO report on the death of
Arthur Gntewood: John A, Lesnsr,
foreman: Wm. Csrmine, W. Il. Stevens,
George Robertson, j. j. Rsnsome and
Harvey Allen.
Jury No. . on Wm. {. Mur6augh:
j.. ", Savage, foreman; E. r. Hawks.
a. c. Cromwell, G.. Nj. Veal, T.. S.
Ferguson and VIM. II. Hunter.
The jury beard the testimony of a
dozen witnesses and adjourned till 8
o'clock this morning,
TIE Coroner, mombers of the jury
lawyers, county officers, witnesses.
newspaper men aud citizens Assem- blcd
at $40. but owing to the absence of
6lr. Rnusom. one OF the jurymen, the
investigation could not commence till
about 1920. Then there was some
trouble IN securing clerk, all of the
newspaper men present declining he
Sob.
At the request OF the Coroner the
representative OF The VIRGINIAS
agreed to act q, clerk and took the ey
auepce till 5 o'clock in the afternoon,
when he surrendered the place to the
Landmarks man.
The State was represented by Capt.
X. Q. Marshall, Commonwealths At
borney OF Norfolk county.
Mr. Tuustall. OF the firm of Tunstal
d Thorn, appeared for the railr DAD.
AR. BARRETr's TESTIMONY,
MIR. Barrett, the general manager OF
she road, was the first witness, and the
following Is copy of his evidence
sworn to before the jury aud signed:
He said that on the evening OF the
accident ~ was walking through the
depot about G:2S o'clock and went to
the train and told tho motorman that
4 would take tine train through and
that he must take charge of the trolly.
We started out at the usual rate Of
epeed, about eighteen or twenty miles
per hour. Just before reaching the
curve there is q circuit breaker and be.
fore the train got to the circuit breaker
out oil the current This is always
done. The curve ls degrcea and 20
ninutee, q very slight ourve."
MIR. Barrett submitted TO the Jury
diagram OF the wreck which showed
che location OF the train when il won't
down tho bank, &c, MIR. Barrett said:
"Before getting to the curve 1 turned
Df the current and drifted around the
curve at about twelve or fifteen miles
per hour.
ii folt a strong jar and knew the
fraln was of the track and then ap
piled the air break ana then felt the
cars on the ties. A motor ear hns two
sruckr, four wheels on each truck. The
Front truck went OFT the track. ] do
not believe the car left the track till
thoy were piled up at the bridge. l
examined the track at once and found
HE marks OF one set OF wheels oil the
rail on the ties.
Before getting to the bridge there
ts trolly pole which was struck and
carried down. Th car WAS swinging
aronnd on Its end and that caused the
srailsr to go on the other side OF the
Srack. The track WAS IN good con-
dltion after the accident.
'Ihe easiest way to throw O car or
an engine from II track, is TO put Il
spike longitudinally Y with the rail, with
she point OF the spike to the wheel.
aho cars would have a tendency to push
against the outer rail, aud would
Jump the track. There is no power to
keep u car on the track under such
conditions. it requires more power to
ptop two cars than one.
Il found twenty five spikes piled
near the track. | examined the wheels
of the car and found them III good con-
dition. ! cant account for the acc.
dent except on tho theory that an OBJ
struction was put on the track. | have
had five years experience in running
electric roada. 1 operated roads III
louisville snd employ about 100 men.
There is no danger III running around
euch curve at thirty. forty or fifty
miles MI hour. The Norfolk and West.
ern would run at sixty miles withou
danger. The air brake on this road is
considered Of the safest kind The mir
brake could not make the car Jump. |
did not apply the air brake until after
] had felt the bump.
To Capt. Marshail-" have ex.
porlence as IL motorman. ! have per.
Formed that service frequently. The
train left on time ut G:3O, not laIer than
OBI. My schedule time to the View is
twenty five minutes. We cannot make
1t with two trailers in that time. 1t
geuerally takes thirty minutes
al left with two trailers. Tue acci.
nent occurred ut GAP, | think it WAS
about o minute after the accident when
Z looked at my watch. We had been
cunning about eleven minutes. There
were no air brakes on the trailer.
Ehelo arc air brakes on the trsilers.