The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-29
COMPANY TO BLAME.
G. Y. Held Responsible for Me-
kinley's Death.
wATcHMAN HAD BEENTAkEN OFF
Coroner's Inquest Results in Severe
Verdict Askam Examined the
Scene OF the Wreck.

TIE verdict Of the jury Of inquest IN ths
death OF Neal Mckinley. rendered yes
terdav. charges the Great Northern Rail
wsy Company with gross negligence IN
not protecting the lives % its passengers
nrd e-n-sove< The two items Of evidence
which apparently cid most 20 produce
such a conviction in the minds OF the
Jurors were that relating &c the removal
OF the night Waterman and that concern
ing the taking down OF TIE caalonaFy
signal 10 trains
The inquest was held by Coroner Askam
at 4 o'clock in Bonney & Stewards TN
dertaking establishment, corner OF Third
and Columbia streets. The following
composed the jury: James Lee. c. +. De
vine r. r. Lonsway. c. III. Knapp. Thos.
Hood and T. G.. Bird. DR.. Askam had re-
ouested Prosecuting Attorney 4. ". Has
tie TO conduct the examination Of wit
nesses, but owing To a pressure Of other
business the prosecuting attorney was
unable to be present. DIR. Aszam himself
questioned the witnesses. A ID. Warner
was present I'm behalf of Mrs. Mckinley.
and also took part in examining the wit
nesses.
In order 70 famiiiarize himself with the
exact locality ar which the accident oc~
Cured. DR.. Askam had gone out On the
Great Northern yesterday morning 10
make q personal inspection. The train on
which he returned was an hour and
half late, and il was O'Clock when the
inquest was begun. The witnesses ex-
amined were: DR.. Rufus Smith, the COM
pany's surgeon: f. Z. Foley. the con-
ductor: Archie Montgomery. William N.
Craig, the roadmaster; Gus Johnson. Gus
Nelson, William Lowe and c. 4. w. Os-
good. The evidence went 20 show that the
railroad has always employed special
night Waterman at the scene OF the acct
dent until June /, when without any spe-
ciai cause the Waterman was taken on.
Witnesses also agreed that the road had
up TO that time kept displayed a caution
ary signal 10 trains. prohibiting speed
greater than four miles an hour. thus al
Lowing engineers to proceed at their own
discretion. II was also in evidence that
the scene Of the accident is regarded by
railroad men as a dangerous place: that
the bluff on which the slide occurred ~
about $50 feet high, sloping at an angle OF
from IS &c a. degrees: thar slides there
have been of frequent occurrence: that
the darger is greater at that particular
roint in summer than i'm winter, since in
the wet season the ground packs hard and
is not so apt TO slide, and that at the time
of the slide on Sunday evening, August
25, no Waterman was on duty TO warn
the train.
At the conclusion of the testimony, Cor
oner Askam said to the jury: me IL
is not customary for me to deliver
charge to a jury of inquest. yet / will
call your attention to the two alterna-
tiyes with which you are confronted
i'm finding a verdict i'm this case. on the
ere hand IL YOU believe that the railroad
failed to take proper precautions Tor the
safety OF its trains, ii is your duty SO TO
charge IN your verdict. On the other
hand, If you are convinced that IL did
take all due precaution, then ii is your
duty 10 exonerate il specifically from all
blame i'm the matter. And in reaching
either of these conclusions i need hardly
remind you that you are TO free your
minds entirely from all prejudice against
the corporation and all personal feeling
with reference TO the deceased, and be
governed wholly by the evidence which
has been laid before you"
The jury then retired 10 an inner room,
and after celebrating about twenty min
utes. brought in the following verdict:
we. the coroner's jury. summoned 70
inquire into the death Of one Neal Nc
Kinley on Sunday. August =. do ind that
he came TO his death occasioned by a
landslide. wrecking a train at mile post
IT, on tho Great Northern railroad. and
that the accident was caused by gross
negligence on the part Of said railroad
officials In not protecting The lives OF
their passengers and employees
(Ssaed) IT. @. BIRD. Foreman.
JAMES LEE.
80. II KNAPP.
THOMAS HOOD.
-. r. LONSwAY.
&C. J.. pENINE"