Evening star., 1895-02-11
UNDER CAR WHEELS
Inquest of the Fatal Accident on the Belt
Line Road.
COrOncr's Jury Hears Testimony on
the Affair TOday-HOw Mr..
Woodward Died.

There was a fatal accident at Virginia
avenue and 10th street southwest Satur-
day afternoon about o'clock, which was
the direct result of the cold weather and
condition of the street. Joseph Woodward,
the victim Of the accident, was a huckster,
who lived at No. 14O N street southwest.
He was walking behind the wagon, which
was moving along the line of the Belt line
car tracks. There was car drawn by four
horses approaching, and when the drivers
Of the car horses made an outcry the man
on the wagon pulled his horses to the side
and got out of the way. The car was only
short distance from the wagon at that
time. Woodward, whose head and ears
were covered to protect him from the cold,
was unable to hear the warning, and ne
evidently did not see the approaching car,
for he remained on the track and did not
heed the warning. The drivers. James
stop the horses, but were unable to do SO
until after Woodward had been knocked
down and dragged some distance.
The police patrol wagon was called ana
gency Hospital. All the way to the hos
pital the injured man talked of his wife
and child. He realized that he could not
recover, and was extremely anxious about
those whom he would have. to leave be-
hind him. When the hospital was reach
ed it was found that his left arm was
broken and he had sustained severe in
ternal injuries, in addition to several ex-
ternal bruises and cuts. His wife was
sent for, and she arrived at the hospital
early in the evening, remaining there un-
til her husband died, yesterday morning.
The autopsy, performed by DR.. Glaze
brook yesterday, showed that the severe
internal injuries had caused death.
Coroner Hammett made an investiga-
tiOn of the case and had the body sent to
Wright's undertaking establishment, No.
OF fhyUa yhara a m
quest was begun this afternoon.
Before the Coroner.
Henry Garner, young man. who was
with the deceased at the time Of the ac-
cident, was the first witness examined. He
thought the drivers of the car could have
saved Mr.. Woodward's life had they pulled
the horses from the track. The witness
&C implanted that the car bell was not
sounded, and said that Mr.. Woodward
vas knocked down before the drivers made
an outcry to warn him of danger.
After he was knocked down, said wit
ness, and the car was stopped, one of the
drivers told witness to take the injured
man away, but he (witness) could not
move him without assistance. and the
railroad men finally assisted him.
What did Mr.. Woodward say to you
after he was knocked DOWN." the coroner
asked.
He asked for his wife and child" the
witness replied.
Henry Squirting, a disintsrested witness,
told tho jury that he thought the drivers
and conductor did all they could in the
matter. The driver pulled up. the horses
as quickly as they could and then assisted
in removing the injured man.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook testified to
the autopsy, and said any one Of the three
injuries sustained would have caused
death. He thought it remarkable that the
nan should have lived so long. Death
was the result Of shock
George w. Leonard testified that he was
crossing Virginia avenue at the time of
the accident. He heard one Of the drivers
call Look out" and the next thing he saw
was the man under the horses. Wood
ward. he said. was facing the horses, and
he knew Of no reason why he should not
have seen the horses. Witness thought
that in attempting to get out of the way
Mr.. Woodward slipped and fell
Cnder the Car.
DR.. Edward Green. druggist, at Virginia
avenue and 10th street, was called, but he
said he did not witness the accident He
went out of his store and saw the man
under the car.
James H. Gates. one of the drivers Of the
Belt line road. who had charge of the
brakes when the accident happened, testi-
fled that he called to the man in charge of
the wagon to get out of the way. The
wagon driver pulled out Of the way, and
Woodward, who was walking behind the
wagon. either jumped or stumbled under
the horses. Witness applied the brakes
and the car slid against him.
The injured man, he said, wanted to
know what would become of his wife and
children.
The horses did not touch the man. If
Mr.. Woodward had followed the wagon he
would not have been injured.
The jury returned a verdict of accident
al death and exonerated the railroad en-
ployes.