Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-08-06
GUS parties to the scene continues al
most unabated.
THE INQUEST.

THE INQUEST.
Atlantic City, N. j., Aug. 3.-The
10 injured persons who are at the Sani-
tarium were all doing we'll this morn
ing and there is no immediate danger
of any more deaths tE#
AT 10 O'Clock the Odd Fellows Hall
was thrown open to the public and
half hour later the coroner's inquest
was commenced. The crowd in attend
ance was not nearly 80 large as bad
been anticipated, and when the session
opened the hall was not more than half
filled. Most of the spectators were
relatives of the victims. Coroner Nc ]
Laughlin was the first of the officials
to make an appearance. and shortly
afterwards the jurymen filed in. They
are: City Hall Commissiober Charles
Evans, foreman; ex-Postmaster Levi
Albertson, City Hall Commissioner
John B. Champion, G.. Il. Adams. IT.
j. Dickerson and ex-City Clerk Lewis
Evans. Every side of the case was
represented by counsel. For the coroner
Prosecutor Perry appeared. Judge
Joseph Thompson, law judge of A tlantic
county, represented the Reading com
pany and Joseph H. Gaskilf looked
after the interests of the Pennsylvania.
On a special train from Cape May this
morning came Gen. William j. Sewell,
vice president of the United Railroads
of New Jersey, and Assistant General
Passenger Agent George w. Boyd OF
the Pennsylvania Railroad CO. They
will be present during the inquest.
Gavin W. Hart of Philadelphia ap-
peared as associate counsel for the
Reading
The inquest is being officially held
on the body of Philip II. Goldsmith, the
Bridgeton clothier whol was killed
hand in hand with his wifo and others
whose identity has been fully estab-
lished. A map of the fatal crossing,
tackled on the wall, aided in the in
vestigation. The proceedings were
opened by ex-Judge Gaskill, who asked
permission to aid in the investigation.
This request was made. he explained,
because he knew that in this inquest
all counsel are here merely as r,atter
would like to suggest logical order to
pursue in the inquest. Judge Thomp-
son, for the Reading, made similar
request, but thought IL would be more
fitting for the prosecutor of the county
from the railroad companies counsel.
He added that the Reading company is
anxious that the investigation shall be
made complete and thorough, and that
the blame shall be fixed where it be-
longs regardless Of consequences, and
that in furtherance of this purpose the
company will produce a number of
railroad men who will materially assist
na ~,
the suggestion that Prosecutor Perry
should conduct the case anil that
official accepted the responsibility. He
said his Office is to assist the coroner
in every possible way in the effort to
there we're. A brief consultation was
then held between the lawyers regard
ing. the order to be pursued.
The first witness called was Thomas
w. Trenchard. city solicitor of Bridge
Trenchard, who were killed in the
fled the bodies of Charles p. McGear,
ID. johnson, Pearl Muta, p. II. Gold
Muta. William @. Loper, Mrs. P. II.
boiueuitn anu boFoihi othot DriuRo-
tonians.
the employ of the West Jersey a. Sea
shore railroad, said he had made two
maps Of the scene Of the wreck. He
explained the geographical conditions
in the map, pointing out the tracks OF
the railroads and the signal tower at
the. junction. , There are signals on
hntt ,nn.I,i .,I,,,t 4. nm faat ~, "a; tl,.,.
side of the CROSSING Gin both roads
there are signals within few feet Of
one mile of4the towerin each. direction.
There are small levers cpnnected. with
the tracks, which. by the passing Of the
trains, ring bells in the tower, giving
warming Of their approach. n. ssgs n
q. III. Hitchcock, another civil en-
gineer. who made the second map on
relative distances between the tracks
of tho two roads as they converge
towards tho crossing.
Mr.. Gaskili had read an agreement
made ON June llth, 1856, between the
railroad, by which the West Jersey is
permitted to cross the Reading tracks
in order to connect with the Camden
operations of the crossing and the
arrangement of signals and the employ
ment of men at the tower is left to the
West Jersey company. Mr.. Gaskill
next read tho signal rules. which in
substance are as follows: All engines
and trains approaching the crossing
must be carefully prepared to come to
full stop 150 feet from the crossing
unless the signal of right of way is dis
played. In the case of two trains com
ing together priority is given thus:
First, passenger trains as class; ;
second, freight trains as class; third,
all other train as a class; fourth,
engines without trains. The trains
of the Reading are given precedence at
this crossing over the West Jersey and
the latter have precedenca at the Baltic
avenue crossing When the distant
semaphore signal, about 1000 feet
from the crossing, is in horizontal
position by day and there is red
light by night danger is signified and
train must be prepared to come to
full stop. When the same signal is in
a hanging position by day or white
light is shown ut night safety is indi-
Gated and train may 90 ahead. With
the home signals the same positions
are used, but III case the da lger signals
there the train must come TO full
stop. Simplitiod, this means that the
distant danger signal meaps caution
and the hcme danger signal, that ut the
crossing, means STOP.
T.. o. Dayton, superintendent of the
West Jersey road, said that by the
mechanical arrangement of the signals