Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21

witness could not say whether the gate
was open or closed. 1t was open after the
train stopped.
Gould Mr.. Claughton have driven on the
crossing If the gate had been closed?"
asked the coroner.
Not without breaking it, was the an
swer.
Were the gates broken?'
NO"
Then they must have been open?'
Il think they were"
Continuing, the witness said that the
accident occurred at two minutes past Z
o'clock. 1t was getting dark. In reply 10
a question from juror, he stated that he
could not possibly have stopped the train
OF first seeing the carriage The parties in
the carriage could see plainly along the
track toward Baltimore. but not in the
opposite direction without looking behind
the station. 1t looked like the horses were
going at pretty good pace. The witness
did not have a chance to blow the whistle
after seeing the vehicle. The land at the
crossing is level and no cars were stand
ing on the track.
Gates Should Have Been Down.
Alfred ]. Scott. 1860 Parish street, Phila-
delphia. the conductor of the train, testi-
fled that the train approached the crossing
at Deanewood at usual speed. The en-
gineer threw on the emergency brake The
witness thought that the tower man had
suddenly changed the signals but, looking
out. he saw the signal for clear track
The train stopped, and the witness saw
what had happened. Both Mr.. Claughton
and Miss Gusts were unconscious. The
witness sent for physician, superintended
the removing of the dead horse from the
south track, tagged the south-bound train
ana no physicians having arrived, put the
injured on that train and sent them to
Washington.
Continuing, the witness said that the
tower men are instructed to have the gates
DOWN on the approach of every train.
There is man or duty in the tower at all
times, day and night. The witnesses were
satisfied that the gates were open at the
Tune OF the accident. having been informed
effect.
No Right TO Neglect the Gates.
"A man has no right to neglect the gates
for the wire. no matter how important a
message may be-" declared the witress.
He should operate the gates at all Odds
He does not have to leave his seat to oper-
ate the gate lever"
In some cases. so said the witness, the
tower dispatcher is on duty fer twelve
hours straight. The gates should be closed
when train arrives In sight, which is usu-
ally half a mile from the station. The road
at Deanewood runs diagonally to the track
and the station there is an obstruction to
the view Of the track. In the opinion of
the witness the man driving the horses did
not see the train until he was about to be
struck
d. NJ. Reed. the fireman of the train was
on the opposite side of the engine from the
engineer. He merely saw the horses fall
after they had been struck. The engineer
sounded the whistle four hundred yards
from the crossing, giving the customary
four blasts, two long and two short The
witness rang the bell in the usual manner
The gates were wide open.
TOwermnn Bakers Testimony.
Levi T. Baker, the operator in the tow
err was next called before the jury and was
examined at length. His testimony was
as follows:
Il went on duty at $50 o'clock last
evening. One train was due at 7O1 and
another at 1902. 1 was calling the opera
tor at Landover on the wire to get the
time that the incoming train passed his
station when l heard the train from Wash
whistle. When / heard the noise of the
train there was 10 time to close the gates
The vehicle had approached at very
rapid pace. Had 1 attempted to lower the
gates, when first heard the train, l would
have shut the vehicle in on the tracks. l
hal been notified not to keep the gates
down long. L worked at Bennng some
times and know of a few Instances of peo-
pie being shut in between the gates
Very Dangerous Crossing.
. THE crossing is a very dangerous place."
continued Baker. at is too much for one
man to look after. In conversation with
other operators I have repeatedly remark
ed that it was only a question of time be-
fore somebody would be killed there. The
operator is required to be constantly On
duty for twelve hours at a stretch When
L first saw the buggy it was forty wards
OFF and approaching very rapidly / had
no orders to close the gates to the neglect
OF messages. All the operators of my ac-
quatntance have expressed the opinion that
the work at the Deanewood tower is too
much for one man. One operator stationed
there asked the company for yateman or
a raise In salary. as the work was so great
saw the buggy and the train about the
same time.
Gates Machinery i'm Poor Condition.
Had / heard the whistle would have
jumped up Immediately. 1 did not hear
the bell. 1 couldn't operate the gates from
my seat. In order to do so it is necessary
to rise and walk three feet. The gates are
very unwieldy and have been broken a
Thousand times. guess. While the train
was approaching 1 was occupied in the
telegraphing. The rules require that the
tower man shall hold the signals with his
M NOS Until the trains pass. couldn't do
that ana operate the gates also. The fac.s
are had to receive Two messages operate
the signals and lower the gates at the same
time.
1T is customary" Baker went on to saw
TO have two men stationed at such a
crossing as the one at Deanewood There
have been several narrow escapes there to
my knowledge"
The Story Of an Eye-Witncss,
Joshua p. Disney, the track foreman.
who resides at Deanewcod, was an eve
witness of the occurrence. AS Disney WIS
standing in the yard in front of his house
the vehicle in which was Mr.. Claughton
and Miss Custis passed.
The witness spoke to them, and a mo-
ment later heard a train approaching. He
halloed- to them Look out1' But they
did not heed the warning Mr. Claughton
was driving fast and the gates were open
The witness did not hear the whistle and
he could not state positively whether the
bell on the engine was ringing or not In
his opinion the occupants Of the vehicle
heard the train before reaching the track
The witness saw the operator in the tower
rise and start hurriedly toward the gate
lever. but 1t was then too late When
asked by the coroner IL he considered the
crossing at Deanewood dangerous. the wit
ness replied that. In his opinion. ali rail-
road crossings are dangerous
Adjourned to Monday.
Joseph Suell.. in charge of the baggage
car of the New York train, was positive.