Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-26
STRUCK BY A CAR.


mrHs Jpuannh u. WILCOX instantly hllleu
Thursday Afternoon on the Eivsrview
Branch of the City hallway.
Mrs. Johanna G. Wilcox. agel about
80 years. wife Of Lewis Il. Wilcox of
No. 2307 Market street, was struck and
killed by Riverview car at Twenty
fourth and Market streets Thursday
afternoon.
The accident occurred shortly before
2 O'Clock. Mrs. Wilcox was struck in
the head, but was not run over.
AT the time she.was going from her
house TO the grocery store Opposite, and
evidently did not see the car.
DR.. E. q. Shortidge, who was sum
moned, found that death was almost in
Simultaneous.
The car was stopped as soon IN posi-
bio, and the lifeless body was removed
by the street car men and others, who
carried it to her residence.
The street car mon and passengers
were horror. stricken, and those who
saw the accident wero unable to &C.
count for ii.
Her husband and one daughter, Mrs.
Herman j. L. Ahrens, survive her.
Mr.. Wilcox ia a letter, carrier.
The funeral took place Sunday after
noon from her husbands residence. In
terment was made at Rivsrview,
The jury summoned By Deputy Cor
oner Chandler to inquire into the acGi-
dent, met Monday evening at the deputy
coroner's Office and after hearing the
testimony of dozen witnesses, rem
dered verdict "That Mrs Johanna
G. Wilcox, came to her death by being
accidentally struck by car No. l07 OF
the Riverview line of the Wilmington
City Railway Co. on Thursday, A ugust
10Th, on Market street, hetween Twenty
third and Twenty fourth streets, at or
about l. 35 p. M, and that Moses G.
Lawtber, ths Iuotorman OF the car is
eSonerated form all blame Herewith.
The testimony OF the witnesses was
very conflicting, some testifying that
the car was going only al a moderate
rate Of speed. while others swore that
il was going ut greater rate OF epeed
than usual on that line, one OF them,
Lewis Weiderman, in expressing his
idea of the speed saying: 1t went so
fast that didn't know whether it had
wheels or WINGS There was also
conflict of testimony as to whether the
motorman rang the bell or not.
Moses e. Lawther, the motorlnan of
the car. said when he 6rst noticed the
woman he began ringing the bell. The
car was going about six or seven miles
an hour. From the direction the woman
was guing he did rot think she was
going to cross tho track, when sud
denly she changed her course and
stepped in front Of the car aud was
knocked across the rail. He stopped
the car before the wheels touched the
womans $ body. Had he been going at
fast rate of speed, he said, the woman
would have been run over by the car.
His testimony was corroborated by
Conductor ii. j. Hession.
The only other witness who seems to
have seen the entire accident was
Harry II. Hart, teamster, who said
the car was gung down the grade
abuut as fast aa he ever saw one go.
His attention was first attracted to the
car when he saw drunken man going
out Market street in buggy. The man
was so drunk that he though his
team would be struck by the car. After
the car had passed the buggy, Hart saw
Motorman Lawther turn the current
handle and watched the car until it
struck Mrs. Wilcox. The bell did not
ring. hut Just before the car struck the
woman, the motorman again turned
the current handle and put on the
brakes. Mrs. Wilcox was struck on the
left side and hurled s or 10 feet in front
of the car, and when she attempted to
rise the car was again upon her, when
the bumper struck hor in the back of
| the bead and felled her face forward to
| tho cobhlestones. He ran over and said
tu Motorman Lawther, My God, what
did you do that for?' The wheels OF
the car were touching the woman q
dress. The car was backed and Hart
lifted tho wnman's head up on his
knee, but she did not speak. The
woman was carried TO her home.
a fter hearing the evidence the jury
retired for about 10 minutes and rem
dered tho verdict as above stated.
H.G. Knowles, VINO has heen retained
as counsel for Mr. Wilcox to bring suit
against tile railway company, was
present and heard the testimony of the
witnesses.