Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-01
Not Criminally Responsible for the
Death of Contractor Jones.
VERDICT OF TIE CORONER'S JURY
Particulars of the Accident as Re-
lated by Witnesses.
PROCEEDINGS AT INQUEST

The particulars of the accident which
ended the life of Contractor Zephaniah
jones, at the corner of North Capitol and
II streets, yesterday morning, as detailed
in yesterdays Star, were told to the coro-
ner's jury at the sixth precinct station at II
o'clock this morning. Earlier in the MORN
ing Deputy Coroner Glazebrook performed
an autopsy at the house of the deceased,
No. 11O4 9th street, and found that a frac-
ture of the base of the skull had been sus-
tanned. The jurymen were sworn over he
body at the house, and they were then
driven to the station, where the evidence
was heard. Reuben F. Gray, the rider Of
the bicycle which caused the fatal injury,
was detained at the police station last
night, and this morning was present at the
hearing. He was represented by Attorney
J. w. Garner. His mother, wife ana child
were present.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook described to
the jury the condition in which he found
MIR. Jones skull. 1t had been fractured
near its base. The fracture, he said. Was
about six inches long. Cerebral hemor-
rhage was the immediate cause of DEATH
he said, while the primary cause was the
fracture at the base of the brain.
Druggist schnfhfrts Testimony.
DR.. A ]. Scna fhirt, who keeps drug
SloiS St SdpltOl anu SlTtetS, WHO
was witness, knew very little of the ac-
cident. The injured man was brought into
his store by Mr.. Gray and others, and
placed on the floor. He was not conscious
-at any time while he was in the store, al
though there was muscular attempt to
get up. Mr.. Gray, the witness said. came
into the store, told his name and where he
lived. He also said that If anything hap
Pened, and he was wanted, he could be
found at the Union building. MIR. Jones.
Mr.. Schafhirt said. was kept there until his
son came and took him home.
Dr. w. G. Suter, who attended the in
jured man, was also examined. He said
that when the injured man was taken from
the store he was in a serious condition.
Before being taken away he partly re-
Gray give his name and address. and leave
direction that everything possible should be
done fer the injured man.
An Eye,witness.
Patrick H Winston. 71G North Capitol
street, testified that he witnessed the ac-
cident, and he volunteered to appear as a
witness. He said that the wheelman was
riding east on H street at a moderate rate
of speed, not at a reckless or fast rate,
and when he reached North Capitol street
he looked at the clock on st. Aloysius
Church. Mr.. Jones, he said, seemed un-
conscious of his surroundings and he
stopped when he got in the street. Had
he taken one more step he would have
been out of the wheelman's way. The
rider turned his bicycle and the front
wheel cleared Mr.. Jones, but the riders
body struck him. and they went down to-
gether. Mr.. Gray, he said, was on top
and ne put his hand under Mr.. Jones' head
and raised Ii from: the concrete pavement.
Mr.. Gray" tho witness remarked, ''act-
ed honorably, 1 thought, and was not
to Jiamc"
than usual of vehicles and Instructions.
Mr. Gray was asked if he desired to make
p statement. He said he had no reason for
not making statement, for he had moth
ing to conceal. His appearance as a wit
ness resulted in pathetic scene, for when
it became necessary for him to refer to
the victim, he was completely overcome
and this affected his wife and mother.
With considerable effort he managed to
continue his story of the sad affair.
Mr.. Gray's Story.
He said he was employed in the specif-
cation department of the government print
ing office, located in the Union building.
When he left home yesterday morning to
go to work he felt uncertain about the
hour of day. While riding along H street
he asked another wheelman for the time
He did not fully understand what .he
other said.
When he neared North Capitol street,
Mr.. Gray said, he lessened his speed as he
wanted to look at the clock. He looked
and saw that it lacked about seven min
utes of o'clock At that time he said
lie had noticed that the street was per-
fectly clear, more than he had ever be-
fore seen it.
Was HOrrfGed.
"When looked up" said Mr.. Gray, Ito
my horror, saw the old gentleman only a
few feet ahead of me. and I made an ef-
fort to get out of his way
He said that he tried to catch Mr.. Jones
and save him, but failed.
did you ring your bell when ycu saw
Mr.. Jones?" he was asked
81 think not" was his reply. 81 had no
time to ring the bell, and 1 thought it
much better to try to get out of his way
He said he thought he had been riding a
little slower than the speed of the cable
cars. but he slackened his speed upon ap-
preaching North Capitol street to see the
time, and comply with the law regulating
speed at crossings. Mr.. Jones, he said
was standing still at the time the accident
happened
The jury returned verdict of accidental
death, finding that the affair was unavoil-
able. Mr.. Gray was thereupon discharged
from custody.