Evening star., 1898-09-28
DEATH BY ACCIDENT
Verdict of Coroger's Jury in Case
of James1Winohester.
COLLlDTD WlfHCPIRAL TRACTION CAR
Motorman Carroll Exonerated and
Released Hom Custody.
REPORT OF THE EVIDENCE

This morning at IL o'clock Coroner Carr
held an inquest at the third precinct sta
tior in the case of James Winchester, the
boy who was killed in a collision with a
Capital Traction car in front of the Treas
ury Department yesterday morning. as pub
lished in The Star President Dunlop of
the railroad company and Mr.. R. Ross
Perry, the companys counsel, were pres
ent at the hearing. Mr.. J. V. N. Huyck,
who was the boys employer, was present
IN the interest of deceased's relatives. The
broken bicycle was exhibited to the jury.
A number of witnesses were examined and
the jury returned verdict of accidental
death The verdict fully eXonerated Motor
man Carroll, who was under arrest, and he
was released.
The COrOner's Statement.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook was The first
witness examined. He testified that he
found the body of a wsll-nourished hoy at
the Emergency Hospital. An examina ton
o! the body showed a very severe fracture
o. the skull. There was, also, blood ves-
sci cut. Death las due to hemorrhage fol-
lowing a fracture of the skull.
Miss N. 7. Allen testified that she saw
the boy when he struck the car.
THE wheel and rider" she said went
Down together"
Witness judged that the boy was riding
east as the car was moving west. The car,
she thought, was going at about the usual
rate Of speed. She, could not say 1t was
going fast Miss Allen said she was pas
senger on the car at the time. She did not
sec the boy in time to tell what caused tha
accident.
Was this an open carr" Mr. Perry
asked
Yes, SIR the witness replied
She said she got on about the middle of
n n + yr-os
her opinion that the car had turned the
curve at 18th street before the accident oc-
CURED Some passenger speaking or max
ing an ontcry attracted her attention to the
boy. She could rot say that the front of
the car struck him.
Miss A. Ross. cciored, 1913 r street, told
the jury that she was in the grip car about
the third seat frcm m the front when the ac.
cident happened. She could not tell just
how it occurred. The car. she thought
was going at about the usual speed, and it
was her idea that the bicycle struck
against the running board. She could not
say that his head struck the car. He was
thrown toward the rear of the car AMI
she thought he was afterward taken from
beneath the pla tforn.
How far did the. car go after the boy
was 3truck?' the coroner asked.
1t stopped almost Immediately" she an.
sWered. /
junction, andzit had progressed to about
midway of the square when the collision
took place. She knew nothing of the wheel
man presence near the car until the BIZ
cycle struck othe platform. Then all she
saw was the Wheel, for the rider had been
thrown beneath thegrunning board and she
did not see him until he taken out by
some men. Witness said she was positive
the wheel first struck the running board
and not the front of the car.
other Witnesses.
Miss Marie Madert, who lives on Kenyon
street, also ai passa1iger on the car, was
next questioned. She knew nothing of what
had happened until after the car had stop
ped. -".T
Miss Ella Cox. No. 2S21 14th street, was
a passenger on the trailer. She was con-
versing with Miss Madert at the time and
did not witness the accident.
Mr.. F. W. Crossart, 5O5 NJ street north
west, testified that the car was near the
treasury when he walked back and saw a
boy riding a wheel He thought the bicv-
Gle struck near the rear of the car which
stopped when it had gone about a cars
length. The boy. he said. came from the
south side of the avenue. Witness thought
he either miscalculated his speed or he
lost control of his bicycle. Witness said
the accident happened about in front of the
Department of Justice. He was on his way
to the War Department at the time and
looked out the window to see how far he
was from his office. He said the boy was
bent over on his wheel at the time the ac-
cident happened.
MISS tFdce hcCullOcn teStlf1ed that she
was on the car when the accident occurred
She saw when the car came in contact
with the wheel
Did you see the wheel before it struck
the caro- the witness was asked.
Il can't say that | did" she answered.
II have the impression of a wheel whizzing
by the car
Witness knew that the wheel did not
strike tho front of the car
Bicycle Struck the Car.
Rev. N. H. Robinson. colored, 221 1 street
southwest, testified that ne was a passen-
| ger on the rear He saw the boy on the
wheel before the accident occurred. There
was a car going east at the time and sew
| eral wheels on the street were keeping
away from the tracks. Witness said he
thought the boy did not see the car going
west and tried TO ride over the tracks Wit
ness had just taken his eyes off the boy
| he said, when he heard the crash The BIZ
cycle, he thought, struck the grip FAR
about the third seat from the front When
| the car stopped the victim was near the end
| of the trailer. Witness feared the boy S
arm would get caught under the wheels
| and he jumped from the car and grabbed
him.
| w. H. Carroll motorman in charge of the
car, testified that yesterday morning he
stopped his just after getting off the
| his when he got signal from the
conductor and the first he saw of young
Winchester was when he was crossing the
eastbound track. He had his head down
| and was going alta good gait Witness
thought the boy was not paying attention
| to where he was going. He came from the
rear of the eastbound ear. Witness said
| his train was almost at a standstill when
| the bicycle struck the motor. He could not
possibly have avoided the accident. This
latn h..t 1e,tsr,