The times., 1898-07-12
Inquest Over the Remains of
Frank S. Hosmer Yesterday.
THE BLAME WILL BE FIXED
IL Is Stated That the Conductor and
Hotorman Hnd Reported to One
OF the Railway officials the Com
ditiOn of the Chain BraIse-Hear-
ing to He Resumed Today.

Lee. at No. 332 Pennsylvania Avenue,
when an inquest was held over the re-
mains of Frank S. Rosmer. who died
from injuries received in the accident,
and who was reported by the police Sun
day night as being unidentified.
Realizing the Importance of making a
thorough and searching investigation,
Coroner Carr took exhaustive testimony
and the inquest was not finished by even
ing. 1t will be resumed at II o'clock this
morning, and verdict will probably be
reached some time today.
Coroner Carr said yesterday that he
was determined to sift the affair TO the
bottom. and determine just where the
blame rests.
The evidence so far shows that the
hill from the st. Elizabeth Hospital for
the Insane to Hillsdale is very steep It's
grade is estimated to be from forty to
forty-five degrees. Witnesses differ rs TO
the number of passengers. The railroad
officials minimize the number. and say
that there were only seventy or eighty
This differs considerably from the esti-
mate of Braxton L. MohIer, of No 51l
Sixth Street southeast, who swore that
there were fully one hundred and fifty
TO one hundred and sixty passengers on
the car.
1t appears that Hosmer was the only
man killed He lived with his widowed
mother at No. 1915 Street northwest,
and was a sketch artist by profession.
Hosmer left home Sunday at 4 o'clock.
Heights. When taken from the wreck
he was unconscious and remained in that
condition until his death a short time
later at Providence Hospital
His body was removed to Lees under
taking establishment where Deputy Coro-
ner GlaZebrook performed an autopsy.
II was then turned over to Undertaken
Zurhorst and prepared for burial
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook was the
first witness al the inquest. He testified
to the injuries that resulted In Hosmer 5
death.
Meanwhile President A. e Randle of
the Capital Railway Company, and a
number OF other officials entered the
room.
BraxtOn L. MohIer, with his head band
aged and evidently suffering considerable
pain. was the next witness. He described
his sensations when the car was running
away.
Asked about the passengers. he said j;
The car was packed. There were from
one hundred and forty to one hundred
and sixty passengers on the car. They
were packed on the seats and they stood
between them and on the platforms and
foot boards. The conductor jumped off
the car just at the top of the hill. He
was on the inside of the car about four
seats from the rear when 1t started to
run away. He then slipped upon the foot
board and jumped TO the ground
At this point the conductor was called
into the room. He said his name was
Wenner. Mohler declared. though, that
he was not the conductor. saying. THAT
is not the man who collected my fare. He
is not the conductor"
Arthur Selby, the motorman, was the
next witness and testified that when half
way down Asylum Hill the chain of the
front brake snapped In Two. He claimed
TO have reversed the current. but il fail
ed to act. and then he gave the signal for
the conductor to put on the rear brake.
He did so. but it did not stop the speed
of the car. said the witness.
How do you know he put on the brake
did you see him?" asked a juror.
application of the brake
Has the car got a single or double
chain brake?" was the next question
"A double chain" was the motorman's
response
You jumped?' inquired the coroner.
''I did, to save my life
]. w Wenner, No. 2155 K Street north
west. who claimed to be the conductor.
testified next.
when the motorman gave me the signal
of three bells TO put on the rear brake"
he said.
II did so. but it did not sop the car. /
was working at the brake when the
crash came"
How many people were on the carr
inquired the coroner.
About seventy or eighty"
No more than 1hat?''
mo, sir ~
How many will it seat?"
About fifty.
Has that car got a single or double
chain brake?"
"A single twisted chain brake.
The next witness was R. W. Barker,
driver of the horse car of the Anacostia
and Potomac River Railway Company.
which was struck by the runaway electric
car. He said he saw the broken chain.
What do you think caused it to break?"
inquired the coroner.
Well" answered the driver. "it was
very much worn. 1t was worn thin"
1t was decided that additional evidence
as to the condition of the chain and the
cause of the accident should be obtained
Policeman Buckmaster was instructed
to secure other witnesses and also to get
the chain. He stated to Times reporter
short time afterward that he had heard
that the conductor and the motorman had
reported to some one of the railway Off
cials the dangerous condition of the chain
brake, and that the brake had refused
to work several times before.
After the hearing had adjourned he
went outside of the building and there
encountered one of the railway officials
with bundle under his arm. The police.
man surmised that the bundle contained
the chain, and asked for it. At first the
official objected, but the policeman in
sisted and was finally given the chain,
which will be exhibited today.
The injured were all resting easily at an
early hour this morning.
The emergency stats at both the Provi-
dence and Emergency Hospitals We're at
work all Monday night and good part
of yesterday. examining and dressing the
wounds of those who had been seriously
injured.
AS the patients were taken in at the
hospitals hasty examination of their
injuries was made, and the wounds tenn
porarily dressed. They were then sent to
a ward until a more thorough examina-
ton could be made.
The police patrol wagons and ambu-
lances delivered the injured men to the
hospitals so fast that a complete dag
nosis of the wounds could not be made
Immediately.
The most serious case at the Proyi-
dence Hospital was that of T. w Rob-
erts. of No. ia Pierce Street. Anacostia
He is reported to be resting easily.
At the Emergency Hospital Guy Lati-
mer, who was severely injured about the.