Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-11
CHAIN Dip NOT BREAK
Allegation of Witness to oapitalR Rail
way Accident.
SAYS TIE CAR WAS OVERCROVDED
Also That Conductor and Motor
man Both Jumped Off.
THE CORONER,S INQUIRY

The body OF the man killed in the acct
dent on the Capital railway last night was
removed this afternoon to the undertaking
establishment of j. W. Lee, No. 49, PENN
sylvania avenue, where an inquest was
held by direction of Coroner Carr. Ther3
We're several witnesses in attendance who
mad not been summoned. among them
man who Was interested in the operation
OF the brake on thu car. The jury was
composed of Alfred W. Wilson, Charles W.
Downing, John Garner, Daniel c. Frahey,
j. T. Fleishhamer and Edward R. Plant.
Deputy Coroner Glazehrook was the first
witness examined. He performed the au-
tcpsy. He told of the many bruises ne
found about the mans head and body, as
well as on his legs, and said that his pelvic
bones were crushed. His bladder was rup-
tured. and death, he said, resulted from
hemorrhage following the infiction of in
juries.
Braxton L. MohIer, 511 9th street south
east, testified that he went over to Con-
gresS Heights last night in company with
Mrs. Baldwin. They remained until the
pictures were shown and started home
about $3.50 O'Clock. The car came al a
moderate rate of speed for while. Be
fore the conductor finished loading the car
he was told not to take any more passen-
gers. A man not on the car seemed to pc
after the car started the speed, witness
thought was about eight or ten miles an
hour.
When the last start was made the car
was making a more rapid rate. When a
down grade was reached the car was 60
ing at about twenty or twenty-five miles
an hour, and when the asylum hill was
reached witness realized that the car was
beyond the motormans control.
Number of Passengers.
Il should say there were between 140 and
100 people on the car said witness. The
passengers were packed in and out like
sardines."
The witress said the claim had been made
that the cham on the brake broke
That" he said, 'is false for the brake
worked all down the hill"
Near the top of the hill, he said. the con-
ductor quietly jumped and near the foot
of the hill the motorman got off.
Did you say both the motorman and con-
ductor left the car before the collision oc-
curred?' asked Il juror.
Yes SIR, he answered, land a lady
asked me why the conductor had left the
car. l told her l thought he had been
pushed off, as Z did not want to alarm
her." ~
What Examination Showed.
Witness said he understood that an ex-
animation Of the car made after the az
ciGent occurred showed that the chain TN
der the car had broken. This may be true,
he said, but he was positive that the brake
worked down the HILL
Witness said he thought If the motor
man and conductor had remained on the
car they could have stopped it at the bot
tom of the hill, and avoided the serious
accident There were seven women on the
rear platform, and in witness opinion no
one touched the rear brake.
Conductor Werner was called in, and wit
ness said he was not the man to whom he
(witness) had referred as the conductor
of the car.
~ hotormaH's Testimony.
Arthur Shelby, motorman, was also ex-
amined. He testified that when the car
was half way down the hill the chain
brake broke, and witness gave the con-
ductor three bells. As soon as he did so
the rear brake was applied
The car, he said, was going slowly when
the chain broke, but it was going fast by
the time the rear brake was applied
Did you have single or double brake"
'Single brake
Witness said he thought there were about
seventy fve passengers ON the car last
night. He thought the car had a seating
capacity of about forty.
Witness had not concluded his testimony
when The Stars report closed.