The evening times., 1898-06-25
DEATH OF FREDERICK EsL1N.
A Coroner's jury Inscstigntes the
CunaP.

SdNse.
An inquest to determine the circum-
stances of the death of Frederick NJ Es-
lin. the ten-year-old child of Mr. George
n. Eslin. 12z7 Florida Avenue. was held
at No. police station today. under di-
rection Of Coroner Carr. The boy with
some others. was playing near the tracks
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad near
morning. His companions claimed that
a trainman had thrown a lump of coal
which struck Esiin in the head and rem
dered him unconscious. He died the
next day at the Homeopathic Hospital
DR.. Glazebrook stated to the jury the re-
suit of his autopsy, which, he explained,
was. however. second autopsy, as he
had discovered that one had been per
formed previously by some one else. The
deputy coroner gave II as his opinion
that Eslin died from cerebral hemor-
rhage. following a fractured skull. DR..
Sworms;edt Mr.. Eslin's family physi-
clan. attended the lad. He was witness
before the jury, and testified TO finding
the skull fractured He had the boy
sent to the hospital. where he died. He
suggested then to DR.. Ayler. the resident
physician. that Coroner Carr be at once
trary. however. and performed an autop-
sy. DR.. a. Z. Ayler was the next wit
ness. and described the result of his
autopsy. He said he could not tell wheth-
er the boy died from a fractured skull
or from the result of the anaesthetic ad
ministered. Alva Teeple. No. 1872 Flor
ida Avenue a comrade of the dead boy.
said he found him on lot near the rail-
road track. He had a wound on the
Il ,-;,t,
Hugh Bartlett. a bright nine-year-old
bay, Was the main witness.
He was going TO school: l was back
of him." he testified. The man threw
something and knocked Fred Eslin down. y"
Would you know the man." asked
Coroner Carr.
.'ISthink So
DO you see him here7''
The lad looked around. and resting his
eyes on Thomas Collins, a fireman of en-
gine No. 1O9. indicated him as the man.
Collins sat in the room with his counsel,
he having been arrested yesterday morn
ing on information furnished the police.
The witness said: 1t did not seem to
me that the man threw the coal very
hard. but il knocked Fred down. When
he threw the coal / saw him stoop down
as if to pick up another piece. / jumped
behind a telegraph pole"
DO the trainmen often throw coal at
the boys?"
Yes. quite often"
And the boys throw stones at the
trainmen?
Yes. sir: sometimes
Assistant District Attorney Laskey
cross-examined the lad. and he explained
that the engine was going into the round
house with a man on the tender. He
saw the man look toward Eslin. and then
a piece of coal came from the direction
of the tender. There was no one on the
tender except Collins
Thomas ColliEs, the fireman took tie
stand. and made a statement in his de-
fense. He declared that two of the boys
were walking along one of the track rails
when he saw them One was Eslin. Il
yelled. Get off there; get off,, and !
stopped down to pick up a piece of coal.
and as they got off the track l just toss
ed the coal away. The boy rolled down
the bank and / was so glad that he got
out of the way without being run over.
My conscience is clear. thank God. that he
did not die from a blow from my hand
Collins stood up before the jury and ex-
planned his actions, saying with much
earnestness: Il know / did not hit him.