The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-27
THE coRoNER's JURY VERDICT.
Engineer Bowcn's Death Due to His
Failure 10 Recognize Signals.


The coroner's jury at the inquest held
in the Sixth precinct stationhouse at II
O'Clock yesterday morning TO determine
the cause of the accident which resulted
in the death of Engineer Thomas Bowen.
of the Pennsylvania Railroad, returned
verdict to the effect that the demise OF
Bowen was due to his failure to recognize
the signal, which warned him TO stop his
train.
Bowen was the engineer of the Inflated
Harrisburg express. which collided with
switching train of Pullman and day
coaches in the New Jersey Avenue yard of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, at the corner
of Second and X Streets southeast, at 10:4i
o'clock Tuesday night. He was badly
crushed about the lower portion of his
body and died al Providence Hospital after
undergoing the amputation of his right leg
above the knee.
The jury which was summoned by Cor
oner Carr was composed of George o. Mil
Ter, foreman; George II. Gill, William
Wolf Charles Brill, Andrew Taylor. and
Charles Eisinger, and was sworn in at
Providence Hospital. where the body lay
Deputy Coroner GlaZebrook was the first
witness examined. He described the con-
dition of the body at the autopsy held yes
terday morning. Death, he said, was due
to shock followed by loss of blood.
Fireman Charles l.. Lewis, of Baltimore.
who was in the engine cab with Bowen at
the time of the accident, testified that the
train left the depot on time. He was busy
with his fires until the train reached New
Jersey Avenue He noticed the lights at
the signal station at the Virginia Avenue
crossing and they both showed white. in
dicating that the track was clear. The
train. he said. was moving at the usual
speed of twelve miles an hour. He thought
php lla
tween the time he noticed them and that
of the accident. Just after passing the
signal tower he noticed the reflection of
the headlight of his engine against the
side of the other train and he called to
Pcwen TO look out but it was 200 late.
Between the time of his noticing the re-
Election and that of the accident Bowen
did not have time TO stop his train even
had the proper signals been displayed.
Lewis regarded his own escape from death
and without injury as miraculous.
Richard NJ. Fry, the conductor of the
switching train. stated On the stand that
when his train was crossing from the
north to the southbound track one of
| the car wheels became locked, necesstat-
ing a stop. The stop automatically caused
the red signal to be displayed, which
warned the approaching train. The wit
ness noticed that Bowen had not regarded
I
| lantern in effort TO stop Bowen's train.
| The witness was sure that the red soma
| phore signal was set when Bowen passed
| it, and stated that 1t remained set for sew
| eral hours afterward. He noticed the dan
| ger signal Immediately after the accident.
Z. VI. Davis, brakeman on the yard en-
CINE. gave testimony practically corrobora-
| tive of that Of Conductor Fry. Davis
| stated, however. that Fry waved a white
instead OF a red light r. n. Chambers
! conductor Of the outbound train described
| his movements on his train and the finding
| OF Engineer Bowen beside the track after
| the accident. He noticed the semaphore
signals. and they showed red Bowen be-
| came unconscious. and Chambers sent him
! 10 the hospital. He knew nothing of the
! accident until after il had occurred.
| Trainmaster J. J. Cooper described the
| workings of the switch and signal. He
said that it was impossible for the switch
| TO be opened without throwing the danger
signal. II was the duty of the firemen as
well as the engineers, he said. To keep a
| close lockout for signals The switch
where the accident occurred is constantly
in use, and>is closely protected. The testi-
mony of Cooper closed the evidence, and
| the jury, after n short elaboration, re-
turned verdict as above stated.