The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-14
is BRIEF.
Finding in Suburban
Inquest.
OTHER DECISIONS
Handed Down in Cases Of
Violent Deaths.

uedIDS,
heard before him in the central district
court Paramount in interest is the
nnd1ng in connection with the death
Of Walter H. Holbrook and John Ker-
rigan, victims of the electric car acct
dent on the Leicester line, Dec. 81,
1898
Judge Utley mentions the fact that
the DAY was extremely toggy, but lays
special stress on the fact that when
the car of which Michael c. Calvin
was conductor and Thomas Hiney mo-
torman, reached the Church SWITCH -
tney should have waited there He also
mentions the fact that Kerrigan and
Holbrook were riding on the front
platform of the car, but as this is al
lowed by the railroad company, he
makes no comment.
IN connection with the death of Ger
trude A. Creelman, the s,sane hospital
attendant, he finds that she committed
suicide by taking poison, and that no
unlawful act of any other person con-
tributed to her death.
Otner findings were on the, deaths of
John Mccarthy, John e. Hedfors. Ed
as follows:
The following is the finding in the
case OF Holbrook and Kerrigan, one of
the prlefest documents of the kind on
record, considering the public interest
of the case:
pursuant to a notice from Freder-
lex n. Baker, medical examiner for this
alstrlct, have this day held an inquest
On the podles of John Kerrigan and
wafer n. Holbrook, both of Leicester,
ana ma that on the 21sl day of De-
cember, 1888, at Leicester, while pas
sengers on the Leicester car of the
worcester & Suburban Street Railway
company, the car in which thew were
ndlns, was run. into by another car
OF the same company, and both men
were killed
At this point, it is single track
road, and the day was extremely fog
gy. Michael c. Calvin was the con-
ouctor and Thomas Hiney was the
motorman on the car moving towards
leicester, and when their car reached
the switch known as the Church
sWltch, they should have waited but
instead of doing so they went on, pro-
ceeulng rapidly down a steep hill, and
ran into the car from Leicester cans
ing the death of Kerrigan and Ho1-
brook, and I have held Calvin and
fore the superior
the charge of
a Holbrook were both
- etform with the motor
go, - '7 united by the railway
,y;tbn,lt ~. = note this fact,
The findilg b . ~,
death of Gertlur nc
her age was abuuf -
dence Worcester, and thal f. f#
DAY OF December, 1875 ar VI &c,
while employed as a Domestic - tbs
WnrOnCtap
detected in larceny from the i,7ss.f,-
ton, and committed suicide pv tail 70
poison.
And no unlawful act of any Jther
person contributed to her death.
IN connection with the death of John
MCCARTHY, inquest held December "a
and January and II, the finding is
that his age was 81 years, his residence
Worceshter, and that on the 14th day of
december, 1898, at Worcester. while in
the course of his employment for the
Worcester Coal Company, in a shed of
the company, he was caught between
two cars and injured so that he died
The worcester Coal Company leased
from the Boston &, Maine Railroad
Company certain land for coal sheds
and had a contract with the railroad
company to deliver cars loaded with
coal.
These coal sheds were adjoining the
main tracks and connected Herewith
by two tracks on trestles, making a
very steep grade to the coal sheds,
which were about 200 feet long The
coal company had no right in or control
over the trestle, but were confined to
the shed itself, and the railroad COM
pany were accustomed to use the tres
tie for storage purposes.
On the day in question the railroad
company had placed some cars on the
81 e CVaft ralr
having emptied some cars of coal, had
pushed them out onto the trestle
against the cars put there by the rail-
road company, and had coupled them
thereto, and the last car so placed by
the coal company extended into the coal
shed. All this was in accordance with
the customary dealings of all parties.
There was still one car loaded with
coal ins the shed, which the employees
of the coal company were moving tow
ard the car which extended into the
shed, and when they were near to-
gether, Mccarthy started to pass be-
tween them, was caught between the
draw bars and injured so that he died.
At the same time, the railroad COM
pany, having occasion to use the cars
so placed by them on the trestle,, sent
their engine for them, joined to them,
and started away, when finding that the
empty coal cars had been hitched on,
they disconnected them, and went away
without knowing that an accident had
= occurred.
The question is, whether the railroad
company moved the car into the shed
so as to cause the accident, and if yes
whether they were in fault, or wheth-
er the coal company, in barring TIE
car. caused the accident and were in
X fault.
on this question the train hands SC
u al int hn
3 ton as to substantially impair thair
claim to be believed, but taking into
consideration the grade Of the trestle
q which was great, the weight of the en-
n CINE, which was 35ls tons, I find that
n the railroad or employees were not ir
\ fault, and that the coal company anC
employees were not in fault.
The accident resulted from a loose
Y way of doing business on the part OF
81 both companies.
John Il. Hedfors was 40 years old
4 a resident of Worcester. On the 24tf
n day of December, 1898, while in the
course of his employment as a quarry.
n man a blast of giant powder failed tc
4 explode, and he carelessly, against the
4 directions of his foreman, began tt
drill it out, when it exploded and he
n was killed.
His death resulted from his owr
81 carelessness. And no unlawful act OF
8 any other person contributed to his
u death.
Edward M. Hayward was 26 years ole
n and on the 22d day of December, 1898
n while in the course of his employment
4 as trimmer for the Electric Light
Il Company, trimming a lamp, he was
N standing on the damp ground and re.
NJ ceived a shock Of electricity and was
n injured SO that he died.
n A live wire L1sl become crossed witt
Y the wire upon which he was at work