The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-01
THE RAILROAD TO BLAME.
CORoNkR's YERDICT ON THE SEA
BRIGHT DISASTER.

The Killing of the Misses Terry and Mastc,
Tripps Due to Negligence OF Ordinance
and the Maintenance of n Ciump of oh
ntructive Bushes-Road to DO Moved
SEABrIuHT. N j., Aug 31-The coroners in.
quest In the cases OF Miss Louise Terry. Mist
Juanita Terry and Master Charles Trippe. Jr.
| who lost their lives by being struck by an ex.
| press train at this place on the evening oil
| August %, was held this afternoon ut Packers
! Hall. Seventeen witnesses were sworn. in
GLIDING Mrs. Charles Trppe and Miss Louisa
! Faure, two OF tho survivors OF tho wreck. and
! Martin Malonoy. engineer OF the train. Mrs
| Tripre 10 still weak and had to he
| carried to the wltness chair She and Miss
Fauro both testified that they did not see
the express train until they were on the
track. their view being cut of by shru bbcry en-
! the railroad com Hanys property. Several wit
ncsscs swore that an approaching southbound
train could not be seen 100 feet from the cross
ing on account OF the bushes.
The jury. after being out for an hour. re-
turned the following verdict:
We. the Coroner's jury. at tho inquest held
In scabrlght. N. j.. on Aug. 81. 1899. ind that
tho Central Railroad OF New Jersey Ia respon-
sible for tho deaths Of Catherine Louise Terry,
Juanita Terry and Charles W. Trlppe, Jr, at
the north borough crossing at Seabrght. N. j..
on Aug. %, 1899. about 3 80 p. NJ, being
struck BY a locomotive attached to a south
bound exnress train, for tho following reasons:
First-For allowing the running Of the ex-
press trains causing tho accident at a higher
rate Of speed than an ordinance Of the Borough
OF Senbright allows
Second-For allowing an obstruction to be
maintained on the property In the form OF
shrubbery near where the accident occurred
which prevented the view Of southbound trains
We recommend that the Central Railroad Of
New Jersev have erected without delay gates
and put tender in charge OF the north hor-
ough crossing. whore the accident took place
in order to protect life and limb.
Mrs. Trppe broke down and sohbed several
times while giving her testimony.
when we reached the crossing the horse
was stopped" she said. and Louisa aud Juan
tia both looked in different directions and saw
nothing Then my little sister Juanita looked
again to he sure. and saw nothing. Then we
drove across the tracks. Inext saw the loco
motive, and don't remem Der an ythIng further"
Mayor p. Hall Packer testified that he was at
sceno OF accident about fifteen minutes after
ward. and at the advice of Mr. Calef C. f. Laid
law and other summer residents. he had the
bushes cut down at once. The bushes were
from five TO thirteen feet high and occupied
space Of twenty-five feet along the railroad on
the Hamerslough lawn. He also swore that
an ordnance had been adopted by the
Council on Sept. -. 1897. to regu-
late the speed OF trains. and notices had
been served on the railroad officials and en-
gineers. But they were never regarded He
also notified the company to put up gates at
all crossings.
The evidence will be submitted to the Octo-
Der Grand Jury. when an effort will be made to
have the officials OF tho Central road indicted
Mayor Packer this afternoon appointed a
Committee OF Five to act in conjunction with
tho Mayor and Council to have the road ON
which the accident occurred changed to the
west side OF the town. The committee COM
prises A. II. Calef Charles Mcdonald, j. Harsen
Rhoades. W. A. Street and c. E. Laidlaw