El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-23
Such Was Yesterdays Ca
tastrophe, Says the
Coroner
SOMETHING DROPPED
On the Track, Hee. Thinks,
And That Caused
All the Trouble
And Ruin

The inquest over the body of the
man killed in the accident at the G.
81. station yesterday was held this
morning in Judge Kemp's law Office.
The testimony of the witnesses ex-
amined was not conclusive as TO the
ment in the statements was as to the
soundness of the ties. aud the good con-
dftion of the rails and switch rods.
The preponderance of testimony
seemed to indicate that the most prob
| able caused of the accident was the
falling of something on the track,
which derailed the engine. What this
something was, does not.appear.
Upon the evidence adduced and af-
ter q personal examination of the
track Immediately after the accident,
Judge Spencer rendered a verdict
of unavoidable accident, prob
ably caused by some: obstruction fall
ing on the track, and thus derailing the
engine.
This verdict sbsolves the railrosd
company from blame and liability for
damages.
The testimony given was all by en-
ployes OF the railroad company ,sexcept
shat of Martin Boyle, of the ST. George
hotel, who is, however, ansold railroad
man.
The testimony in full.of W. I. Henry,
the engineer ofz774,.is as follows.
81 am employed by the G., HIS.
A: company, and was acting as en-
gineersonsengine 764 at the time. GSaid
engine was going west along thessouth
track of the passenger depot, jumped
the track and smashed into the bag
gage room of the depot. 1 was pulling
out of the scale track with four oars at
tached, running at theSrata of between
four and five miles an hour: had start
ed to slow up for switchman to
get off to throw switch for engine
to back back; as the engine had
only about three ssscar-lengths to go
before switching Oback, 1 had the
steam shut off the engine at the time
ib jumped the track. What caused
the engine to jump the track I do not
know, as 1 looked at the track and
switch after the accident and found
nothing,wrong with the engine. There
was nobody that I cav on the south
side of the depot. While the engiue
was being derailed L reversed the en-
gine.and applied the air brakes, and
remained on the engine. 1 did not
see any of the persons that were in
jured. L had switched up aud down
the track at the scene of the accident
or times that day and If there WAS
anything wrong with the track
1 would have known it. In running
my engine along the south track of
the depot 1 am always very careful
because OF the narrow space between
the track and the depot building,
watching for persons who may be COM
ing along there, and trying to avoid
any accidents from suoh cause.''
John w. Riordsn, section foreman,
testified that the accident occurred
while he was working on the track
north: of the depot, 100 yards away,
and that he Immediately ran to the
baggage room and assisted in getting
out two men who were crying and
groaning, one of whom afterward
died. He did not know their
He examined the track both before
and after the accident, and found it
In good shape. His opinion of the
cause of the accident was that some
thing may have broken down and
dropped on thestrack.
The ties were ties which had been
'reated with preservative solution,
had been ms months and should last
;en years.
E. w. Schwartz, the fireman, testi-
led that he was sitting on the left
'ide OF the engine as it ran south, and
ais testimony corroborated in almost
Every detail with that of Engineer
Henry. When the engine left the
ICOntinuo6 m Sth ~a1