The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-01

The coroner's jury in the case OF
Simon Gavelis, who was found dead
last Saturday morning on the Lacka.
wanna railroad near the Brisbir
mine, was unable to render verdict
last night owing to the absence OF
several witnesses. Thus far no light
has been thrown on the case, and the
manner in which Gavelis met his
death Is as deep mystery as the
Walker death, which occurred few
days previous, in the same vicinity.
coroner Roberts yesterday expert
enced much difficulty in securing wit
nesses to testify in the case, and un-
less more conclusive evidence is pro-
| duced at the adjourned hearing this
evening, but little can be learned re-
| garding the manner in which Gavelis
was killed. From the testimony al
ready heard, however, it is quite ap-
| parent that the man was not struck
by a train.
AT the hearing in the arbitration
room of the court house last night,
the first witness called was Edward
Aten, brakeman on the Lackawanna
railroad. The first intimation he re-
ceived of the man on the track was
when riding down from Clark Summit
on an engine. He was informed by
Yardmaster George Price that there
was man on the track and sat on
the head end Of the engine looking for
the body.
AT point about 100 feet south of
the watchman's shanty, Aten saw the
body lying on the track. The mans
head was in a pool of blood near the
frog of a switch, with one arm and
one leg over the west bound freight
track. He noticed a deep cash in
Gavelis' head, but there were no
indications that the man had been
struck by train.
COULD NOT HAVE BEEN STRUCK,
Mr.. Aten testified that he had seen
number Of cases where men had
been struck by trains, but in all his
experience as railroad man, he
never witnessed any that would COR
respond with this case. From the po-
sition in which the body was found
he stated that the man could not
have been struck by a train.
George Price, the assistant yard
master at the Notch, was next called,
There was no marks on the BODY.
other than the cuts on the head, and
the clothing was free from dirt. The
witness could not conceive Of any way
the man could have been killed from
the position in which he found the
body. He did not believe that the man
was struck by a train or engine. His
testimony was to the effect that his
train left the yard at 1.15 o'clock, and
while passing the point where the body
was found, riding on the engine, he
thought he saw an object on the tracks.
He informed the other trainmen, and
when returning from the Summit
stopped and found the body.
Together with the other trainmen, he
assisted in removing the man from the
tracks. His testimony was along the
same line as that given by Brakeman
Aten. He did not think that the man
was struck by a train, and was positive
that he was not struck by the train on
which he rode to the Summit.
John Chusivskie, a neighbor of the
dead man, was sworn, but claimed to
be ignorant of anything pertaining to
the case. He proved to be a stubborn
witness, and If he has any knowledge
of the case. refrained from committing
himself Clusivskie has wound on
his hand, which he claims was inflicted
by himself with knife.
He testified to having been on Theo-
dore street Friday evening, but did not
see GaVelis or hear anything about the
case until after the body was found.
He denied ever having had any trouble
with the dead man, and said he only
knew him a few months previous to his
death.
GAVELIS. ATTENDED WEDDING.
Michael Gavelis. of Nay Aug avenue,
a cousin of the man found on the rail-
road, testified that he attended we'd
ding with Simon Friday evening and
started home with him about II o'clock
On the way, Simon became angry at
being reprimanded for quarreling and
drinking. and started up the railroad
alone. That was the last seen of him
alive.
The witness testified that Simon had
trouble with a fellow named John
Yearsavitch, and the latter left the
wedding ahead of the dead man. Year
savitch also went up the railroad. The
latter was arrested by County Detec-
tive Leyshon, but was afterwards dis
charged.
The coroner will endeavor to locate
Yearsavitch today, together with sew
eral others who attended the wedding,
and their testimony will be heard at