The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-03
4 Rear END COLLISION
Fatal Accident on The Chesapeake
Beach Railroad.
Conductor j. w. Gilbert Instantly
kilied-iIrs. c. Columbus VIII
Probably Die-Four other Persons
Seriously Hurt-A Misplaced Switch
the Cause of the Accident.

One dead, five injured. is the result of an
accident which occurred last night on the
Chesapeake Beach Railway at Chesapeake
Beach junction, near the District line, at
the eastern terminus of the Columbia
Street Railway Conductor J. w. Gilbert,
a native of Colorado, residing in this city,
and for six months an employe of the
railroad company, is Dead Engineer Gran
vile Kelly had both legs bruised; Mrs.
c. Columbus, of 414 New York Avenue
northwest, was seriously injured about the
back; John T. Hurd, aged thirty years,
fireman, sustained a severe confusion on
the left side and had both legs injured;
Z. Lewis Robinson, 500 Tenth Street north
west and Jesse Rollins, 1859 H Street
northeast, were cut and bruised about the
head and face.
The accident occurred as the inbound
train from Chesapeake Beach reached the
Junction at 1910 o'clock. The train left
the Beach at o'clock and arrived at the
Junction on time. An hour before a train
had preceded it, and through an allegr4
misunderstanding the switch connecting
the main track with a siding had been
left open. AS the train drew in at the
Junction at 1910 O'Clock il was crowded
with passengers. mostly exeursionists who
had spent Sunday at the Beach.
The express was in charge of Cor ductor
Gilbert. Engineer Granville Kelly, with
Fireman Hurd was in the cab of tire leao-
motive. Fireman Hurd was looking SIN ot
the cab as the train drew into the : =
tion, at which there is a small StaIIan,
and several sidings. He saw the mis-
placed switch shouted to Engineer Kelly,
and jumped from the cab. Kelly saw the
misplaced switch almost at the same mo-
ment. threw on the air brakes and leap
ed through the window Of the cab, land
ing on a slight rise of ground Both of
his legs were painfully injured. Fireman
Hurd was unable to Nalk he also having
received injuries CT the side and limbs.
and was picked up, brought TO this city
and placed at Providence Hospital. Kelly
was taken to his homo in Prince George
County, Md, in carriage.
AS the airbrakes were applied there was
a sharp jolt but the train kept on its
course and dashed into long line of cars
standing on the siding. to the south Of the
station. The shock of the collision was
severe and many persons standing in the
aisles Of the coaches were thrown down.
Conductor Gilbert lantern in hand. was
citing on the rear platform of the train.
He was pitched headlong down an embank-
ment.
Mrs. C. Columbus. E. Lewis Robinson.
and Jesse Rollins we're injured by
being thrown against seats of the
car. Mrs. Columbus had just arisen
from her seat when the collision came
She was dashed with great force against
a seat, across the aisle. and thrown to the
floor 1t is feared she sustained intern
al injuries. She was brought to this city
and taken home, where she received med
icai attention. E. Lewis Robinson's in
juries, while painful. are not thought to
be serious. He was removed to his home.
as was also Jesse Rollins.
Word of the accident reached this city
shortly after 10 O'Clock. and the police, to-
gether with surgeons. went to the scene
Among the physicians summoned were
DrS. f. " Brooks chief surgeon of the
Chesapeake Railway. and Drs Stewart and
Boswell, both Of Northeast Washington
Lieutenant Daley. of the Ninth precinct
STATEN. with a force of policemen, was
early On the scene. and several an balances
went as far as the corner of Fifteenth and
II Streets northeast. where hey were
utilized to remove the wounded to their
homes.
The police were kept bus handling
crowds which went out from the city TO ths
scene of the disaster. Late at night Mrs.
Gilbert, wife OF the dead conductor went
out to the Junction. She was not allow
ed TO view the body of her husband, but a
most affecting scene took place as his re-
mains were removed 10 this city in a closed
car. The unfortunate widow was almost
ocercome with grief at the shock
A jury of inquest was summoned by
rf ha Nh.
O'Clock this morning. The jury was sworn
over the body of Gilbert, and then pro-
ceeded TO hear testimony. Among those
examined was DR.. Brooks who gave his
opinion as to the cause of Gilbert's death
This, he said, resulted from a blood cIot
on the brain, superinduced by shock
Other witnesses were examined at length.
and the case was then given to the jury.
They returned verdict as follows:
I'VE. the jury. have come to the con-.
elusion that ]. W. Gilbert. a conductor of
the Chesapeake Beach Railway, came to his
death by being thrown from the platform
of a coach OF his train. From the evidence
we fnd that misplaced switch caused an
incoming train TO collide with empty
coaches. causing said Gilbert to fall from
the train. as stated
The body of Gilbert was then brought to
this city and turned over to Undertaken
Barker for burial.
One Of the passengers on the incoming
train gave the following account of the
accident:
THE accident occurred about 1910
o'clock. A train was on the siding on the
south side of the station. This train had
apparently just gotten into the siding, as
the lights were still lit. and the engine,
it WIS said, had just pulled away. The
train from Chesapeake Beach. leaving at
o'clock, arrived at the station at about
1910. This train. as is customary, should
have pulled into the north side of the
station, but the switch had been left open
after the passage OF the train which was
on the siding, or had been set inadver-
tently by the switchman so as to throw
the incoming train on the wrong track.
The engine had Stacked up, going into