Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-01
BLAMES COMPANY
.Jury's Verdict in Matter of Motorman
Anderson's Oath.
CRIMINAL CARELESSNESS CHARGED
Investigation Into Circumstances
of Accident on Electric Road.
EVIDEN CE S L B NJ TIT E ID

Coroner hewitt held an inquest today a
the fifth precinct police station to ascertain
the responsibility for the death of Joseph
NJ Anderson, the motorman on the Metro
politan electric railway who was fatally
injured in the collision near Glen Echo last
Saturday morning. AS heretofore pub
lished in The Star, Anderson died at the
Georgetown University Hospital Thursday
night. The jury viewed the body at Mitch
ellis undertaking establishment and then
went to the police station where the testi-
mony was heard States Attorney H.
Maurice Talbot of Montgomery county was
present in the interests of his county.
Attorney Edwin G. Niles was present as
counsel for the relatives of the deceased,
while Attorney John Drew represented
some of the men who figured in the acct
dent Mr. George P. Hoover appeared for
the railroad company After hearing the
testimony of a number OF witnesses the
jury returned it's verdict. 1t was to the
effect Anderson's death was the result or
an accident on the Washington and Great
Falls electric railroad. The verdict con-
cludes THAT there was criminal careless
ness displayed by the employees of the COM
pany in ordering Conductor Calvert to run
both east and west on the same track, thus
jeopardizing the lives OF their passengers.
We the jurors, therefore hold the Wash
ington and Great Falls Electric Railroad
Company responsible for tne death of Jo-
seph M. Anderson.
The funeral of the deceased will take
place from the home Of his sister, No. 3OS
c street northeast, at O'Clock tomorrow
afternoon. The interment will be at Con-
gressional cemetery.
Conductors Testimony.
r. G. Calvert, 1912 E street southeast
employed as a conductor by the Metropoli-
AaI hot he
was on the westbound car that figured in
the collision last Saturday morning. When
his car neared Glen Echo Junction witness
saw several cars on the track ahead Of him
and learned there was a off the track
at the switch Witness was given orders to
return to the District line and switch TO the
eastbound track. He was also given orders
to run both ways on the eastbound track
until he had been given further instruc-
tons.
Witness told the jury of the movements
of his car and of the transfer of passengers.
Witness took every precaution, and when
his car was going west on the eastbound
track he stopped near Glen Echo in the
vicinity of the curve and told his motor
man that he would go ahead and see if the
road was clear around the curve, intending
TO flag any car that might be approaching.
Before he could flag the approaching car
the latter vehicle crashed into his car. Wit
ness explained that his was under
men who We're working on the deraled car
One Of them was a Mr. Baker, who had
been employed as starter. He really did
not know Mr.. Bakers present position. but
he considered him a sub-boss. Witness said
he went TO Cabin John bridge and got wit
nesses. He returned and went to the
Georgetown University Hospital and had
an injury to his leg dressed. He then went
home and sick in bed when he was
sent for Monday and dismissed.
Had No Order. Not to Return.
Did anybody tell you not to come back
on that track before you started on the re-
turn trip
No, sir
Was your car on the wrong track after
the block was raised?' the witness was
asked.
Yes. sir" was the answer. 1T was there
under orders"
Witness said a man could have been sta
TONED there to have warned the motorman
of danger If the other car had not been
going at such fast rate Of speed, said
the witness, the accident would not have
happened. Witness said he did not know
there was car on the track between
Cabin John and Glen Echo. Had he known
of 1t he would not have jeopardized his life.
The accident, he said. occurred a sharp
curve. His motorman reversed when the
other car came in sight, and his car had
gone only about twenty-five feet before
the two met.
Mr.. Niles inquired Of the coroner If the
record might show in what capacity Mr.
Talbot appears In the case.
The coroner informed counsel that Mr.
Talbot is the states attorney of Mont
gomery county.
II represent the state of Maryland" said
Mr.. Talbot.
And do you represent the railroad COM
pany?
No. sir" answered States Attorney Tall
bolt. but my firm represents the Maryland
end of the railroad company
Orders to Reverse.
John F. Beall, 1925 II street northeast.
who was motorman on Conductor Calvert's
car. testified that his car left the barn at 9
o'clock Saturday morning and found block
at Glen Echo junction. His conductor he
said. received orders to reverse and return
to the District line. From the District line
his went to the eastbound track and
proceeded west to Cabin John bridge. On
the second trip in the direction of the bridge
the accident occurred. Witness said he
heard his conductor receive the order men,
toned and the conductor subsequently, COM
mUncated the same TO him.
When witness saw the other car coming
toward him, he said, he reversed his cur
rf ut and his car came to stop just about
the time the collision occurred. Witness
said his card did not move more than TWEEN
ty-ffve or thirty feet after he saw the other
one approaching on the same track. The
al DrOaCnlng car, ne Sald, was running at
the rate OF about twenty miles an hour.
He saw the car when 1t was about two
hundred yards away. He then applied his
brake and reversed his current.
The accident occurred, he said, short
distance this side of the Glen Echo post
Office. When the crash came witness said
he had his hand on the brake and he was
thrown through the window.
Conductor HOIstein's Testimony.
NJ, A. Holstein. COS Massachusetts avenue,
conductor in charge of the eastbound
that figured in the accident, testified that
his car left the barn in East Washington
at 5:15 G. m. 10 go to Cabin John bridge
At Glen Echo Junction his car was stopped
on account OF the block The car in charge
OF Conductor Calvert went back to the Dis
trtct line and then went up the road to the
bridge. When the car In charge OF witness
reached Cabin John tt behind time and
only d short stop was made Leaving
there. he brought his car down the road at
q lively rate. Witness on the running
board of the oar. collecting fares, when he
felt the brake applied. Realizing there was
danger. and being unable to be Of assist
ance. he jumped. AS soon as ne recovered
from the shock he went to the front of the
car TO look after his motormau and found
him covered with iron and broken frag-
HFne Of H. "