Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-05
WAS KILLED; BY ACCIDENT
Verdict Of CoroneIs Jury in the Case Of
Thomas Farmer.
Testimony Showed He Was Crushed
Between Two Cars While Assisting
in Switching Trains.

Thomas NJ. Farmer, twenty-seven years
old, who was employed as a brakeman on
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more railroad, was crushed to death in the
Anacostia freight yard at an early hour
yesterday morning. He was working at
the time with crew shifting freight cars
from the main track to the side tracks.
just before the fatal accident occurred
FARMER rode lumber car to track No. g.
ana the car barely cleared the switch
Ihen he attempted to ride coal car on the
adjoining track. The result was that he
was caught between the cars and instantly
Killed His body was removed to ]. w.
Lees undertaking establishment, where the
inquest was held this morning. A verdict
OF accidental death was returned.
Inc deceased formerly lived at Summit
o va, ana nad been employed by the railroad
company Tor about year. His body will
pe taken TO his former home for burial.
The Inquest.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook described the
injuries received by the deceased The
upper part Of his body was crushed, both
arms being mashed and the left side of his
Skull was fractured. Death, the doctor
said, resulted from shock following the in
5uries. The injuries, he said, were neces-
sarily fatal.
". w. Vefmillion testified that Farmer
was mis- brakeman yesterday morning. Wit
ness described the movements of the cars.
ne was switching cars to different tracks
IN the Anacostia yard. Farmer started to
ger on the front end of coal car and there
was not room enough for the car to pass
another on the other track without crush
ing MN. Witness said he called to Farmer
not 70 get on the car as he (witness) was
already are on the car to ride 1t down the
him. Witness, who is a conductor, said the
car was going at the rate of ten or fifteen
miles an hour at the time the accident oc-
CURED.
Ralph E. Hartman. who was in the ward
at the time, said the car that did not clear
the track and that caused the fatal acct
cent was left there by Farmer He sup
posed that Farmer failed to notify the con-
ouctor OF the position in which he had left
the car.
FARMER Alleged to BE Responsible,
Engineer O'Brien testified to the move
ments Of the car. He went over the ground
after the brakeman had been killed and it
was his belief that Farmer was responsible
for his own death. Witness could not tell
what signal, If any. Farmer gave the con-
ductor. Witness thought Farmer was Jam
meo between the lumber and coal cars while
attempting to get on the latter car. There
was room for the cars to clear each other.
said witness, but there was not room for a
man to stand between them
Howard Sloan, fireman, was on the engine
at the time. but did not witness the acct
dent He said the brakeman was dead
when he reached him.
H. q. Stansbury, brakeman, told of the
shifting of the cars to the different tracks
and said he heard the conductor call to Far
mer not to get on the coal car. Witness
knew that Farmer made no report to the
conductor that the lumber car had not
cleared the track
Conductor Ver1nilion was recalled, and
said Farmer gave him q signal to indicate
that the tracks were all clear, and that
he had thrown the switch for the coal car.
This closed the testimony.