The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-04-19

other than to give the ponce lOtS OF
worry and work but they will quick
ly find that the blue-coated individuals
of this city know how to cope with
them. .
cURLEY INQUEST.
coroner's Jury Exonerates Railroad
From All Blame.
An inquest was held last night by
| Coroner Chapple over the remains of
Henry Curley, who died in this city
! Wednesday as a result of injuries re
ceived by being struck by a Northern
Pacific engine in Carbon county near
Silesia. The inquest revealed that the
mar was struck by the Rocky Fork
train instead of the Bridger train, as
first reported.
Engineer Peter Sorenson, Fireman
J. G. Alderman, Brakeman G. H. Mill
er and Chas. J. Rogers, Conductor
Theodore Martin and Express Messen-
ger Frank Roberts, composing the
Rocky Fork train crew. testified to
having seen the accident and picking
up of the injured nan The point
w ltIS LuS dCCluSIC OCCtllCu was III q
sharp curve with a down grade. The
engineer said he first saw an object
when about 400 OF 500 feet away, but
could not tell whether it was a human
being until the train was about $50
feet from the man. The maj at that
time was sitting on the ties with his
head in his hands resting on his knees
as though he was asleep. The Whis-
tie was sounded at once and the air ap-
piled and every effort made to. stop
the train, but the man made nc o
to get out of the way of the train,
which vas running at the rate of
about Is Or 20 miles an hour. The
train was stopped as soon as possible
and the injured man picked up.
Brakeman Miller testified to having
found on the person of Curley a bot
tie of liquor about half empty.
j. w. Miner, a farmer, residing
near Silesia, testified to having seen
the train when it first stopped, the
accldent occurring about 200 yards
distant from his house. He did not
hear the engine whistle, probably be-
cause the wind was blowing in the
opposite direction. He had a slight
acquaintance with the injured man,
having met nim in Gebo about a year
previously.
DR.. ]. H. Rinehart testified to hav-
ing held an autopsy on the remains
Of Henry Curley, and said hat he
found a wound over the left eye;
one on the cheek below 1t; seven ribs
broken on the left side; one of the
lungs %punctured in two places by the
broken rlps; the lung cavity filled
with blood. and in his opinion death
wa caused by hemorrhage, produced
by the punctuTing of the lung by the
rihe. The skull was not fractured
From the appearance CT the wounds
on the face the doctor did not believe
the man was struck by the engine.
The doctor said that the liver Of the
deceased was about twice its normal
c%essive use of liquor, and fatty sub.
size and friable, symptoms of the ex.
stance around the heart, which is an.
other indication of the use Of liquor.
Geo H. White, of this city. testi.
ned to having known Curley for about
20 years. He said Curley was a mar
who drank. but he never knew of him
being drunk but once. which was about
four years ago. Mr.. White said on
two occasions lately. to his knowledge,
while in Billings, Curley had mad two
l sinking spells. which placed him in a
sort of a stupor.
The jury. after being out about ten
minutes. returned with the following
: verdict:
: 1--WE. the jury. find that the said
:. Henry Curley came to his death by
being struck by the pilot of the en-
: CINE of the RocAy Fork train on April.
is. while sitting on the right-of-way
of the Northern Pacific Railway com
pany, and that no blame attaches tc
any of the train crew on said train
Signed: j.. D. Matheson, foreman;
a w. e. Frizelle, Adam Airth, T
: O'Rourke, James Campbell and F. L
:. Mann" =
q Henry Curley was we'll known ir
this section. He had resided on the
Bluewater. neal Gebo, for many years
and had acquired some wealth. Il
seems he had been in Billings severa
times during the past few weeks, re
ceiving treatment for a sore hand
He left home Tuesday for BiI4lngs
: buying a ticket at Gebo. AT the Mas
: on switch, while the train crew wa
- working he got off and started up the
! track in the opposite direction, il
. being supposed his hand was painins
y him so much as to cause him grea
: bodily anguish. The train then wen
off and left him. 1t is supposed tina
L.Curley then started for Silesia tt
catch the Rocky Fork train. Becom
8 ing tired he is thought to have sa
!. along and struck him.
Inc deceased leaves a wife ant
three small children. The remain
J. for burial.