Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-06-13
EX0NERATED THE MOTORMAN
Investigation of Collision on
West Sixth Street. q
INQUEST FINISHED FRIDAY NIGHT
Jury Said Motorman Did His
Full Duty.
One Fact Brought Out at the Investigation
Was That Joshua Gilman, Who Was ON
Car No. o, Lcaped Out of u Window. and
Was Crushed by the Wheels.

A jury smpaneled by Coroner FriclS
Friday night completed its investigation
OF the trolley collision on the Sixth
street railway on Memorial DAY and
rendered the following verdict:
Resolved. That the said Joshua Gilman
cnme to his death on Thursday, May sCth.
1901, at about IL. a5 O'Clock, d. M. nj Sixth
and Van Buren, streets, In the city of VIII
mington, Del, by jumping from car No.
of the Peoples Railway 90. while the
same was in motion, and that the said
ware Hospital, In the city of Wilmington.
Del. on May 31st, 1901, from injuries re.
ceived on May Goth, 1901, from a collision
between car No. and car No. 16 of the
Peoples Railway Co. and we hereby exoner-
ate the motorman of car No. from all
blame. as we believe he did his full duty.
Coroner Prick conducted the INQUEST
in the parlors of Undertaken James r.
Chandler's offices. Richard W. Crook.
general manager of the Peoples rail,
way, was present during the ipqulsj.
tion. One fact brought out at the in
guest was that Gilman was on car No,
o, the one farthest west on Sixth street.
when it plunged ahead at Broome
street, and that he leaned out of a
window of that car and was ground
under its wheels. 1t had teen sun.
posed that Gilman jumped from oar
No 16, TIE middle car, and was killed
BY No. 5, following. Charles ii.
Smith OF No.f639 Orange street. was
the witness who fastened the fact of
Giliman's presence on car No. 5 in the
minds of the jury. He said that after
tine oar started ahead he heard some.
body, supposedly Motorman William
Benson, cry out For Gods SAKE don v
YET that man jump out" meaning
GIiiman. He recognized the man
climbing through the window as Gill
man, a woman got hold OF him as he
Climbed through the window. Benson,
the motorman, was very cool and did
everything In bis power, Smith said.
Miss Dora Pennington, who was a
passenger on car No. 8, a witness.
proved to be the young woman who
grabbed hold OF Gilman. AS be went
through the window, she SAYS she
grasped him by the sleeve, but he got
his body through and seemed to be
clinging to the frame of the car. When
the crash came he dropped. He had
been sitting on the first seat
John j. Finn of No. SO6 West Sixth
street was On car No. and when IL
started down the hill Motorman Benson
told him to move back into the car. At i
that time passenger had his feet out
OF a window and another man diysd
through window on the right side Of |
the car. He did not snow either man, |
but did not think either was Gilman. 4
Frank Mclfeefe of New York, who'll
was with NJ. Finn, said he saw al
young woman, whom he identified as
Miss Pennington, hold man who was
going through the window. He said he
saw Two men, strangers to- him, poyl
through the car windows. He thought \
Henson did his full duty.
Charles II. Simmons and Edward I
Meicnoir, Jr.,. who were standing near
Mr.. simmons home, at Seventh and
Franklin streets, when the cars want
by, testified to that fact.
Charles Mcintyre was near Sixth and
jackson streets when the cars went by.
Sparks were coming from one wheel. 4
he Thought. that the brakes
were partly applied to car No. g. He
found a man named Leech unconscious.
with his head six inches from the rails
al Adams street.
Motorman Benson was recalled and L
questioned by Juror Twaddell about
the working of the brakes. Mr.. Benson
said they worked nicely until after
Eroome street was reached, when the Il
air brake would not work. He then
tried the rachel. which would not work
roperly, and reversed the motor, which
burned out, indicating to his con
ductor that he was trying to reverse.
Several witnesses testified to the
ride down the grade, but gave
no further Information. The Jurors
we're nearly three-euarters Of an hour
reaching their verdict. They discussed
The testimony at length. Charles q.
5nyer made a stenographio report Of
the testimony.
Maggie Quinn. who was severely in
lured IN the crash, is still at the home
,f Frank P. Phalen, No. GIG Madison 4
'trett, where she was taken after this
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