Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-12-23
THE LATE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Coroner's Inuuest-Verdict TO Enec'
That Accident was Due TO Negii'
eence or CnreIessness OF Sou'"er"
Railway Officials,
A has been stated in the Gazette,
DIR. William r. Purvis, coroner, yester-
terday morning summoned jury to
investigate the death of Private Silas
Woliyer, of the Forty-seventh Com
panv, Coast Artillery, stationed at Fort
Hunt, the result of an accident to an
electric car on Sunday afternoon. The
Jury was composed of George Bryan,
foreman; Richard Gibson, Edgar War
field, ir.. Frank Warfeld, j. Fred Biz
riel, and Frank Martin. They met at
the undertaking establishment of Will
liam Domaine & Son at 1870 O'Clock,
but, owing to the absence of material
witnesses, the investigation was con-
tinued until 1890 o'clock this morning.
The jury convened this morning ac-
cording to adjournment yesterday, when
Motorman H. F. Burke took the stand.
He said his car left the Royal street
station at 1872 Sunday afternoon.
When approaching the crossing of the
Southern Railway track at Royal and
South streets his attention was attracted
by COW which was walking toward the
track. He shut off the current and
practically brought the car under con-
troll. In passing the crossing he heard
the crash occasioned by the collision
with the beam and Immediately stopped
the car. After seeing the nature of the
accident he backed the car to this city.
The beam was apparently in its proper
position when the train reached the cross
ing; otherwise it would have attracted
his attention.
Mr.. VIM. Vernon, conductor of the
car, followed. His testimony was in the
main corroboratory of that of the motor
man. He said he felt the reduced speed
as the car approached the crossing, heard
the crash and the jingling of glass and
pulled the bell cord for the motorman to
stop. He said had the signal board been
out of position when the car reached the
crossing it would have struck the front
of the car. As it was it collided with
the second window. He further stated
that it was foggy at the time of the ac-
cident, although the signal board could
have been seen one hundred yards.
DIR. Smith then described the nature
of Woliver's injuries.
Mr.. w. II. F. Finke, division engi-
neer of the southern Railway, described
the mechanism Of the signal board at the
crossing. 1t was at one time kept locked.
The locks, however, had been broken
several times, and of late the signal blade
had been secured by hasp, staple and
spike. He did not think the board
would swing around unless the spike was
removed and the hasp raised from the
staple.
Olive Simpson, conductor on the
Southern Railway, testified that he was
in charge of a train which passed over
the crossing Friday evening. He saw
the switchman secure the signal with the
spike. He did not believe the arm
could have swung of its own volition
even with the spike removed.
w. j. Whalen, the switchman, said |
he replaced the spike in the hasp after
the train passed the crossing Friday |
evening. He had never on any occa-
sion found the spike out.
The jury, after about half an hours
elaboration, brought in the following
verdict
''We, the jury, find from the evidence
hat Silas Woliver came to his death at
he crossing Of the Southern Railway
md the W., A. & Mt. V. Ry., at the
of Royal and South streets,
near Alexandria, Va, having his skull
ractured by blow from swinging
,eam on a gate of the Southern Railway,
lue to the negligence and carelessness OF
he officials of the Southern Railway in
not keeping said gate securely fastened