Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-03-26
WAS DUE TO ACCIDENT
JURY'S VERDICT REGARDING
DEATH OF FRANCIS DANT.
Coroner's Inquest Held Today-The
Evidence of the Trainmen, Deputy
Coroner and Others.

Six men. composing a jury of inquest, as
sembled at the sixth precinct station to-
day and heard testimony relating to the
killing of Francis NJ. Dant, a bricklayer,
who was struck by City and Suburban
car near 4th and G streets northwest, Mon
day night, as published in yesterdays Star.
Dant's death, the jury found, was the re-
suit of an accident.
After the inquiry was finished the body
of Mr.. Dant was removed to T. A. Cos
tello's undertaking establishment and pre-
pared for burial. The body was afterward
conveyed to the late home of the deceased,
No. $50 L street northeast, from where the
funeral will take place tomorrow morning.
The interment will be at Mount Oivet.
Statements of the Trainmen.
Motorman Erasmus F. Peters, who had
charge of the car at the time the fatal ac-
cident occurred explained to the jury how
the affair happened. He said his car was
going west on G street about 7:45 o'clock
Monday night, when he noticed man
standing on the street near the 4th street
crossing. The man was in a STOPPING posi-
ton. He made no effort to cross the track
until the car was within about twelve feet
of him. Witness sounded his gong several
times. The man stepped toward the tracks
and the fender struck him and tripped him
He was carried a short distance and rolled
between the tracks. Witness thought his
car was running at about six miles an hour
when the man was struck. The victim was
on the far side of the crossing. He did not
signal the car to stop. Witness said his
car was on time when the accident &C.
Cured.
Conductor J. W. Robertson was the next
witness examined. The first he knew of
the accident was when the car came to a
sudden stop. One of the passengers said
I,l
the car and found man lying between the
tracks. He left the victim in charge of the
motorman and went to call an ambulance
and to notify the railway company's Off
Gals.
Testimony of Eyewitness.
Leo B. Alternately, 100 9Th street north
west, testified that he was walking along
G street when he saw the car approaching
He saw the car strike the man and saw
the latter fall. Witness could not tell
which way the man was facing when the
car struck him. Witness said he thought
the car was running at the rate of twelve
miles an hour. His father, who had been
a motorman told him, he said, that a car
would make such speed with the current
on full head. The motOrman stopped the
car, witness said, when Policeman Burton
called to him.
William Schmidtman, 235 G street north
west. testified that he was standing at Attn
and G streets when the accident occurred.
He heard the sound of the mans body
thrown against the pavement and assisted
in removing him to the sidewalk. The car
was between thirty-tive and fifty feet from
where the man fell when it stopped.
Deputy Coroner GlaZebrook testified that
he examined the body Of Mr. Dant at the
morgue yesterday. His face was scratched
and there was fracture at the base Of the
skull. Death resulted from a cerebral hem
orrhage following the fracture.
Policeman Orders Car Stopped
Policeman Burton of the sixth precinct
testified that he was on G street at the
time the accident occurred. He called to
the motorman to stop his car and then
went to call an ambulance. The motorman
lost no time stopping the car. Witness did
not see Dant before the ear struck him.
c. F. Cranholm was passenger on the
car at the time Dant was injured. He was
standing on the rear platform. Witness
said he noticed several persons standing on
the corner and he saw one man walking
toward the car. The car, he stated, was
not going fast. Witness heard the bell
sounded just before the 4th street crossing
was reached.
G. A. Bentley, also passenger on the
car, gave similar testimony. He heard the
warning gong sounded. This closed the tes-
timony.