The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-09-01
ROAD MAGNATES ON TRIAL.
THE NEWARK DISASTER MAN
 SLAUGHTER CASES.
miliioaairss Among the rna,essd-Ia- eluds Prs.iaent ca..a,s of the Psnn- syivsaia Road and Joha D. cr,mmln. -Proseou,ing Attorney Arraign. steam Road and Trolley Company

-Proseouting Attorney Arraisas
 steam Road and Trolley Company.
 Newark. N. J., Aug. s1.-The trial of the executive committee of the board Of directors of the North Jersey Street Railway company, and of several off, cers and employees of the company, on charge of manslaughter in connection with the Clifton avenue crossing disas- ter in February last. was called here to-day.
 The indicted directors are: Alexander J. Cassatt president of the Pennsylva- mia Railroad company; John D. crim- mins, of New York; Edward F. c. Young. president of the North Jersey Street Railroad company and of the First National bank of Jersey City; pr. Leslie D. Ward vice president of the Prudential Insurance company; Elisha B. Gaddis. wholesale merchant and di-l rector of the Pennsylvania Railroad company, and J. Roosevelt Shanley.
 The other defendants are David Young, who at the time of the accident was general superintendent of the North Jersey Street Railway company; Charles M. Shipman, then superintend- ent; Arthur w, Pratt, roadmaster; James Smith, division superintendent and Richard Eick, then his assistant Flick left the employ of the company soon after the accident and went to California. He did not appear with the others when they were called some time ago to plead to the indictment.
 Chief Justice Gurnmere presided, and Justices Van Syckle and Dixon sat with him at his invitation Prosecutor Charles W. Riker, who conducted the inquiry before the coroner's jury, is representing the state, and is assisted by Louis Hood and Edmund Wilson, of Red Bank, and ex-Judge Francis Child. For the accused appeared R. V. Linda- bury, ex-Governor George T. Werts, Jo- sepl Coult, James B. Vredenburgh and several others.
 !. Nine children were killed in the acci- dent. eight girls and boy, all high school pupils, but only one of the vic- tilms. Ernestina Miller, was selected on which to base a case. The coroner's jury returned verdict of manslaugh- ter against the executive committee of the directorate of the company, and also against the employees named above. ss, V asiGIi il
 Prosecution Attorney fti1Sef opened for the state, reciting the nature of the accident. the conditions of the tracks an 7 f7oy <,f said that as long ago as 1898. the neces- sity for deraifing switch was apparent to both the railroad and the street car companies. On the morning of the ac- cident the crossing was covered with snow and ice so that the brake shoes of the car were clogged. In consequence the car slipped down the incline, smash ed through the gates and collided with the train. He said that common pru- dence demanded clean tracks and en,p-s ty front platforms, so as not te inter- fere with the motorman and safety de- railing switch. These were absent in this case.
 He then named the defendants indi- vidually and stated that they were aware of the condition of the tracks, that they knew about the crossings, and that they had done nothing to avoid the accident. He then asked that they be adjudged guilty of the charge in the indictment.
 When the taking of testimony began the defense admitted the death of Err nestina Miller and also that she was al passenger on the wrecked car.
 James Kay a letter-carrier, who was at the crossing at the time of the acci-s dent. testified. He described the condi- ton of the approach to the crossing and said that the motorman of the trolley car apparently made every effort to stop the car, but could not do So an ac- count CT the ice-covered condition of the tracks. Kay was still on the stand when court adjourned for the day.