Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1903-02-26
INQUEST is
IN PROGRESS

The Coroner's inquest over the
death OF Mrs. Matte Noble, wife of
Joseph Noble. who was killed bv be-
ing struck by trolley car of the
Brldgeton q Millville Traction Co.
last Saturday night, was held Thur lay
by Coroner Samuel M. Hall, at Chas.
Taylor's restaurant in Fairton, near
the scene of the unfortunate occur
renee.
| The inquest was conducted by Mr..
Hall. William A. Logue, counsel for
the Traction Company, was present
and assisted in the examination of the
witnesses The testimony was taken
down in full by stenographer E. 1.
Berry, of Camden.
The following jury was called and
sworn Foreman, Isaac T. Nichols, of
Bridgeton; Harold E. Pierson, of
Bridgeton; Benjamin T. Powell and
Firman B. Sheppard, of Cedarville
Justus Livingston and Harry B. Bam-
ford. of Fairton.
The inquest was very largely at
tended and every available part of the
rooms filled with people, many of
whom were witnesses.
1t was quarter of ten O'Clock when
the first witness, Walter NJ Sharp,
was called and sworn.
= Witness said he was surveyor and
civil engineer and that he made the
map offered in evidence, representing
the scene of the accident. The map
was fully explained to the jury by the
witness, giving the various distances
from points marked on the map.
From the curve in the track to where
the body was struck was about ten
feet. From the stopping place to
where the body was struck was 81
feet
Joseph Noble was sworn. He said
that Mrs. Matte Noble, who had
been killed, was his wife She had
left home at half-past twelve on the
day she was killed. to 60 to the Old
Stone Church to see the monument.
She was as bright and cheerful as she
had ever been in her life. Her con-
dition since last August was good
She was naturally of a nervous tenn
perament After she had left home
witness did not see his wife until on
Saturday night at DR. Wainwright s
Office in Fairton.
| Mr.. VIM. A. Logue, counsel for the
Traction Company, brought out the
facts that Mrs Noble was 36 years
old and that she had been married to
witness for II years. One child had
been born to them Within the past
year witness said that his wife had
been an inmate of the Cumberland
County Hospital for Insane. She had
been admitted to the institution on
February 4th, 1909, and remained
there until the following August.
Foreman Isaac T. Nichols asked
witness if his wife had been of "a
naturally Respondent disposition, but
witness replied, no.
Mrs Sarah Rogers was the next
witness sworn. She was unable to
take the stand, being nearly Frustrated
with grief. She was interrogated at
the place she was sitting. Witness
said she was sister of Mrs. Noble.
| She said that Mrs Noble had come to
her house about O'Clock in the after
noon of the day of the accident, She
was in good spirits. The afternoon
was spent together. Mrs. Noble pre-
pared to go to her home in Cedarville
on the quarter of eight car. Witness
brother Robert kept watch for the
car. When he saw the car come
around the corner the brother called
and witness and her sister, Mrs.
Noble went out into the street to take
it. The first thing witness knew
when she and sister rushed out was
that they were upon tie tracks. She
told her sister, and barely had time to
| get off the track herself. Her sister
was not so fortunate. Witness said
she heard the car strike Mrs. Noble.
Witness then ran and told her brother
Robert that her sister had been killed.
Witness said she was not leading her
sister at the time, she was walking by
her side. She thought the car struck
her sister directly in front. The car
was in front of Jacob Faunce's house
when witness first discovered that
she and her sister were ON the tracks.
The car had not gotten to the stop