Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-06-04
CORONtR'S VERDICT.
Concluded from page one.)

SdlCneZ, DtlOTeS Null
IL and one Garcia, employed on the
scrap grang and present when Chavez
was hurt. told stories very similar to
those told by the preceding witnesses.
All three men were between the rails
pushing on the car they were trying
to move, and were struck in the back
by the same car that knocked Chavez
to his death. They explained that
they had received no notice that the
string of cars at their back were to
be moved. and it was only their good
fortune that they were not knocked
down and run over.
John Ford, in the employ of the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, fireman
of engine 1887, the switch engine
which struck the string of cars, was
the next witIess.
He stated that it was his duty to
take signals on his side of the engine
and keep her hot. He stated that he
did not know of the accident until told
of it some time after.
Engineer James Hennesy, who was
in charge of the engine. stated that
he had received a signal from Switch
man Lane to back up and did so. He
said it was necessary in the case of
patent couplers to make tolerably hard
couplings. 1t is not customary to sig
nal, by ringing bell or footing whistle,
before making couplings or cars on
scrap track.
The switching crew foreman was
called for. Constable James Smith
said that he had been unable to To-
cate Cole during the forenoon, but
would try to have him before the in
quest in the afternoon.
Switchman John Lane was called.
He was about two car lengths from
the engine and received a signal from
Cole several a lengths farther on
He stated hat it was customary to go
on the scrap track as they liked.
Walter Taylor, the switchman who
made the coupling, was next and stat
ed that Cole was near by and that he
gave the signal to Cole.
The jury then adjourned until 2
O'Clock this afternoon, when Foreman
Cole and ". II. Little, important wit
nesses, were present.
Little is foreman of the scrap gang
and was in charge of the work when
Chaves was hurt. He was about 200
feet distance, but saw the injured man
fall from between the cars after he
was hurt. He saw him lying on the
ground and pull his foot, the mashed
foot, from under the wheels. He stated
that IL was customary for his men to
move cars by pinching them with a
crowbar and that it was customary for
the switching crew to notify them be-
fore coming in on that track. He had
repeatedly told the switching crews
that they would kill omeone if they
were not careful.
Leonard Cole, the last witness, but
not the least important, who was fore
man of the switching crew that moved
the string of cars that eventually
caused Chaves' death, said that he die
not know of the accident until some
time after il occurred. He stated that
only instances, where IL was necessary
! W SlNt olhhdlot WIZ Nlth NhC Ndle
5 were protected by flags. He also stat
ed that he had never in the six months
I he has had charge of a switching crew
in the local yards notified the SCRAP
track gang before he moved cars on
that track.
t The c~oroner's jury found the follow
ing verdict:
We, the undersigned %coroner's jury
|, sitting in inquest upon the body of Fl
del Chaves, do find hat the said Eide
. Chaves came to his death by being
5 struck and run over by a car hat wa
being moved by the switch crew of tn,
I Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railwa!
company, and We do find, after hearing
! all the evidence before us, that tn,
! death of the said Fidel Chaves Wa
caused by gross negligence; and VI
further censure the said Atchison, TIC