The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-02
TRAGIC STORY is RETOLD
WITNESSES IN NEWARK, y. j.
GRADE CROSSING ACCIDENT.
Ii was Customary for MOtOrmen to
Run Close 10 Railway Gates Be-
fore stopping.

NEWARK, n. j., Sept. 1.-The trial Of
the eleven directors and executive officers
of the New Jersey Street Car Company
who are accused of manslaughter in con-
nection with the grade crossing accident of
Feb. Is. was resumed to-day. James Kay,
a letter carrier, under cross-examination,
testified that he had, for about a minute
before the accident, good view Of the
motorman of the Inflated trolley car. The
motorman appeared to be struggling hard
at both brakes in an effort TO stop the car.
Witness thought the car was going at a
medium rate of speed, but it appeared to
be under control, considering the rate
at which it was going. He could not be
sure whether or not the trolley car had
come to a stop before the collision &C.
CURED.
Prof. George c. Som, OF the Newark
High School, nine pupils of which lost their
lives in the accident, testified that he had
closely examined the trolley tracks soon
after the crash occurred, and that he saw
no evidence of either sand or salt having
been used on the tracks. Oscar Barcliffe,
the engineer of the passenger train who
was crushed in his cab in the collision,
and was unconscious in the hospital for
several weeks after the accident, was a
witness to-day. lie is still apparently an
invalid, and when he took the stand shook
as if afflicted with palsy. Barcliffe testi-
fed that on the morning of the accident
the snow had interfered with the work.
ing of the brake by getting between the
brake shoes and the wheels and stopping
the friction. He said he saw the Inflated
trolley car approach the crossing when he
was about $50 feet away. He realized from
the excited actions of the children on the
platform that the car was not going to
stop and he applied the emergency brake,
but too late to avoid a collision. He said
he lost consciousness when the crash came,
and his locomotive stopped or itself, the
brake having been applied. He said il
was customary for trolley cars to run close
to the gates before stopping. and that the
engineers could never be sure that car
was going to stop.
CHRISTOPHER Condron, gateman at Clinton
avenue crossing, testified that on the day
of the accident the trolley tracks were
covered with dry, lumpy snow. He noticed
the cars slipping down the grade and ne
called the attention of a conductor TO the
fact shortly before o'clock. Prosecutor
Riker asked why he had spoken to the
conductor.
Because the cars threatened to go
through the gates" was the reply.
Alexander j. Jacobus. brushmaker, tes-
titled that he stood about fifty feet away
from the crossing when the accident &C.
Cured. He saw a car loaded with children
come down the incline from Orange street.
At the same time he saw the railroad gates
going down. He saw the car continue
toward the gates and then he heard the
signal bell ringing. The motorman was
working at the brake ana appeared to be
unable to stop the car. The front wheels
were locked and were sliding on the tracks
The car was going at rate Of three OF
four miles an hour. He saw the car crash
into the gates and a moment afterward the
collision occurred. He thought the train
was going twenty-five to thirty miles ar
hour.
William r. Bowerman, high school pu-
I'll, was called to the stand. Bowermar
| was a passenger on the wrecked car and
was badly hurt He said that he was
standing in the about two feet from
| the front door, holding on to a strap. He
| thought the motorman applied the brake
| about the middle of the block. He did not
remember whether the car came to tor
i'm the middle of the block not. The
| car and platform were crowded. He could
| see the motorman working the brake.