Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-11-22
EVIDENCE IN.
Wood, Beedy vs.. Maine
Central Ready for Pleas.
Completion of Defence's Testi.
mony at Mondays Session.
Counsel Will Occupy One and One
half Hours Each, Today.

The continued hearing of the cases
of Mrs. Lydia NJ. Wood. Mrs. Arthur
Beedy and Arthur Bcedy VS.. the Maine
Central Railroad was resumed before
Justice Whitehouse. in the supreme
judicial court. yesterday morning This
nearing. as the previous one. proved
OF eNcertional interest owing TO the
testimony and sharp controversies he
tween counsel. The evidence was COM
pleted AT III" days hearing. The case
VIII go to the jury and verdict prob
ably rendered. TODAY. The case has
thus far occupied tn greater payt of
nNe daFs. ana tn" arguments of the
cohtendIn@ counsel should prove to he
exceptional. as the rearing has been
productive of much Intricate evidence.
This it is expected Will mean mastery
efforts on the part of the counsel in
the pleas before the jury
Court convened at 10 o'clock. and
opened with the continued CroSs-ex-
animation of Fred Edwards. the en-
gineer in charge Of engine IT, on th.
morning Of July "a. 1908 IT was this
engine that was pushing the loaded
freight cars down The track which
collldcd with the coach in charge Of
Driver Cole Austin. TIL, defence. had
during the recess from Saturday to
Monday. procured copy Of the rules
and regulations in ctfe.'t in the Maine
Central RAILROAD yard in Watervilln,
at the time of the accident. This. Mr.
Heath used as an instrument in his
cross-c%amination. Mr.. Edwards ex-
planned several of thc hand. flag and
lamp motions. at the request of the
plaintiffs counsel and further admitted
that ii was the supposed duty Of all
yardncn TO study and know the rules
cf the road.
Following Mr.. Edwards Arthur A.
Jn!cr. on" of the brakemen on the
switching train. was recalled. He was
asked if he had made any attempt to
set the hand brakes on the freight
when he realized the possibility Of an
accident He replied in the negative.
Farther he didn't know whether the
brakes We're in order or not
Samuel A. Thompson of Skowhegan
was the next witness. He is at present
and WAS at the time nf the accident in
the er,cloy of the Maine Central Rail-
road company. as Il fireman. Aided by
Attorney johnson he told of his expert
oncc aud length Of service in the en-
pioy OF the road. and the names of
the members of his train crew on the
morning of July "a. 1903. His story was
practically the same rs that Of his en-
gineer MI Edwards. whose testimony
he corrohorated In nearly all the main
particulars. In cross-cyamination he
showed considerable lack nj knowl-
edge IL answer to the pointed questions
of Attorney Heath.
William p. Sterling was called upon
for testimony. He vas employed by the
Marie Contra! Railroad in tho capactv
of yard clerk. AMI described to the
court nis numerous duties. etc. Aft"r
describing to the court the extent nf his
kno"ledge of the accident. which was
somewhat limited. he told Of making
records Of the positions of the cars on
the several tracks. pear Alden street
,rossng. Immediately after the acci-
dnat Oc, urrcd. Those fi-ures Of meas
,ire,nents were accepted as evidence.
together with numcrous records. kept
DN tIT. SteEIilE Nd!u IleSSttI. diI'i
showed that there is very little pro-
c"edinrs in tho yard that the railroad
does not keep an account Of In re-
gard to the accident itself he knew lit
lie his evidence heins principally
fO"unt ntary In eros examination Mr..
Sterling gave statistics in regards ="
length width and weight of the cars
N the switching train
William G. Goodnow. witness to the
accident. was the mex; 10 testify for tn
dc.-cnce. He was ut the time in the
cn,plny OF the HoliirgSworth e. Whit
ney Co. hauling pulp and saw the ac
ci,ent coming from the companies
mills He was going to his home on
Prospect street and when near the end
of the freight house saw the switching
engine hacking cars to the Alden street
,rossing. Coming across the crossing
was coach. He saw the cars hit the
coach. and the latter was pushed ahead
OF the train some distance. He rushed
to the scene and assisted in helping
the inirrcd ladies. Further than this
he descr ribed the location Of the cars on
the rualerous sidings, rear the Alden
street crossing.
In cross-ey:,mination he admitted hay
ing LEFT the employ of the Hollings-
worth e. Whitney 60. ana entered that
of the Maine Central r. r. Co. as
freight brakeman. He stated to the
court that he had lever told the story
before
Nv. Heath Immediately ceased his
cross.ex synination and then issued
shor; decisive battle of words between
counsel. Mr. Goodnow was finally al
Lowed TO correct his statement and ad-
nlitted having told his story of Attor-
new Johnson before
Sherman l.. Smith. another nreman
in the employ of the railroad. was can
tering around the railroad yard looking
for a match about SIS o'clock on the
morning Of July "a. 1908. He finally
found man who supplied him with
the desired lucifer and while standing
talking with the gentleman he heard
excited shouting in the direction Of the
telegraph Office. Looking further he
saw the proceedings near the railroad
Continued on page ~