The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-03
ON
ATTLEB0R0
FATALITY

A searching inquiry into the circum-
stances incident To the double fatality
that occurred near the Park street cross
ing at Attleboro on the evening ot
Thanksgiving day was opened In the
Fourth district court before Judge Philip
r. Brady yesterday.
on that evening Mrs. Jennie Black. wife
of James +. Black. n jobbing jeweler
OF North Attleboro and Pawtucket. and
Miss A. May Coburn. niece of Mrs. Black,
from Wallace, Nova Scotia, were struck
by a Boston passenger train bound for
this city and killed.
The general testimony showed that the
double stality did not occur on the
crossing, but south Of IL at a distance or
between 15 and 25 feet; that the women
were crossing the tracks on which the
train for this city was approaching at
the rate OF about six miles on hour. and
that Mrs. Black stumbled and fell di-
rectly I'm front OF the slow running loco
motive. while Miss Coburn was struck
Just as she was In the act OF making a
long stride from the centre OF the south
bound track to the platform on the west
erly side.
DIR. Charles s. Holden OF Attleboro
medical examiner In that district was
the first OF the Is witnesses called to
the stand He described minutely the
showed II 10 have occurred.
Enginemsn Cyrus w. Fletcher OF the
train which left this city at 1907 o'clock
on the night OF the fatality. and on
which train Mrs. Black and Miss Co
burn were carried 10 Attleboro. said the
gates were down. that all lights were
| lighted and that the gatemen at the
crossing We're I'm their positions when
his train passed north over the cross
| ing.
Frank w. Ferguson Of Everett. Mass.
| brakeman on the Boston bound train;
Conductor Willard Eldredge OF the Bos-
ton train. and Charles II. Kemp, engine
man OF the train that struck and killed
j Mrs. Black and her niece, also testified.
Kemp's testimony was particularly clear
and satisfactory. As his engine neared
| the crossing he saw a man step on the
platform a few feet ahead OF the pilot.
The man turned about. and just then a
woman seemed TO stumble and fall face
down on the track. The next instant
he felt the engine go over the body. He
knew that one woman had been run over.
but did not know of tsle second one until
several minutes after lie applied the
emergency brakes and stopped the train
| in a cars length. Alfred r. McGregor of
| this city. who is fireman Of Kemp's train,
| gave similar testimony.
James NJ. Collins OF Attleboro was
standing at the station with friends
when the women were run down. He
saw many persons rush across the tracks
and he also saw the incoming train He
| shouted at the crowd and several per-
sons fell back. Others continued He
sawt wo women picking their way across
One tripped and fell i'm front Of the en-
CINE He told the court a young mar
named Hallowell OF Providence saw wha
he saw and Judge Brady notified Deputy
Sheriff Briggs 10 find Hallowell and re
quest him to go to Attleboro and tel
what he saw.
Sta tion Agent Joseph V. Curran testi
fed that the tracks. platforms and ap
proaches TO the station grounds ant
property were we'll lighted by electricity
A standard elektric light stands yer!
close TO the place where the two womeI
were killed.
Judge Brady Will render his decision
after making carefr examination o
, the testimony. Mr.. Black was not pres
ent at the hearing.