Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-19
M0TORMAN BLAMED
Verdict of Coroner's Jury at
Sprague Inquest.
STREET CAR ACCIDENT
PROPER PROBATION NOT TAKEN
APPROACHING CURVE.
Result of Accident-No One Held Re
sponsible Slower Speed on
Curves Recommended.
STREET CAR ACCIDENT

The coroner's jury which today inquired
into the death of Edward r. Sprague, who
was killed when trolley car 400 of the City
and Suburban line jumped the track and
tOppled over at 4th and T streets northeast
Monday morning. rendered the following
verdict:
That Edward r. Sprague came to his
death October II 1904. at the Homeopathic
Hospital, as the result of an accident, from
crushed wounds of body and shock. Said
injuries resulted from being caught under
an overturned car on the City and Subur-
ban railroad at 4th and T streets north
east
1--WE. the jury. believe that the motor
man did not exercise the proper precaution
under the existing circumstances, ie. the
presence of fog.
Furthermore. we respectfully recommend
to the honorable District Commissioners
that all street railroad companies In the
District of Columbia be directed to order
all motormen and conductors to slow all
cars at all curves to a maximum speed of
four miles an hour.
(Signed FRANK X. RAYMOND,
''W. s. KNOX,
"WM NJ AYRE,
"a. j. SANFORD,
WILL H. GROSCUP
PAUL H BRANSTEDT."
The inquest was held at the morgue foot
of 18th street and was largely attended. 1t
began at 1919 o'clock and the last testi-
mony heard at 12:45 o'clock. 1t was
O'Clock this afternoon before the verdict
was announced.
Coroner hewitt presided assisted by
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook.
Mr.. James b. Lackey and Judge c. c.
Cole present legal taf iyaS
of the Washington Railway and Electric
Company, operating the City and Suburban
line. MIR. Greed NJ. Fulton appeared as at
torney for Eusler Colvin, motorman of the
wrecked car. who arrested after the
accident. Attorney Charles T. Hendler APP
peared for the family of Edward r.
Sprague. who was killed.
Detectives McNamee and Fathers who
worked for two days on the case, were also
present.
Colvin, the motorman. and Cecil, the con-
Guctor or the car. We're ordered released
from arrest.
Arrangements for the funeral of Mr.
Sprague had not been completed today.
Those in charge awaiting messages
from out-of-town relatives
III Is stated that all who were injured in
the wreck are improving.
The First Witness.
In opening the inquest Coroner hewitt
stated to the jury that he had given great
NN''. III POiooidl 10 the case. ably
assisted by the police department. but the
matter or the responsibility for the acct
dent, he said. was for the jury alone to de-
termine Witnesses would answer all aues-
uons propounded by the jury or counsel
representing the various interests
Inc nrSt witness was DIR. Frank A
SWartout of the Homeopathic Hospital.
VINO told of the death at that institution of
Mr. Edward X. Sprague. a passenger on
the wrecked car. Mr.. Sprague was brought
10 the hospital at about 8 o'clock and died
about 10 O'Clock. He attributed death to a
crushed thorax and crushed ribs which
penetrated the lungs of the victim
Dr. X. w. Baker of 1916 l street who
performed an autopsy for the coroner de-
scribed in detail the wounds found on the
body of Mr.. Sprague. There were contu-
sions of the head. both knees and left ell
bow. The thorax was crushed as well as
hve ribs. The wounds were desperate and
nothing could be done to save the victims
life.
Mr.. l.. B. Bradshaw. inspector of steel
railroads in the engineer department of the
District, was next called as witness. He
said he had been detailed to investigate the
accident. He displayed a map or diagram
of the tracks at the point where the car
was thrown on its side. The grade there
is only | per cent the tracks Immediately
leading into the curve from ith street being
practically fiat. The curve is built on a 30.
foot radius, and the accident occurred ON
the inbound curve.
a member of the Jury asked Mr. BRAD
shaw II he had an opinion as to why the
car left the track. The witness replied that
ne mad an opinion, but II was based wholly
upon what he had heard and read in the
papers. He was not allowed to state the
opinion under the circumstances.
Judge {. {. Cole representing the rail-
road asked the witness II the street grades
at the point of accident, as well as the car
tracks. had been established and built in
accordance with plans of the Commissioners.
Inc answer was in the affirmative
rtanG
the morning was G. +. Burlingame pre-
cinct detective of the eighth precinct who
was detailed 20 Investigate the accident a
Few minutes after ii occurred Detective
buIIihgafne brought with him several pieces
or steel, which, he said were parts of the
hange on one of the wheels of the front
truck of the wrecked car He sa'd the
nange broke as the truck struck the curve.
Inc 'front.' wheel left the tracks. while the
rear truck followed the track until the car
was placed in the position where il toDpled
over. The effect of the action of the two
trucks was to throw the front end OF the
car down the hill and the rear end up the
hill on T street.
Morning Was Foggy.
The morning of the accident the detective
said. was very foggy. The patrol wagon.
going from the station to the scene of the
wreck had narrow escapes from running
into other vehicles. The bell had to be
rung continuously. The wagon had passed
the trolley pit. half way between Sd and 4,h
streets. on T street. before the wrecked
car could be seen at the corner of 4th
street.
II was impossible the witness said. to
see half block away.
"heh the eighth precinct wagon reached
the wreck the injured had been renovd
from the car and were lying about In diff
ra1u Ftst--