The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-08-16
CORONERS JURY
HOLDS NICHOLS
Responsibility for Death of
c. Y. De Neal.
TESTIMONY AT THE INQUEST
Instructed by Counsel, Operator De-
clines to Answer Questions
Put by Glazeb-ook.
TESTIMONY AT THE INQUEST

The coroner's jury at the inquest this
morning into the death Of c. Y. De Neal.
the fagman at the Pennsylvania yards
at Benning. last Sunday night. held
Charles w Nichols, the telegraph oper-
ator Of the IN s., or Deanwood twoer.
for the action OF the grand jury.
Deputy Coroner GlazebrOOk conducted
the inquest and Attorney Andrew Lips
comb appeared for Nichols.
The testimony of the witnesses. who
were the engineer ana brakemen Of the
train which ran into the switch and col
lided with freight cars which were
standing there. was to the effect that
that they had obeyed the ground signal,
which was operated from the tower,
and which indicated that all tracks were
clear. and that they could back from
track No. 70 track No 4.
None Saw Cars.
None of them saw the cars on the sid
ing and all said It would have been i'm
possible for the trainmen 10 see them in
the darkness, thus indicating that the
responsibility lay with Nichols, who had
charge Of the tower.
A passage at arms took place between
Coroner Glazebrook and Attorney Lips
comb over the examination OF Nichols.
AFTER ne ndQs reply 10 QueSNlOlS
| the Coroner, told OF the duties OF his
! position as telegraph operator and
lever man Mr.. LpscOmb instructed
| him not to answer any more questions,
/ claiming the authority OF the United
/ States Constitution.
The First Witness.
| The first witness called was William
| H. ParsOn, engineer OF train No. 5047.
which ran into the switch and collided
with the freight cars. Parson gave his
| address as lOI AnacOstIa Avenue, Ben
ming. and said he had been working at
the Benning yards since February. On
\ Sunday night ne had come into Wash
/ ington with the train and the rest Of
the crew 70 get supper. The train was
in charge Of Conductor William Moore.
| and was made up OF sixteen cars, thir-
/ teen freight cars and three Pullmans.
| which were being taken out 70 the
yards.
/ About II o'clock the train was on
| north track No. 2. said witness. and was
ready 10 back into the south track No.
/ 4. They ran by the tower and waited
told by his fireman, that the signal
| showed white. and a minute afterward
| he received lantern signal from one
Of the men at the rear end Of the train.
i He was watching out Of one side OF
tho cab for his signal and the fireman
was watching out the other side. Both
. saw lantern signals at the same time
and backed in response TO them. think
Ing the train was going back on No.
track. This was at l-OS p. m.
First Sign of Trouble.
The first he knew OF any trouble. SAID
Parson. was when ne felt a Jar. HI
! Immediately stopped his engine and sen
the fireman ahead TO flag any trair
that might be coming toward them. II,
! started TO get out OF the cab. wheI
Shields, a brakeman, came up and tol'
him Of the accident He then sent
man out 20 the other end of the trail
tC flag and went TO the scene Of tn
/ accident.
! ] When he arrived at the end OF tn
! train he found De Neal wecScd In be
! tween the rear platform of the Pull
/ man and a refrigerator car, which wa
, one of those on the train that was stand
! ing still. The two cars were both OF
I the track, but were wedged together an
; the steps Of the Pullman Were broker
; of De Neal was dead
In the Pullman witness saw William
r Moore, the conductor. MoOre's arm an
I leg were broken badly. Parson said n
went for an AK and came back an
helped cut the men out. Moore Wa
sent TO the hospital on an annex en-
CINE.
70 Other witnesses, including the fey
, | uuestiors answered by Nichols, con
! / firrned the story told by Parsons.