Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-11
Railway Company Held Re-
sponsibIe for Fatal Accident.
CORONER'S VERDICT
ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE AND FAIL
URE TO GUARD CROSSING.
Washington Militia Expected to At
tend Celebration February a.
General and Personal.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special correspondence OF The Evening Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, February IL, 1904.
The Southern Railroad Company is held
by the coroners' jury of Alexandria county
responsible through negligence for the
death of Richard Vernon Brown, Frances
Brown, his wife; little Vernon Brown, their
child and William j. Stokes, all of whom
were killed near midnight Tuesday by being
struck by Southern light engine at Water
loo, five miles north of this city. A good
portion of the day yesterday was taken up
with the hearing of evidence before justice
of the Peace Isaac M. Burrel, acting as
coroner. The inquest was held in the Office
of the new Washington Standard Brick
Company near the scene of the killing. The
list of witnesses examined was a long one.
John Bailey, colored, was the first to tes-
tfy He swore that he was near the car
rage when it reached the crossing, and
saw it when it was struck. He said he
had not heard any sound of whistle or bell
from the approaching engine. which was
travelling at high rate of speed oscar
Taylor, r. E. Lacey and George stokes
were not far from the scene of the killing
and their testimony tended to show that
the usual warnings of the approach OF the
locomotive had not been heard. Mr.. 1. Il.
Holbrook the president and general man
ager of the new Washington and Stand
peatedly and urgently represented TO ran
road officials the dangers of the crossing
where the accident took place. lie salo
that his efforts to secure better facilities at
the crossing had resulted in his receiving
an insulting letter from one OF the fanlfoao
officials in Richmond.
Engineers Statement.
Engineer Carey Crump of this city, who
was in the cab of the engine, said that
IL lipe at a Sy1epI of TWENTY-FIVE
miles an hour when the carriage was
struck. He claimed that the usual warning
in the sounding of the whistle had been
taken Engineer Crump declared that ne
did not know at first that he had struck an
obstacle He said that soon after PASSING
over the crossing he noticed the odor or
whisky. and asked his fireman about u
they looked out on the engine and saw the
body of a woman caught between the cow
catcher and boiler. 90
TIE engineer was closely questioned as
to whether he saw any evidences OF WHISKY
being in the possession of the unfortunate
party when he got back to the CROSSING
He admitted that he saw neither potties
nor fragments, nor did he smeh 'i'e JUL
any more. -, o
The fireman made practically the same
statement to the collision. -,
1t was late in the afternoon when the
verdict of the jury was arrived at. 1t was
TO the effect that the railroad company was
directly responsible for the death OF the
four persons through negligence on the
part of the employees and by reason Oh the
failure of the railroad to protect the cross
ing. 1t was recited that the accident was
due largely to the failure of the trainmen
either to sound the whistle or to ring the
bell Immediately before the crossing was
reached
The point where the accident occurred
was on the line of the Pennsylvania rail
road doube-track system between here ana
Washington.
ton that the party had been drinking, Mr..
Holbrook stated to Star reporter that
both Brown and Stokes had been in his
employ, and that he had found them both
orderly, sober and respectable men.
Invitations to Celebration.
A meeting of the Washington Birthday
Celebration Association was held last even
ing in the Friendship engine house, when
additional plans were formulated for the
success of the parade to be held here the
ID instant. Assurances of attendance have
been received from militia companies all
over the state, and the committee expects
that three four companies of the 1st
Regiment of Washington will be in the
parade. Today Acting Secretary Trimyer
is sending out special invitations to the
Virginia representation in Congress and
other prominent people in Washington and
Virginia. About thirty-eght special invita-
tons will be sent to the editors of the news
papers throughout the old dominion. Each
day brings additional promises of splen-
did military parade.
General Matters.
There was small strike at the plant OF
the new Washington and Standard Brick
Company at Waterloo yesterday, when fit
teen colored cart drivers declined to work
unless they received more money. They
armed themselves with stones and made
demonstration to prevent others from taxi
ing their places, but were driven off with
out difficulty. The brick yard was shut
down yesterday, but new men We're en-
ployed this morning and operations were
resumed.
Miss Kathleen Flood, daughter of Mrs.
Kate w. Flood and Mr.. William A. Pom
dexter, formerly of Rockbrdge, Va, but
now of Baltimore, were married Tuesday
evening at the home of the brides mother,
IA Queen street. Rev. Mr.. Barton Of
ficiated
The funeral of Mrs. Eliza j. Walker
whose death occurred Tuesday will take
place tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock from
her late residence, 211 Gibbon street.
There will be an inaugural recital on the
new organ at st. Mary's Catholic Church
this evening al o'clock.
CHILDREN START FIRE