Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-20
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
OVER REMAINS OF JOHN
C. HANsBoRoUGH.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, May 20. 1904.
DR.. William r. Purvis, city coroner, this
morning conducted an inquest over the re-
mains of John c. Hansborough, who was
killed yesterday afternoon by being struck
by a Southern railroad engine at a crossing
just north of Alexandria, as stated In The
Star. The inquest, which was commenced
at 1920 o'clock. was held at the undertake
ing rooms of w. Domaine & Son, on King
street. The jury was composed OF the fol-
lowing: Messrs. John H. Trimyer. fore
man; c. ]. W. Summers. Robert E. Knight,
William Taylor, Leopold Ruben and Joseph
Lowenback.
James Johnson, colored, who was on the
rear end of the demolished vehicle just be-
fore the accident, was the first witness call
ed. He declared that no whistle was sound
ed at the crossing a few hundred yards
above, and said the first he knew of the I'M
pending danger was the sight of the engine
about half square away. He said there
was just one warning toot when he jumped
and the collision occurred, which resulted
in the death of the driver and the horse and
the destruction of the wagon. According
to this witness 1t was the custom for the
trains to blow at the crossing Immediately
above that of the Belle Pre- Bottle Com
pany's works.
cab Of the locomotive, testified that he
blew for the crossing close to st. Asaph
and that an automatic bell was ringing
all the way from Washington to Alexan-
dria. He said he was not accustomed to
sound his whistle for the crossing immed-
lately above the bottle works because the
long whistle for the city was regarded as
sufficient. When the engine got close to
Montgomery street, he said, he saw the
wagon drive out on the track. He then blew
three short blasts, applied the emergency
brake and pulled the bar back. He est-
mated the speed of the engine to be be-
tween ten and fifteen miles hour. The
witness said he was not accustomed on the
run from Washington to Alexandria to slow
down on entering this city until Mason's
wall was reached, which Is several blocks
within the city limits Coroner Purvis
called attention to the law which provides
that the speed of trains within the city
shall not exceed six miles an hour, and
remarked that there was no excuse for
it's violation.
Other Witnesses Corroborate.
Fireman George Davis, who was In the
opposite seat, was next examined. His YER
sion of the affair was practically the same
as that of the engineer. The testimony OF
the cab, was substantially the same, as
was also that of Arthur Dick, colored
porter riding on the engine, excepting the
statement that the wagon was about
TWENTY-FIVE ydTOS AWAY WITCH iiO AK o. 90"
1T approaching the track. This was con-
siderably more than the estimate or the
other railroad men.
Following the taking of testimony the
members of the jury went to the scene OF
the accident to make a personal inspection
They returned to the undertaking rooms
about noon, and after brief dellDeratlon
rendered a verdict, finding that Hansbor-
oIgh came to his death in the way 1ndl-
Gated in the evidence, and holding the rail-
road company responsible for the accident
Engineer Crump has recently had unusual
misfortune In his runs. Early TINS year the
locomotive he was running from Washing
ton to Alexandria struck vehicle near
Brick Haven, Alexandria county, and killed
four people almost instantly.
Confederate Memorial Day.
r. e. Lee Camp. Confederate Veterans.
has about completed arrangements for the
annual observance OF confederate memorial
day. which will be held next Tuesday, the
oath instant. The confederate monument
at the intersection of Prince ana Washlng-
ton streets will be profusely decorated with
flowers A stand will be erected near by
on washington street. from which Mr..
John Alexander of Leesburg will deliver
the grafton of the day. Inc PIC. s . 1,a
closed by an iron fence, which mas ADDED
to the attractiveness Of its appearance
The graves of the confederate dead in
the various cemeteries around Alexandria
will be visited and strewn with flowers,
and the mound in Christ Church yard will
be appropriately decorated. After the ora
ton the veterans will march to the church.
yard, where the final observances will take
place.
General Matters.
1t is announced that Capt. ]. ". Davis.
superintendent of the National cemetery
here, will not be transferred to the Antie-
tam cemetery, near Sharpsburg. Nd, but
will for the present remain at his post in
Alexandria. The order of the War Depart
ment resembling the transfer of Captain
Davis has occasioned much pleasure among
his friends in this city.
The last schedule game of the base ball
team OF the Episcopal High School will
take place In Baltimore tomorrow after
noon. The game will be with the Mount
81 Josepf's College of that city.
Base bali teams representing the Sunday