Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-18
DETECTIVES ON CASE
INQUEST OVER VICTIMS BODY TO
BE HELD TOMORROW.
Officials Try to EXPERIMENTATION OF
Homeopathic Hospital Criticized
Various Opinions Expressed.

days fatal accident on the City and Sub
urban railway line is given a full invesu-
cation. At the suggestion of the coroner
Capt Boardman has detailed Detectives
Flather and McNamee on the case and they
are interrogating witnesses and getting the
testimony in shape for the inquest. which
is to be held tomorrow morning.
Only few of those who were passengers
on the car are to be summoned. as 1t is
realized that their statements will be prac-
tically the same. They can only tell OF the
speed OF the car and of conversations that
occurred between the passengers or be-
tween them and those who were In charge
of the car. They, of course, will be able TO
tell of the injuries received by the pas
sengers, and some may be able to repeat
the explanation given by the motorman.
which, as stated in yesterdays Star, was
that he misjudged the distance his car was
from the curve because of the dense fog
The alleged broken fiange may also play
a part in the investigation and assist the
jury in reaching verdict.
1t was late in the afternoon VINE nthe
coroner visited the Homeopathic Hospital
and viewed the body of E. r. Sprague, the
victim of the accident. He went there be-
cause of the conduct of the doctors at the
hospital in performing an autopsy ana
giving certificate of death. Mrs. Sprague,
widow of the victim was anxious TO get
her husbands body home. and had Unuer-
taker j.. William Lee look after the ar
rangements When one of the undertaken
assistants went to the hospital and FOUND
that an autopsy had been performed ana
that Dr. Swartwout had given death GER
tificate he thought the proceeding was I'M
usual and summoned the coroner.
Hospital Criticised.
DR.. hewitt, the coroner, deemed the action
of the hospital physicians as being some
thing out of the ordinary and so told the
doctors He was SO much interested in the
matter that he called upon Assistant United
States Attorney Bingham and consulted
him. The latter looked up the law govern
ing the coroners office, but could find moth
ing bearing on the subject. After failing
to find law bearing on the SUBJECT the
coroner and attorney concluded that sucn
a statute should be upon the books and
will make an effort to get one during the
coming session of Congress.
The coroner directed that the body be
removed from the hospital to the morgue
and Acting Deputy Coroner Baker per-
formed a second autopsy. He then pre-
pared death certificate and about o'clock
the body was removed to Lees undertaking
establishment and prepared for interment
The death certificate gives the information
that Mr.. Sprague was born in Michigan,
thirty-eight years ago, and that he had
lived in the District of Columbia two years.
1t also recited that his death was due to
a crushed thorax, lacerated and confused
scalp, fracture of the arm and shoulder,
and shock.
Arrangements for the funeral have not
been made. They will not be made until
the widow hears from her father-in-law,
who lives In Kansas. In all probability the
body will be taken to Kansas for interment.
This morning the remains were placed in
a casket and removed to the family home.
The widow has received many messages of
sympathy from friends. She was at the
hOSDital when her husband died.
Officials Try to Explain.
During the Investigation made by the
coroner yesterday he told that the car,
which was wrecked yesterday, had jumped
the track about four years ago at I'd and
r streets. At that time the body of the
car left the trucks, and. the coroner was
informed, the number of the car was after
ward changed. Mr.. Harry Fuller, general
manager of the company, had charge of the
work of removing the debris yesterday. He
investigated the accident with other officials
of the company and will probably be pres
ent at the inquest tomorrow The cars are
inspected every morning, Mr.. Fuller said,
and are not sent out unless they are in
perfect condition. He said that Motorman
Colvin running extra" yesterday but
that he was familiar with the tracks and
location of the curves. 1t was his belief
that the accident was due to the dense fog
Coroner hewitt directed that Motorman
Colvin be arrested and held until the in
vestigation is finished. The police also ar
rested Conductor Cecil and took him to
the eighth precinct station. They were
placed in the witness room instead of in a
cell. During the night Conductor Cecil
suffered from the injuries he received and
was taken to the hospital for treatment.
On all s;des the accident formed the SUBJ
jet for discussion last night and today
ALI expressed the greatest sorrow for the
widow and children of the victim. but not
many were heard to say a word in favor of
crowding the cars or running them at an
excessive rate of speed Many passengers
who escaped with their lives yesterday
when the heavy car left the tracks declare
that the speed of the car was greater than
that permitted by law. Motorman Colvin
denies that his car was exceeding the legal
speed. Just before the accident occurred
Mr.. Charles Hawkshaw of Hyattsville who
Was standing on the rear platform, thought
that the motorman was unable to control
the and said to a friend that he was
going to jump.
Don't jump, his friend said to him. eff
you do you will kill yourself"
Il might as well get killed by jumping as
b5 remaining on the car" said the resident
of Hyattsville.
The friend caught him by the collar to
hold him, but he refused to be held and
made leap from the fast moving car He
took his friend with him and the two rolled
over on the asphalt pavement He lost his
collar and part of his shirt but was only
slightly hurt. After doing what little he
could TO assist the other victims he return
ed home. put on another shirt and then
made safe journey on one of the cars to
his place of employment.
Injured, but Got Married.
Another passenger on the Inflated car
who had rough experience, was the Rev.
David A. Reed. pastor of the Presbyterian
churches at Riverdale and Berwyn. He was
on his way to the city to get married and
haG dress suit case with him. He receiv-
ed Injuries to his knees and was one of
those VINO went to the Emergency Hospital
for treatment. He remained there but a
short time and then hurried to the home of
Miss Mary A. TAFT, now Mrs Reed
The pastor feared Miss TAFT would hear of
the accident and become alarmed and for
that reason he lost no time in reaching her
house to let her know that he had not been
seriously injured Later in the day he was
married by the Rev. DIR. Kelley at the par
sonage of the Fourth Presbyterian Church.
The superintendent of the morgue select
ed six business men to serve on the Jury
AMI they were sworn over the body yester-
day afternoon They are Frank K Ray
mond Wall II. Groscup, P. F. Brandsted,
w. s. Knox, w. F. Ayre and A. ]. Sanford
Some of the Victims.
Aloysius Senart Is the only victim of the
accident who is still under treatment in
hospital. He Is at Freedmen's Hospital and
the doctors said this morning that there
had been decided Improvement in his con-