Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-21
ENTIRELY ACC|OENT TAI
Jury's View of Miss Mary
MoNierny's Death.
VERDICT RETU RN ED
TESTIMONY OF EYE-WITNESSES
TO THE OCCURRENCE.
Woman Killed by Horses of Truck
Company Yesterday Morning
The Testimony.


yesterday morning was purely an unavoid-
able accident was the verdict of a coroners
Jury at an inquiry into the accident at the
morgue this morning.
The jury added to the verdict the opinion
that after hearing all the facts brought out
in the testimony the members of the fire
department should be entirely and COM
pleteIy exonerated from all blame in con-
nection with the accident, as it appeared to
them that the fremen had used all human
effort possible to avert it.
The testimony in this case was heard by
the jury which had also passed upon the
Norbeck shooting.
The testimony was all alike. Each wit
ness said practically that the members of
the fire department were obeying all rules
and laws at the time of the accident; that
the apparatus was under perfect control;
that the horses were moving slowly, and
that at the time the unfortunate woman
was first seen by the fremen they shouted
and rang the bell violently in effort to
get her out of the way.
In addition to this, it in evidence
that the driver made every effort to swing
the horses around to prevent their striking
the woman.
Cause of Death.
DR.. Glazebrook testified that he examined
the body of Mrs. McNierney, found her
head covered with baadages, and upon re-
moving them found a cross-shaped wound
made by surgeons. Said there was fraC-
ture of the skull and death was due to
hemorrhage of the brain. He said she
not injured in any other place. There
was, according to DIR. Glazebrook, no other
evidence of violence
DR., William NJ. Smith, of Providence Hos
pital the next witness. told Of Mrs. Nc
Nierney being brought to the hospital He
said she was unconscious and would not re-
spond to treatment. There was, he said,
a large confused wound on the head; that
after probing wound could find no fracture
Six hours afterward, he said, she was
dead. She did not regain consciousness.
DR. Smith could not say what the cause of
death was.
Capt. Hooper's Testimony.
Capt James E Hooper of the fire de-
partment was called. He said that at 10
pm. April 10 his company in responding
to an alarm, and while nearing Sd street
and North Carolina avenue noticed the
woman. He said they shouted at her to
get out of the way, and that she heSitated;
that they got two horses out of the way,
but the third horse struck her He said
his team in the center of the street,
which was of level grade Witness said
the horses were entirely under control and
that they were Stacking down to make n
turn within thirty feet of where the wo-
man was struck; that it was very dark and
hard to see across the street. He said the
apparatus stopped within ten feet af-
ter the woman was struck. He said the
woman twenty feet in front of the
truck when he first noticed her. He said he
could down the street. Hooper insisted
that every effort made to attract the
attention of the woman as well as to stop
the horses.
Witness said he had the woman sent to
the hospital in the arms of one of the fire
men and proceeded to the scene of the fire.
Upon examination by Mr.. Sinclair Hooper
said his team was going slowly to make
the turn, and that the woman did not APP
pear to notice the approach of the appar
atus. Hooper said the woman appeared to
have hood on her head.
Driver Boyd Called.
George Boyd the driver of the truck
which struck the woman, was called. His
testimony showed that he had charge of
the apparatus and responding to an
alarm of fire. He said they pulled down
the horses to make turn into Sd and D
streets That he saw Il woman crossing the
street; that they shouted at her; that she
seemed to hesitate and then kept on across
the street He said the horses were going
very slowly and were stopped within a few
feet He too. saw that the woman had
something on her head that looked like a
hood. Said he used the brake and that it
worked successfully as usual and re-
Eponded 10 his use. Boyd said the bell on
the machine was ringing and that those on
the front of the truck hollered at the wom-
an to get out of the way.
Fireman's Testimony.
Fireman Arthur W. Orfn, the next wit
ness told practically the same story. He
Insisted that the truck was going at a much
slower rate of speed than usual The
brakes were in good order and the driver
mad the horses under perfect control.
The next witness D. L. Richmond. said
ne lived near the scene of the accident. He
said he and his wife were going out when
hey heard the bells of the fire department
and ran TO the front of the house and
looked out of the window. He saw the
apparatus slow up. He said he saw a
woman standing in the middle of the street
IN a hesitating manner, and II appeared TO
him that She moved in the direction of the
horses and that the shoulder of one horse
struck her and knocked her down. lie
said he heard people halloing at the time,
and there was light enough TO see plainly.
There was nothing to obstruct the view of
a person on the street, he declared, and he
noticed invariably that all fire apparatus
passing his house slowed up. He had called
his wifes attention 10 this matter. He
said he noticed & decided stacking up OF the
horses at the time of the accident and
there was an unusual ringing of the appa-
ratus bells Witness was of the opinion
that a person with all his or her natural
faculties could have seen and heard the APP
preaching apparatus Witness said niece
OF Mrs. McNierney had told HON she was
rnOt very deaf
Mr. Diggins, the next witness said he
sitting inside a house at the corner and
heard the noise Of the apparatus as it APP
ringing of the bells than usual, and he
the woman in the street. her hesitate
and saw the horse strike her. The appa-
ratus was APPARENTLY under perfect control.
Deimore Bean said he saw the accident.
He heard the engines coming, and they
passed him, he following. The bell
ringing violently and the hremen were
shouting Witness said he the truck
strike something. He said he thought the
woman was bewildered and she appeared
10 slip against the team rather than that
the truck horse struck her.
Relative of the Deceased
Thomas Sheehan said he is a second
cousin OF Miss McNierney and stated she
was "a little deaf" Sometimes she could
hear and sometimes she could not She
had good eyesight. he said Witness did
not see the accident. He said Miss Me-
Nierney was hearty woman for her years
Fred. ]. Willoughby. jr.. the next witt
ness. said he was standing the corner
ana heard fire bells; saw truck coming out
4Narnllmg hna yHt ha hanI rf,,.