Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-28
DEATHDUETO ACCIDENT
CORoNER'S VERDICT IN CASE OF
HUGH L. APPLE.
Jury Hears Testimony and Declares
That the Fatal Occurrence Was
Unavoidable.

A jury of inquest this morning inquired
| into the circumstances leading I'D to the
death of Hugh L. Apple, and the verdict
returned was that the death of Mr.. Apple
| was due to IAN unavoidable accident" AS
has been stated in The Star. Mr.. Apple
was struck by a southbound car of the
| Capital Traction Company on 14th street
between Clifton and Chaplin streets Mon
day evening last about O'Clock. He was
taken to Garfield Hospital. and there lin
gered In an unconscious condition until
Thursday morning. when he died.
The inquest was held at the morgue
this morning by DR.. Ramsay hewitt, Dis
trict coroner. and the inquiry lasted about
an hour, eight witnesses being examined.
The Evidence Heard.
Ivan c. Utterback. motorman of the car
on the 14th street line that struck Mr..
Apple, inf1icting the hurts from which he
died. was the first witness called. Mr..
Utterback stated that as he came down
the 18th street hill near Clifton street he
saw man who was afterward stated to be
Mr.. Apple about three car lengths ahead
attempting to cross the track He rang
his bell and the man looked up. Think
ing he was going to get out Of the way
utterback started his car ahead, but Mr..
apple walked across in front Of the car
anu was knocked DOWN. witness QlQ not
think that the north-bound car obstructed
Mr.. Apples view of the approaching car.
Daniel T. AyTes. conductor Of the train
that struck Mr. Apple, was not called. Wit
and felt the brake applied suddenly. He
first saw Mr.. Apple lying on the ground in
front of his train. Witness went to him
and seeing he was badly hurt he went to a
phone and called the Emergency Hospital,
but being unable to get into communica-
ton with that institution the injured man
was sent to Garfield Hospital.
c. Woodward, conductor another
car of the 18th street line, was next called.
Mr.. Apple got on the car Of which witness
was in charge at 9th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue. and while on the car he be-
came ILL., He rode to Clifton street. Con-
ductor Woodward assisted him from the
car and saw him going unsteadily down the
street.
The ringing of the bell Of the southbound
car attracted the attention of witness, and
he remarked that he believed that the man
would be run over. When he next saw Mr..
Apple he was lying in the street
Benjamin c. Hartig, residing at 1924 Cliff
ton street northwest. testified that he was
walking up 18th street and saw a car COM
ing He saw Mr.. Apple on the street with
a bundle of papers Mr.. Apple stopped for
a moment between the tracks and then
stepped on the track in front of the ap
preaching car which struck him. Witness
did not recollect whether not the bell
on the approaching rung. He saw
Mr.. Apple lying on the track
Statements by Passengers.
Edward o. Cooling, residing at 3444
Mount Pleasant street northwest, was then
sworn. Mr. Cooling was a passenger on the
northbound train on 14th street with Mr..
Apple. The latter, the witness said, had
the appearance of man who had been
drinking i'll. He got off at Chaplin
street and witness him walk across
the street in front of the southbound car.
The car struck him and knocked him to
one side. The car that hit him ran some
distance before it was stopped. Apple was
very unsteady on his feet when he allghted
from the car.
street northwest, was the next witness.
Mr.. Fiske was a passenger on the north |
bound train with Mr.. Apple. At Clifton
street, he stated, Apple alighted and in en-
deavoring to cross the track in front of
the southbound car was struck. On the !
way up the street Mr.. Apple was doing. |
The conductor assisted him from the car.
Green Webb, residing at Brightwood Driv- |
ing Park, upon being sworn stated he was |
aboard the southbound 14th street train, |
and saw Mr.. Apple on the northbound |
track. The motorman rang his bell and |
called to him, Where in HI are you go
ing?'' but the man stepped on the track and |
the car hit him.
DR.. Luther Reichelderfer, superintendent |
of Garfield Hospital, was the next witness. |
He stated that Mr.. Apple was brought to |
the Garfield Hospital in police ambulance
When operated upon a large clot Of blood |
was found on the brain. While at the hos
pital Mr.. Apple vomited considerable liquor.
DIR. Snowden, who made the autopsy, |
stated that he found a bad fracture of the |
skull, and that the brain was filled with |
blood clots.
This closed the testimony, and the case |
was given to the jury consisting of Thomas |
B. Walker, w. F. Buckingham, c. H. Dick
man, r. Burley Reed, George L. Kepler |
and VIM. A. Gray, who returned the verdict |
given above after but few minutes DELHI |
Grafton.