Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-24
BEFORE POLICE BOARD
Trial of Capt. Mathews and
Lieut.. MuIhaIl.
ENGINEER MURPHY'S DEATH
Examination of Witnesses Begun This
Morning.
REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL
Testimony Regarding the Use OF
Lifting Jacks-Efforts to
Raise the Engine.
REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL

The trial of Capt w II. Mathews and
Lieut.. j. f. Mulha.l charged with violation
of the rules of the Metropolitan police force
in their course toward Hugh S. Murphy.
the engineer on the Southern railway train
who was killed at 9Th street and Maryland
avenue southwest September II last, was
resumed at the first precinct station this
morning. The members of the trial board
are ]. F. Smith. chairman; Inspector }. A
Swindells and Inspector F. E. Cross. At
torney James S. Easby-Smith represented
the defendants. and Attorney Charles F.
Bendhem appeared for the Order of Loco
motive Engineers, who are the complain
ants.
First in order was the photographing of
the board. defendants, attorneys and 9TH
ers attending the session.
The first witness was Mr.. Geo. B. Can't
we'll a foreman of the p, B. and w. rail-
road who testified that he nad-reached the
engine on September IL twelve or fifteen
minutes after the accident that pinned
down Engineer Murphy. He told Lieut..
Mulhall that he would put "a jack under
the engine to lift it. but the lieutenant re-
piled he could not do it then. and directed
him to stand back. Upon cross examna-
ton he said he did not see Engineer Muir
ply under the engine and did not observe
what was being done to liberate him by the
police officers present. He had only been
told by Lieut.. Mulhall that he must stand
back and that nothing could be done until
the wreckng train arrived.
Engineer Murphy was released about
three-quarters of an hour after the witness
had arrived at the scene Of the disaster.
which occurred at 7:45 o'clock pm. He
was in the crowd that had gathered. and
he was sure that Lieut.. Mulhall had recog-
nized him. as he knew him to be rail-
road man. After being told to stand back
he made no further effort to render assist
ance
Before Policemen Arrived.
Mr. VIM. Wolf, who resides about sixty
feet of the scene of the accioen-.
rea cfed the wrecked engine five minutes
after it overturned, testified that he was
present before the policemen arrived and
attempted to use a screw jack. but could
not get it under the engine. Some one
suggested that they get a jack from the
ma chine shop and men were sent for 1t.
He told Capt. Mathews they should get
Murphy out.
ing until the wrecking train arrived" the
witness added. '.A
Attorney Bendheim produced a small toy
engine in order TO illustrate how he could
have released the engineer and the wilt
ness said the screw jack from the engine
would have been sufficient to raise the
cab.
Attorney .Easby-smith objected to the
PENDANTS did not prevent any one from
releasing the engineer apd that the wit
ness was referring to what he might have
done II he had had the Jack. for which he
sent to the machine shop.
The witness repeated that he could have
released the engineer by raising the cab
four inches and he was satisfied that he
could have done so with the screw Jack
four or six-ton capacity. In addition to
that there was a fifteen-ton jack there
having been brought from the shop by one
of the men. There was also an eight-ton
jack
The witness testified that he was expe-
rienced in handling jacks Of the kind he
had at the scene of the disaster. He had
repaired and cleared such jacks and was
familiar with their use. He had raised a
65-horsepower boiler with jack similar to
one of those he had on that occasion.
Il told Capt. Mathews that we would have
to raise that engine to release the man."
the witness said. He replied. Yes. but we
have no sufficient Jack to raise it. l told
him We did have a jack that was sufficient
to raise it. but he told me l would have
to get out"
Views Of an Engineer.
The witness testified that he Is an engi-
neer a member of the international Union
of Engineers. He was close enough to En-
gineer Murphy to put his hands on him. He
had put his hands under him and found
both legs tightly fastened. One leg he could
move slightly. but he could not get it out.
They were starting to use the screw jack
just as the patrol wagon arrived. The two
hydra ulic jacks had not then been brought.
He then put out and did not know
whether the jack was used after that. The
witness testified that they attempted to put
the screw Jack under the tender. but In the
excitement they could not do 1t. The wit
ness did not see Murphy after the former
had been put out until he saw Murphy on
l 81, IA ofl
sonal knowledge know what was done.
But l heard the men growing. the wit
ness added. that they were not permitted
by the police to use the jacks"
do you know that not only the screw
jack but the two hydraulic jacks were
placed under the cab and utterly failed?'
Attorney Easby-Smth inquired:
I do not know" was the reply.
You said nothing was done after the
hydraulic jacks were brought there?"
How do you know that. when you were
| then on the other side of the engine?"
Because the men said they were not al
| lowed to use them"
But do you know that some one else did
not use them?
| Il do not, except that the men said they
l were not allowed to use them"
| The witness was allowed to stay around
| the engine fifteen minutes after Lieut.. Null
hall arrived, he explained. He had been
| there fifteen minutes before Lieut.. Mulhali
| put in an appearance. He was put outside
| twice-once by Capt. Matthews and once by
| Lieut.. Mulhall. During the half hour he
| was at the engine and was free to act he
| tried to get the engine door open so that
| the steam could be let off in order to pre-
| vent scalding Engineer Murphy. He had
| sent for a scantling to put under the jack.
/ when he was told to get out.
How Murphy Was Held.
| Mr. A. s. Moffatt said he had heard that
| the engine had turned over two three
| minutes after the accident while he was
| standing at the telegraph office. and he
| ran to 9th street and Maryland avenue
| He described the position of the engine
/ and cab, illustrating with the toy engine
/ and cab Engineer Murphys right leg
/ was caught ON his ankle and the left was