Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-07
HOLDS CITY
RESPONSIBLE
coRoNER's JURY RETURNS uN.
USUAL VERDICT
NEGLIGENCE CAUSE OF RECENT
MACY STREET ACCIDENT
Officials and Railways Advised to Co
Operate in Installing Signal Ser
vice and Maintaining Watch
man at Crossing

1--WE, the jury, find that homer ~
Carter came to his death on the 3otn
day of January, 1908, by fracture Oh
the skull caused by being caught pc
meath Pacific Electric car No Nv
which car was struck by train OF the
san Pedro. Los Angeles & Salt Lake
Railway company at the Macy street
on ossing in the city of Los Angeles.
I'VE further find the deceased gave
a signal to his motorman for q clear
track, when in fact tram was ap-
proaching a crossing within a snort
distance on the San Pedro, Los Angeles
& Salt Lake railway track.
1--WE further exonerate the motorman
of said Pacific Electric car from all
blame.
1--WE further find from the evidence
adduced that ordinance NO. sll5 IN.
81 of the city of Los Angeles, Whlch
nrovides for the safety of the pubic
at the Macy street railway CROSSING
has been violated, no Waterman nav
ing been employed there since the pass
age of said ordinance, between the
hours of D. m. and a. m, up to and
including the night of January 80.
I'VE further find that the city gov
eminent of Los Angeles has been neg
ligent in not enforcing the provisions
of said ordinance.
Arc Light Recommended
I'VE recommend that the municipal
authorities place and maintain an arc
light over said crossing.
1--WE further recommend that the
San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake
railway place and maintain an auto
matte electric gong at said crossing for
the greater protection of the people.
r. l.. Dunlap, foreman; c. H. stone,
Lib Young, S. T. Runnells, De Moss
Bowers and E. c. Hine."
The foregoing is the verdict rendered
at the inquest held over the body OF
Homer r. Carter, Pacific Electric con-
ductor in charge of car No. ITO.
which was wrecked as the result OF
being struck by a Salt Lake train at
the Macy street crossing the night OF
January 80.
Il. b. Nickel, switchman, who was
on the oil tank car which was on the
end of the train that collided with the
street car, testified he saw the street
car coming and that he swung his
lantern and yelled at the car crew, but
the car did not come to a full stop.
When he saw his warning was I'M
noticed he signaled the engineer, but
owing to the grade at that point the
train could not be stopped in time to
avoid striking the car.
George Hyle, foreman of the switch
ing crew, who was on one of the two
orgines, stated the train was moving
at the rate of five miles an hour. He
saws the train, which was over block
long, was stopped within fifty feet after
the signal to stop had been given.
Conductor Left Car
Herman Peters, another witness, who
was a passenger on the car, testified
that Conductor Carter jumped off the
car, ran ahead and gave the motorman
the signal to go ahead and swung on
the car again.
Motorman f. NJ. Bechtol of the
wrecked car shook with emotion as he
recited the circumstances of the fatal
collision. He said he did not see the
railroad man swing a lantern. He
stated that Carter jumped from the
car, ran ahead and gave the signal TO
go ahead. Said the car was not
brought to a full stop, but was going
very slow
Other witnesses who testified were
E. E. McDade, member of the switch
ing crew; Frank ]. Keegan, witness
of the accident, who was standing on
the bridge; w. H. Hussey, claim agent
of the Salt Lake route; Deputy City
Attorney Emmett Wilson and Conrad
Serdenstricker, a witness. who was on
the Macy street bridge when the COL
lision occurred.
After the witnesses had testified Cor
oner Hartwell charged the jury, which
returned a verdict in accordance with
the evidence.
,rhis verdict is the most lengthy one
that has been rendered for some time.