The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-07-20
Was Well Conducted


o. l.. CIRCUIT
F. A. MORGAN
WALTER CLIFF
Was Well Conducted.
Starting at 1890 Monday morning
| it was after five o'clock before the
testimony of the last witness had been
taken. Prosecutor Ward handled the
investigation in a thorough and ca
pable manner and at the conclusion.
not one of the dozen legal advisers
in attendance, expressed any opinion
other than that the prosecutor had
conducted the proceedings in a man
ner aimed at nothing other than to
arrive at the facts. The railway COM
pany. they say, was given a fair and
impartial hearing and their witnesses
were subjected to fair questioning
in which they We're allowed to relate
each and everything that occurred in
the light in which they viewed it.
Driver Strangeway and wife sat
throughout the hearing remaining un-
til after the verdict of the jury had
been brought in. Mrs. William Kin
caid the only surviving occupant OF
the machine other than the driver,
was brought to the court house but
could not be taken up stairs to the
superior court room. Her testimony
was taken in the sheriff's office.
Much Legal Talent.
An array of legal talent such as is
infrequently gotten together in one
case, surrounded the attorneys tables.
Attorneys H. J. Sniveley William
Thompson and L. o. Meigs represent
ed Driver Strangeway. Thomas H
Wilson was present in the interest of
Mrs. William Kincaid. the other sur
vivng occupant of the machine; the
Northern Pacific was represented by
it's counsel here Englehart and Rigg.
and Harcourt M. Taylor of the firm
Wende and Taylor appeared for
Clarence O. Brown, husband of one
OF the victims.
Did Not See Train.
Mrs Kincaid's testimony together
with that of Driver Strangeway was
the sensation of the morning hearing.
Still laboring under a partial ner-
vous cola pse, she appeared in great
distress but answered Prosecutor
Wards questions sharply and to the
point.
Mrs. Kfncaid declared she did not
see the train until it was upon them,
nor did she hear any warning
|
were not going faster "than a man
could walk" but declined to give any
estimate of either the speed of the
automobile or the train.
Asked as to the speed of the train
she said: ct seemed to bound upon
us like a dart. That's all 1 remember
until it was all over"
Strangcway Tcstifics.
1n.dS Driy-ar was
called to the stand. Strangeway tes-
titled to the positions of the other
occupants OF the car and the con-
gested condition of the crossing
Stranceway declared his car was not
moving faster than from three to five
miles an hour and said he was posi-
bly, 10 feet from the main line track
when he first saw the approaching
Number a When that distance from
the track Strangeway said one of the
women screamed there's train and
he Immediately threw all of his weight
onto the reverse pedal.
"As did this" he said, 81 saw the
first rail disappear beneath the 'front.'
Of the machine. Then the train leap
ed upon us before the reverse had
time to take" Asked to the distance
required to stop his car when going
at a five mile rate witness said: ct is
impossible to stop in less than IS
feet" This was corroborated by w. F.
McNatt manager of the Western Auto
company who sold the machine to
Strangeway.
City Engineer Doolittle was called
and identified number of blue prints
which he had made of the scene of
the accident.
Engineers Story Interesting.
Among the long list of witnesses
called during the afternoon session,
the examination of Engineer Jones,
was most interesting. In response
to the first question witness said his
name was Edwin S. Jones and gave
his residence as Ellensburg. Witness
said he was at tho throttle of Number
a at the time OF the accident. Mr.,
Jones made an excellen witness an
swering the questions with equal
frankness and precision. He showed
he is a man o.. no mean education
and made an excellent showing with
the jury.
Bell Was RinSing.
Witness said his train was going at
a rate of speed between 10 and -
miles an hour at the time of the
collision that the bell was ringing and
had been ringing for several miles
having been started about a quarter
of mile North of Selah station. He
declares the proper whistles had been
, sounded upon approaching the yards
and that he had twice applied the
air before arriving at the d street
crossing This witness said, was the
, reason why a quicker stop had not
been made. Asked to explain his an
swer, witness went into a detailed
explanation of the workings of the
, air-brake showing that the emergen-
cy could not be applied without a full
air pressure.
Did Not Go Back.
: Witness said he did not go back to
the scene after bringing the train tC
a stop saying he could not bear the
sight He declared he saw the auto
| about 20 or 80 feet from the crossing
: and that the mahcine was going about
10 miles an hour. He declared the
! front of the automobile struck the
t end of the pilot beam and that an
examination of the engine showed
that there was no scratches on the
COW catcher Witness thought the
r engine must have been on the cross.
ng before the auto else the COW catcher
OF the engine would have struck the
: machine
The testimony OF the fireman cor.
5 roborated that of Engineer Jones bu
brought out anything new other thar
| that he had removed a part of the
automobile from the cow catcher