Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1913-09-25
Suit for the Death of Wife
and Daughter.
VOLUME OF TESTIMONY
Lorenzo Adams Brings Suit for
Damages for Death and Miss
Wisham for Iojuries.
Tuesday Afternoon

| "Ncuay AAbCI uOO4
] The suits of Lorenzo A. Adams, Ex-
ecutor. and Lorenzo A. Adams, Admin
-strator, and Miss Fannie Wisham.
was resumed yesterday afternoon.
This is an action by Mr.. Adams
| against the West Jersey & Seashore
Railroad Company to recover damages
for the death of his wife Emma Ad-
ans, and his little daughter Cora Ad-
ans, who were killed when the auto
| mobile in which they were riding was
struck and demolished in a collision
with the electric train at the Malaga
crossing, and by Miss Fannie Wisham
to recover damages for injuries sus-
/ tained in the same accident. This is
the same accident in which E. H.
Stokes, the venerable father of former
Governor Stokes was also injured.
Mr.. Stokes was driving the machine
at the time
The three cases were tried together,
and was opened by Mr.. Louis H. Mil
Ter for Mr.. Adams, the plaintiff, and
by Judge Westcott for Miss Wisham.
The first witness called was civil
engineer Wade, of Millville, to prove
a map of the locality.
| Miss Fannie Wisham was the next
witness called, and testified as to the
happenings at the time of the accident.
She stated that she was in the auto
mobile with the Adams party and Mr..
Stokes, Mr.. Stokes, she said. resided
in her parents family and had resided
there long time. He was a relative
by marriage, being an uncle. He could
drive an automobile.
The accident occurred July 8, 1913.
They had left Vineland about six
o'clock in the morning of that day in
Mr.. Stokes touring car. They. went
to Malaga road, crossed the railroad
! and went on towards the camp ground.
She said she noticed the crossing and
commented that it was bad and dan
gerous crossing. They went on to
Philadelphia where they spent the day
| leaving Philadelphia on their return
| at about 6 o'clock p. m.
Coming towards Malaga, the road
ran parallel with the railroad, Mr..
Stokes was driving the car. About a
mile from the crossing she heard a
railroad train-the rumbling, and she
i
began to look for the train, having the
railroad crossing in mind at the time.
The noise ceased, that is, she heard it
| no more
Crossing the railroad track, the au-
tomobile was struck by the electric
| train. She had seen no light of an ap-
preaching train. She was looking.
When the automobile was upon the
tracks there was a sudden flash of the
| electric lights from the train. She
| said when the car was hit by the train,
| and She was knocked unconscious.
| The witness described her injuries,
how her pelvis bones were broken.
She did not know the other people
were killed until long afterwards. She
did not see them after the collision,
and has never seen them since. She
did not know the car was demolished,
but imagined herself still in the ma
| chine.
/ Miss Wisham was given a very long
examination by Judge Westcott before
she was turned over to Mr.. Bacon for
| cross-examination. This, however
| was short
On redirect examination she said
there was no flagman nor bell, nor
gate at the crossing.
| VIM. Albertson, called, said he lived
in New Jersey and is Jerseyman
He is, chauffeur, he said He was
called to describe the physical condi-
tions about the Malaga crossing, as
he had observed them; and stated his
observations as to the Instructions tc
vision, caused by the telephone poles
Lee p. Halleck, of Clayton, was
called. He stated that there was quite
a grove of pine trees between the
State road and the railroad tracks
near the bend, which obstructs the
view to an approaching train. There
is also three lines of poles which serve
'