Evening journal., 1913-08-23
CORONER ENDS
THREE CASES
Railroad Accidents and Drown
ing Victims Occupy Atten-
tiOn of Officials
MANY WITNESSES GIVE
TESTIMONY In CASES

Three induests we're held by Cor
oner John r Spring last night and
SO many witnesses We're called to
testify that the hearings continued
until late hour.
The cases heard were those Of
Sebastino Russica who died in The
Homeopathic Hospital from injuries
received in a collision between a
trolley car of the Peoples Railway
Company and shifting engine on
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at
Fourth and Webb streets; Joseph r,
Huddle, who Was killed at West
Junction by a Baltimore and Ohio
train and Richard Conner the five
year-old son Of Mr.. and Mrs George
Conner, of No. 1903 Vandever ave-
nue.. who was drowned In hole
filled with water on a lot at Van
dever avenue and Claymont street.
The evidence in Russica's case was
to the effect that the shifting engine
backed into the trolley car but
whether Russica fell from the car or
jumped was in dispute. One witness
said he jumped and another said he
fell.
The jury returned verdict that
Russica came to his death at the
Homeopathic Hospital from secon-
dary shock as a result of the injuries
he received.
The only actual witness to the ac-
cident in the Huddle case was Irwin
d. Young, a telegraph operator who
was stationed on the east side OF
the West Junction crossing where the
accident occurred He said that it
was about 430 o'clock in the morn
ing when he saw Huddle coming
along the eastbound track. When he
arrived at the platform he placed his
coat and dinAer pail there and started
across the tracks to the brickyard
presumably to get a drink af water
He said Huddle was deaf and evident
~ did not hear the oncoming train
which struck him and carried him
sixty feet. He died in the caboose of
the train while being taken to the
Delaware avenue station.
Charles G. Spurrier, engineer OF
the train. testified that he did not see
Huddle until he was struck, but
James L. Booker, his fireman, did. and
rang the bell to warn him Of his dam
ger. Booker said the man was walk
ing with his head down, and did not
pay any attention o the bell.
a verdict to the effect that Huddle
came to his death by being struck by q
locomotive on the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad at West Junction was returned
II was shown by the witnesses in
both railroad cases that there were
neither watchmen nor safety gates
where the accidents occurred.
The evidence in the case Of the boy
who was drowned was that he had
drowned in a hole that had filled with
water. his excavation was made To
learn the kind Of bottom in the lot foI
the foundations of the proposed Bec
Hive building Tor the Chamber of Com
merce.
The hole is said TO have been dug
about six weeks ago. and when the dig
ging ceased four stakes were driven
around the hole and a single board about
two feet from the ground was nailed
around the stakes. Prior TO the drown
ing Of the boy the fence was torn down
The child was playing on the lot when
he fell IN and was drowned. The same
day. shortly after the drowning the hole
was filed up by the contractor who
dug it,
The Jury decided that the child came
70 its death by falling into hole which
had been dug in the lot az Sixteenth and
Claymont streets.