The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-05-08
The inquest upon the three bodies
l. LII 49, L..

The inquest upon the three bodies
was held jointly. -.. ..
The first witness called at the in
quest at o'clock today was w. 0.
Alter of Talbert, passenger on the
electric car. He felt the collision
but did not know until sfterward
what was hit. He thought the auto
engine was killed on the track ibe
car ran about 100 yards before it
stopped. The car was goinS fast.
He helped to extricate Cain and
Beard, who were gasplng their last
as they were laid on the ground.
Eugene Adams, COS McFadden
street, a boy, was in the road near
the crossing. He saw the autonlo-
bile slow up and stop with ;he front
part of the machine in the center OF
the tracks. He thought Cain t"lel
to stop before reaching the tracks.
He heard the electric car Whistle
block or so before it reached the
crossing and again when it got
closer.
G. R. Maston, Los Angeles, a con-
ductor, sat in the forward pert OF
the electric car. He saw the auto
first forty yards from the track as
the electric car whistled. he saw
the auto stop before reaching the
track, then start up. 1t had stopped
twelve feet from the track, tneD
went ahead, and stopped still on the
track when the electric car was
car length and a half away. Just al
ter the first stop Maston saw Cam
lean out and look at the car. then
the auto moved ahead onto the
track. The auto was standing still
when struck.
W. Thatcher, Los Angeles, an ey-
conductor, sat with Maston. When
he first saw the auto, the motorman
had thrown on the emergency loo
feet from the crossing, and the auto
was then ten feet from the track.
He thought Cain was trying to stop,
then perhaps decided to get across.
E. NJ. Redman, passenger, who ives
southwest of Santa Ana, saw the
auto coming rather fast.
The auto slowed down, then 1t
appeared to me that he tried to beat
it across" said the witness. The
electric car slid until it stopped. The
rails were wet. 1t was sliding when
the collision occurred. The car was
going about thirty miles.
Mrs. C. A. Buttertield, Newport
Beach, saw the auto first just before
it came upon the track as the motor
man blew his whistle the second
time.
DR.. Wehrly described the injuries
received by the three persons Killed:
F. E. Bates, the motorman, SAID
he blew the whistle at the regular
posts 1000 feet from the crossing.
Seeing the auto, he blew again and
the auto slowed down, then started
up again and stopped on the tracks.
Bates had no time to get OF MS
stool. He applied the brakes when
he saw Cain was not going to stop.
When twelve feet from the track,
Cain slowed so that Bates thought
he was going to stop, but Gains
auto Iurched forward and stopped
on the tracks.
James NJ. Cain was a big hearted,
kindly man, with hundreds OF
friends, as testimonials to his splen-
did manhood He came to this coun-
ty from Iowa nineteen years ago,
and for twelve years was engaged
in celery growing at Wintersburg.
Seven years ago he moved to Santa
Ana and with his wife and four
children, Morris A., Willard l.,
Homer G. and Nita May, the latter
aged 10, has lived at 1906 North
Main street. For two years he has
been in the real estate business with
F. D. Drake. Mr.. Cain leaves a sister,
Mrs. Ed Haotonstall, at Huntington
Beach, a sister, Mrs. Stella l.. Dur
fee, at Ell Monte and two sisters and
2 brother in Iowa. Two years ago
he was the choice of caucus of the
fifth ward for a member of the board
of education. On that board he rem
dered faithful and efficient service.
The funeral will be held at o'clock
tomorrow from the residence. Rev.
Watry of the Unitarian church will
offiiate.