The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-22
Wary In Testimony AT
Car Collision
Inquest
DENIES JERKING
WESTOVER'S ARM
Admits Letting "Stu-
dent" Stop Too Close
To Tracks

son-ave. crossing. last wednesday
afternoon, at a cost OF Is lives. de-
MED, Wednesday. In Coroner Bur
CESS inquest, that he had pulled the
arm OF John G. westover. student
motorman who was running the car.
and had thus turned on the current.
causing the car to Jump in front OF
the train.
The coroner's Jury boarded d.
U. r. car, and vallade and West
over took the positions that they
say they occupied when the wreck
took place. vallade showed the jury
that 1t would have been almost i'm
possible for him TO reach West
overs arm and pull the controller.
vallade said that he might have
touched Westover's hand, but he
could not tell how the power was
turned on. He admitted that West
over had violated the company's
rule about stopping so feet from a
crossing. and that he had allowed
him TO do so. He said that the car
"drifted" toward the crossing when
the brakes were released, and that
In his belief. westover put on the
power.
vallade was q careful witness. dis
playing none of Westover's pathetic
anxiety to answer questions before
they were fairly out of his inferno
gators mouth.
vallade said that he had never
been told what instruction to give
apprentices. II was left to his judg-
ment. he said. to take the car from
the student when better time was
necessary. He considered that the
car was one and ono-half or two
minutes late at the d.. T. & I. cross
ing. He said that the rules pre-
scribe so feet as the proper dis
lance from crossing at which to
stop, but that this time the car
stopped 25 feet from the crossing.
Vallade said he did not call West.
overs attention to the rule at that
time.
II told him once that the rule
said 90 feet. but Westover said that
his other instructors were accus-
toned to a shorter distance" said
Vallade.
The motorman testified that West
over after receiving the conductors
eigpaI ~ ropna obaaI ran 20 xx,ttlt.
three feet OF the D., T. q I. track
and stopped again to allow woman
to get OF.
why did you allow westover to
make that stop?" asked Assistant
Prosecutor Keidan.
II couldn prevent him." vallade
answered.
Vallade said that he saw the train
coming at the rate OF seven or eight
miles an hour.
when the lady got OF the car,
Westover released the air and the
car drifted TIL the fender was on
the rail-" said vallade. 81 said:
Stop the car. Reverse her. I.
reached for the reverse and in the
mixup the power was thrown on and
we were struck"
why didn't you tell westover
that train was coming'"
Il supposed he had seen It. After
the lady got on. told him not to
start the car, but he released the
air and the car started to drift"
Did you touch westover's hand
on the controller"
II don't know. I might have"
"Did you touch any part OF the
apparatusr
81 don't think I did
when did you jump"
When the train hit u.s."
who jumped nrst7"
II don't know"
vallade said that he made a state
ment to Attorney Leete. OF the ID.
U. r.. Monday morning. telling the
same story. 80 far as he could re-
call. that he had just finished relat.
ing.
Mr. Keidan began to ask ques.
lions regarding the statement which
he made In police headquarters.
few hours after the wreck. Mr..
Leete objected. Questioned by Cor.
oner Burgess. vallade said that
ID. u. r. oficial told him to give
statement to the ofYicers. and that
some one would represent him."
"You weren't under arrest, were
your" asked the coroner.
II don't know. They wouldn't let
anybody see me-"
Did anyone try to see your"
"Yes-my wife"
Questioned by Prosecutor Jasnow.
ski. vailade said that the police had
treated him courteously and kindly.
and that he had made his statement
freely.
There was plenty OF time for US
to cross. providing we hadn't made
the second STOP" vallsde testified.
Mr.. Keidan wanted to know why.
IN his statement In police head