Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-11-15
Damage to Relief Fire Ap'
Daratus Not Criminal
Carelessness
MANY WITNESSES
Case Heard in Special Session Of Po-
lice Court Last Night-Settlement
for Damages Not Mentioned

At special session of police court
last night Justice Snow dismissed
the complaint against c. Acres, mo-
torman Of the Washington-Virginia
train which on Friday morning
struck the truck of the Relief Truck
and Engine Company, badly damag-
ing the truck and slightly iniuring
the driver, Arthur F. Skillman.
Acres was charged with recklessly
driving the electric car.
A number of witnesses were ex-
amined, members of the fire company
and employees Of the railway, and
while the evidence was conflicting
to some extent, Justice Snow failed
to find that there was any criminal
negligence.
Arthur F. Skiliman, driver of the
truck, testified that it was custo-
mary to clean the engine house on
Friday, and that acting under in
structions of C. E. Davis, who was
in charge of the engine house, he
drove the first truck slowly out of the
house and stopped directly across
the street, with the front wheels of
the truck about three inches from
the south rail of the track. He
stated that after the truck had stop
ped he looked around and saw car
No. 81, OF the Washington Virginia
Railway, about 18 or 20 feet away,
coming toward him on Prince street;
that the electric car struck the truck
and showed it along the track, NOV
ing it a distance which was after
wards measured and found to be 9
feet 6 inches, and that he, Skillman,
was thrown between the emergency
brake and the side of the car. Skill
man testified that the motorman Of
the car stated. that he could not stop
the car; that his brakes did not work
Skillman, G. L. Langley, c. NJ. Robey
and @. E. Davis all testified that
they did not hear any warning gong
or bell rung.
c. Acres, the motorman of the
electric car, testified that he started
from Royal street just around the
corner from Prince at OILS a. m,
that when he rounded the corner into
Prince street he saw the fire truck
standing across the tracks; that ne
threw on his emergency brake, and
that his car slid along the rails, with
the brakes locked, and struck the
fire truck; that the rails were wet,
and that he did everything in his
power to stop his car before striking
the truck. He testified that his
brakes were in good condition, and
that he was ringing his gong as he
came around the corner, and before
striking the truck. He testified
his car was running at the rate of
about miles per hour when ne
first saw the truck. which was then
about 20 feet away. That his train
consisted of motor car and trail.
er, which made it harder to stop
than single car.
F. NJ. Edwards, conductor Of the
electric car, testified substantially
the same as Mr. Acres.
D. A Shum, master mechanic OF
the Washington-Virginia Railway
testified that about noon Saturday
he received instructions to test the
brakes of motor No. 81, the car in
question; that he tested them by
running the car at a speed of IS
miles an hour, and stopped within &c
1eeC. wnlcn ne stated demonstrated
that the brakes were in perfect con.
dition. He stated that the car had
been in the barn, and that no work
had been done on the brakes, and
that he was positive that they were
working properly.
ATTORNEY Gardner L. Boothe rep
resented the railway company at the
hearing; Attorney H. Noel Garner
appeared for the city council, and
Attorney Frank Stuart represented
Arthur Skillman
The matter of responsibility for
damage to the fire truck was not
brought up in police court, and no
statement was made as to future adj
justment.