The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-07-18
INQUEST HELD
FRIDAY NIGHT
Jury Recommends Abolishing
One Man Trolley Cars by
Suburban Company.
SLOWER SPEED ADVISED

Coroner William B. Parsels sat at
the city hall last Friday night to con-
duct the inquest into the death of
Albert l.. Comstock, Miss Mary Com
stock and Mrs. Eleanor Moore, who
were killed as the result of a collision
between a Suburban trolley car and
the automobile driven by Comstock on
the night of June 2Sth. While a num-
Der of witnesses were called there
was no one who could testify just
whatNh occurred at the crucial time
when the trolley and automobile
came together. Because of the Fcon-
fiicting testimony of witnesses, the
jury brought in a general verdict with
out fixing blame for the occurrence on
any person. The jury did, however,
make some recommendations, among
which were that trolleys should re-
duce speed when approaching street
intersections; that the one man cars
should be taken off the road and be
substituted by larger cars with a crew
of two men.
The first witness called was motor
man Ralph Nichols, of the car in COLI
sion. He testified that he was APP
preaching Thompson avenue, going
toward Absecon; that he saw ahead
of his car an automobile approaching
and that the automobile was in the
middle of the car track, n that the
automobile shot square into he corner
of the trolley car from the right hand
side of the road. In answer TO a ques-
ton, he said his trolley car was on
the track when the collision occurred,
and did not leave the track until
struck by the automobile. He said he
was proceeding very slow at the time
and tina his car stopped almost i'm
mediately as he applied the emergen-
cy brake. He said his car was going
about five miles an hour at the time
of the collision and that the automo-
bile was making about forty miles an
hour. He said the speed of the auto
mobile caused it to raise the trolley
car when the collision came.
Isaac Verdike, a trolley passenger,
testified that he had pressed the but
ton for the trolley to stop and let him
off al Lindley avenue He had press
ed the button just before the car
reached Thompson avenue and the
motorman was her slowing down to
let him off. He said he saw the head
lights of the automobile coming to-
ward the car, and it looked to him as
IL tile dulO1IlOD1lt was III liz ibd
OF the tracks. The automobile lights
disappeared from his sight and he
believes that was because it had
drawn close to the front of the trolley
car. He said the trolley car was on
the track when the collision occurred.
James Crist, another trolley passen-
ger, testified that he believes the troll
ley car had left the track before the
Collision DC Tho noise of broken glass
came as a second noise and after the
car had left the track.
Mrs. Lydia Cramer, also a trolley
passenger, claimed that she had a
clesr view OF the track ahead from
her seat in front OF the car. She said
the car was not going very fast. |
looked and saw an automobile coming
down the centre of the track. When
il was within five feet of the trolley it
wiggled about and Their hit the trolley
ear. was thrown to the floor when
the trolley left the track. The MOTOR
man gave three whistles and slacken-
ed speed when he saw the automobile
coming.
Miss Elizabeth ]. Walton, a twelve
year old miss who was in the Com
stock automobile, told a straightfor-
ward story of the collision. She said
the speedometer, which she had no
ticed, showed a speed of % to 80
miles an hour. Two and a half blocks
away she saw the trolley webbing
along and then it went off the track.
| saw it go and come down the road
toward US. The trolley came into us.
Mr.. Comstock put on the emergency
brake. The automobile was not on
the car track. Mr.. Comstock never
said anything while driving an auto
mobile. She said she had ridden with
him many times and he never talked
while at the wheel.
Contractor NJ. B. MARYLAND, of At
lantic City, said he was coming down
the Shore road just behind Comstock.
He said Comstock was driving o
Is miles and hour. He saw the troll
ley leave the track and turn toward
the curb, but could not say whether
that was before or after the collision.
Ezra Connolly also testified that
Constock was driving slow and on
the side. of the road and not in the
track.
Charles Hill said he was going up
the Shore road and saw the automo-
bile with one wheel in the track. The
car was positively on the track. The
automobile hit the car and knocked II
from the track.
A number of others were called, but
as theyA had not seen the affair until
il was over, their testimony was only
circumstantial and hearsay evidence.