Milford chronicle., 1935-12-06
SUSSEX YOUTHS
DIE In CRASH
ON CAUSEWAY
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At his home, Benton, who is
s.bout so years old, refused to say
anything about the accident. When
asked concerning the report that
the gates were not down and that
he was asleep, he refused to ans
wer, saying that he had been warn
ed by state and railroad police not
to talk about the accident to any
one until after the investigation by
the railroad.
Benton said that he had spent
nearly his entire employed life in
the railroads service.
Witness Makes Statement
Charles Hall, II years old, of
Marydel, Nd, a hitch-hiker who said
ne was an eye witness to the cross
ing crash, made an affidavit to the
police on Wednesday. He was taken
before Magistrate w. Leslie Cramer
of New Castle by Privates Smith
and Davidson of the State Police,
where he swore to a statement of
his version of the accident. Magis-
trate Cramer was unable to give any
information as to the contents Of
Halls statement as he said Hall
had merely taken an oath to his
signature before him. State Police
would not divulge the contents of
the statement Hall is being held as
a material witness.
Deputy Coroner James F. Hearn
Hr in hfu
presence that the gates had not
been lowered at the crossing and
that the watchman did not leave
the crossing box until aft9r the
crash.
Mr.. Hearn said that railroad men
at the scene of the accident said
they could not tell whether the
gates had been lowered or not un-
iii after they made a check.
The freight train was No. 1920, of
which the engineer was Fred Wild
dikind, Of Havre de Grace, Md. The
conductor of the train was Garfield
Myers, of RandallstOwn. Md, and
the fireman was Arthur l.. Phelps,
of Wilmington.
LintOrd Lawson was pinned in
the machine and his body was badly
mangled. The body of Tingle was
thrown free of the automobile and
was later picked up by members of
the ambulance crew.
Lawson is said to have been em-
ployed by his brOther-in-law, Philip
johnson, Of MillsbOrO, and to have
left that town early Tuesday night
with Tingle tor Wilmington with
supply OF automobile repair parts.
They were riding in a car owned
by Fred Lawson, father of Linford
Lawson, and police were at first
led to believe that Tingle was the
brother of Lawson because of the re-
semblance and the similarity of
ages. Deputy Coroner Hearn, how
ever, early Wednesday obtained pos
tive identification of Tingle.
The parents of the two victims
left for Wilmington when informed
of their deaths.
Railroad Awaits Report
S. R. Hursh, superintendent of
the Maryland division. asked if the
gates were lowered at tne tlIle VI
the accident, said the railroad in
vestigation was then under way and
in the absence of any definite re-
port on the findings of the investi-
gators, he could not make a state
nent.
Advised of reports that State Po-
lice had been informed that the
gates had not been lowered and that
the watchman was asleep, Mr..
Hursh reiterated his position that
he could throw no light on the mat
Ter at the time. He did say, though,
that he had been informed that one
of the gates was broken, but again
he was unable to say whether it
" as broken by being crashed into
Tuesday night.
Mr.. Hursh expressed himself at a
loss to understand how any automO-
bile, travelling at a proper rate OF /
speed and equipped with the mod (
ern headlights, could not have seen
The electric locomotive in time to /
stop.