A FATAL RAILROAD ACCIDENT NEAR GRANT STREET

Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R. engine with cowcatcher in front.

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, October 5, 1893.

A FATAL ACCIDENT.

GEORGE TRACY KILLED BY THE VESTIBULED LIMITED.

He Was Walking on the D. L. & W. Track and Didn't Hear the Whistle.

   As the 9:59 southbound vestibuled limited train on the D. L. & W. R. R. rounded the curve at the foot of the hill above the railroad bridge this morning, running at the rate of about fifty miles an hour, Engineer Tibbitts saw an old gentleman walking on the track in front of him. After whistling for the station at the bridge, as is customary, he gave a series of short toots, ending with a long and continuous whistle, and, as the old gentleman didn't seem to pay any attention, he instantly applied the air brakes, but it was too late. The engine struck him when about sixty feet north of the Grant-st. crossing and threw him forward and to the right. He landed in the ditch beside the track in the mud and slid along the soft and slippery mud for nearly thirty feet. The train reached a standstill at a point about midway between Grant-st. and Clinton-ave. and at once backed up to the scene of the accident. The old gentleman was Mr. George Tracy, aged 74 years, the father of Mrs. B. R. Carpenter of Cortland. The whistling attracted the attention of Richard Sevenoaks, the D. L. & W. detective, who was riding in the baggage car of the train, and he looked out in time to see the man thrown from the track. Down at the station the whistling was heard, and when the train was observed to stop and back up several people started to rush up there.

   The first person to arrive at the scene was Herbert W. Knight. He was driving a grocery wagon and crossed the track on Grant-st. going east a few minutes before the train came down. As he passed the end of Pearne-ave. he saw Mr. Tracy standing by the fence up there talking with Mr. Martin Edgcomb, whose property lies between the railroad and Pearne ave. After delivering some groceries east of the tracks on Grant-st., Mr. Knight started to return to Main-st. As he drove up to the track the northbound through freight was going up on the east track. Just before that had cleared the crossing, the vestibuled limited came down the west track whistling in a terrific manner.

   As quickly as it passed Grant-st., Mr. Knight drove across the track and saw the body of Mr. Tracy lying beside the track in the ditch about thirty feet north of the side walk. He noticed that the train was stopping and, concluding that there had been an accident, he left his horse and ran up to where Mr. Tracy lay. He recognized him instantly, and found that he was dead. His clothing was badly torn. He had been wearing a pair of rubber boots and a silk hat. The boots were both pulled off and lay up on the bank about twenty feet apart, and as far as that from Mr. Tracy. The hat was not noticed at the time, but about 1 o'clock this afternoon was discovered clear up by the railroad fence, at least fifty feet from where the collision occurred. A bunch of keys and a large white handled pocket knife were found in the grass on the bank beside the track. The mud, from which the water had receded leaving it slimy, showed very plainly the traces of where the man had slid along through it after he had struck the ground, and there are to be seen frequent marks of blood. From the character of the injuries it appears that the cowcatcher must have knocked his feet out from under him and his back struck the front part of the engine.

   The remains were placed in the baggage car and taken down to the station and were subsequently removed to the undertaking rooms of Fletcher & Blackman. Coroner W. J. Moore was at the D. L. & W. station just about taking the train for Syracuse, but he did not go, and at once took charge of the remains. Coroner George D. Bradford of Homer was also summoned, and the two made the medical examination. They found that both condials [condyles] of the left humerus were broken, and that there was a large scalp wound extending from near the crown of the head toward the back and left about four inches. A piece of the skull about the size of a silver dollar was crushed into the brain and the back was broken in two different places—between the first and second dorsal vertebra and at about the twelfth dorsal vertebra. The shoulder blade and collar bone were also broken.

   Coroner W. J. Moore summoned the following jury: Dr. I. A. Beach, foreman; David C. Beers, W. E. Howard, Chauncey D. Hyde, Frank Bosworth, Charles H. Ryan, Henry Bates, J, L. Watrous. The jury viewed the remains at the morgue at noon to-day and adjourned the inquest till to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock at Coroner Moore's office.

   Mr. Tracy was a native of Connecticut and lived there until about fifteen years ago when he removed to Groton. About six years ago he moved to Cortland and has since made his home with his daughter, Mrs. B. R. Carpenter. He leaves a wife and two children, Mrs. Carpenter and Mr. Henry G. Tracy of Chicago.

   The funeral will be held on Saturday at 3 o'clock at the residence of Mr. B

R. Carpenter, 82 N. Main-st.

THE CORONER'S INQUEST.

The Railroad Company Exonerated from all Blame.

[Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, October 6, 1893.]

   At 9 o'clock this morning the coroner's jury met and went to the scene of the accident, where Mr. George Tracy was killed yesterday. After viewing the grounds and taking some measurements, the jury walked down the track and viewed the engine at the D. L. & W. station as it came in at 10 o'clock. They then went to Coroner Moore's office, where testimony was given.

   Henry W. Tibbitts was the first witness sworn. He said: "I reside in Syracuse. I am a locomotive engineer. On the morning of Oct. 5 I was running on No. 4, due in Cortland at 9:59. I usually blow the whistle for the Cortland station [at] the first bridge north toward Homer. I blew the whistle there yesterday morning. I noticed the man on the track only a few seconds after I finished blowing the whistle. He was on the right hand side of the southbound track, on the outside of the rail, and was looking straight ahead. When I saw the man I tooted the whistle. He did not seem to pay any attention to it. I then applied the brakes. A few seconds later the man was struck. The pilot beam on the right side of the engine hit the man. We ran about 50 or 60 rods after striking the man. I backed up and took the body on board the train. The man was struck about forty feet to the north of Grant-st. crossing. There was no freight train passing by till after we struck him. He was thrown up in the air. I did not see where he came down till after we backed up.  The whistle was blowing at the time we struck him. Appeared to be looking straight ahead. The freight train was coming up. The train had slackened speed before it struck him. The bell was also ringing at the same time. I don't know whether he saw the freight train or not. Had he moved a foot to the right he would not have been hit. We left Homer on time. Ordinarily we run at about thirty miles an hour from the bridge to Cortland."

   Detective Richard Sevenoakes was the next witness called. His testimony in substance is as follows: "I reside in Syracuse. I am a railroad policeman for the D. L. & W. R. R. Co. I was on board train No. 4 on Oct. 5. I heard the whistle blown for the Cortland station. I stood on the platform between the smoking car and the ladies' car. I stood looking out of the window of the door. The train is a vestibule. I heard the whistle for the station. I heard then the whistle of danger and partly stepped down to the first step when I heard the air [brakes apply.] I looked forward and saw this old gentleman in the air and saw him fall beside the track. After the train came to a stop I told the conductor that we had struck a man just above the crossing. He motioned for the train to back up. As we were backing up a young man who was driving a delivery wagon, stopped his horse and came to where the man was lying. The man was lying on his back about 32 or 35 feet from the walk crossing the track on the north side of the street, in the ditch to the right of the track coming toward Cortland. The man was dead when I got there. I asked the young man who he was and he said his name was Tracy and that we could put him in his delivery wagon and he would take him home. We got a board and carried him to the baggage car and be was brought to Cortland. I saw no freight train passing at the time."

   Dr. G. D. Burdick of Homer was the next witness called. He said: "I am a practicing physician and surgeon in Cortland county and reside at Homer, N. Y. I was ordered on Oct. 5 to make a post mortem examination on the body of George Tracy. I first saw the body in the undertaking wagon, afterwards in Fletcher & Blackman's undertaking rooms. The man was apparently 70 years of age and upwards. The clothing was removed and the body seemed to be well nourished for a man of that age and the examination of the body showed no abrasions below the hips. The upper part of the body was free from external marks of injury, which showed a black and blue spot near the elbow joint. There was also a deformity of the elbow joint. Examination showed that the lower part of the humerus and the condials were broken. There were no marks on the anterior surface of the trunk or face. Turning the body over, the posterior surface showed where the skin had been brushed off near the shoulder and above the hips. There seemed to be a breaking off of the dorsal vertebrae. The upper dorsal vertebrae were broken. To the back part of the head there was a scalp wound extending from the crown to the back and left about four inches. It was not a clean cut, but apparently a bruise. At the bottom of this cut was a fracture of the bones of the cranium and a depressed piece about the size of a silver dollar was driven on to the brain. It looked as if it had been struck by some small body, like a hammer, to drive the skull in that way. The hands showed a yellow clay as if the man had been upon his hands in the dirt. That was all I remember I observed on the body."

    Herbert W. Knight was the last witness called. He gave the following testimony: "I was driving a grocery wagon yesterday. On the morning of Oct. 5 I was on Grant-st. between the hours of 9:50 and 10 o'clock, near the crossing. I saw Mr. Tracy talking with Martin Edgcomb on East Main-st. After delivering some goods and returning to the crossing, I was stopped by a freight train coming on the east track. I was looking south at that train and did not see Mr. Tracy. I waited a few seconds till after the freight train passed. The engine of the freight train was at the crossing at the time the passenger [train] passed by. I heard the whistles, but did not think of an accident and supposed it was because of the number of trains near the depot. After the freight train passed I drove across the track and noticed the man in the ditch. Went to see whether he was injured or intoxicated. While looking at him I noticed that the passenger train had stopped and was backing up. His body lay about thirty-five feet from the north crosswalk. He was lying on his back with his head toward the north. The latter was s little to one side. l am acquainted with Mr. Tracy and recognized the body. I did not assist in removing the body. He was not very hard of hearing, but was absent-minded, would walk along without paying any attention to things going on around him. I saw no one at the crossing except Mrs. Fuller. I was driving a team for Mr. Halbert."  
   The jury went out at 11:50 o'clock. The jury came in at 12:30 o'clock this afternoon and brought in the following verdict: "That George Tracy came to his death in the village of Cortland, N. Y., on the fifth day of October, 1893, at about 10 A. M., by being struck by the pilot beam of the engine drawing train No. 4, on the S. B. & N. Y. division of the D.  L. &W. R. R., north of the Grant-st. crossing in the village of Cortland. N. Y., while walking on the track of said railroad and that there was no negligence on the part of the railroad company or any of its employees."

   The inquest was then adjourned.

   The remains were taken from Fletcher & Blackman's undertaking rooms to the house of Mr. B. R. Carpenter on North Main-st. at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon.

FIRE AT CHAIR FACTORY.

Confined to the Basement—No Very Serious Damage.

   About 2:30 o'clock this morning night watchman Jacob Whitmarsh discovered a fire in the northeast corner of the basement of the office building of the Cortland Chair and Cabinet Co. on Main-st. He quickly ran to box 142 on the corner of Main and Union-sts. Owing to the rain which is supposed to have grounded the connections the firebell did not strike off the number of the box properly, but it was correctly registered. Mr. A. E. Darby rang the firebell and the department were [sic] soon on the scene. The Emeralds arrived before the ether companies and had a stream of water on before the Orris, who came in second. The Hitchcocks came in third and the Water Witch fourth.

   The Hooks were one of the first companies to arrive and had ladders on the building by the time a stream of water was started. Three streams of water were soon pouring into the basement, where the fire was confined. No water was thrown into the upper rooms of the building and the stock was little damaged by water. The smoke, however, considerably damaged the silk, satin and plush upholstering and tapestry. After gallant work by the firemen the fire was at last extinguished. The cause of the fire is believed to be spontaneous combustion. It is a wonder that the fire did not spread farther, as there was a quantity of paints and varnishes in the basement, but the fire did not quite reach it. The loss is fully covered by insurance.

BREVITIES.

   —The Hotel de Bulkley gives a private party to its boarders to-night.

   —The loyal circle of King's Daughters will meet in their room, 9 Clinton-ave., Saturday, Oct. 7, at 2:30 P. M.

   —On Sunday, Oct. 8, at 4 o'clock, P. M., Rev. W. H. Pound will preach at the East Side reading-room.

   —The Normal boys go to McLean tonight to try the case [student play—CC editor] of Singleheart vs. Do-Em-Up. Prof. Banta accompanies them to act as judge.

   —S. J. Parmiter & Son expect in a few weeks to start an umbrella factory in the Wickwire building over their present store on Railroad-st. They will manufacture all grades of umbrellas.

   —John Hodgson, alderman from the fourth ward, has sold through Mr. F.

N. Harrington to N. F. Allen of New York City, his bay mare "Maggie H." for $300. She was shipped yesterday afternoon to New York.

   —The Onondaga penitentiary is filled to its maximum capacity at this time.

There are 286 male prisoners, nineteen women and twenty-nine jail prisoners on its books, and it has been found a problem to quarter all the convicts committed to its care.

   —The Chaftee case was called at 10:30 o'clock this morning and Louis Kistler was the first witness on the stand. His testimony was substantially the same as previously published at the time of the coroner's inquest. The case was adjourned at noon and was called at 1:30 P. M. Mr. Kistler was again called to the witness stand.

   —Editors of all Republican newspapers in the state, daily or weekly, are invited to attend the annual meeting of the State Republican Editors' association, to be held at the Yates hotel in Syracuse at 10 A. M., Friday, Oct. 6. The business will include annual election of officers and matters of special interest to all Republican editors.

   —The monthly tea meeting of the Woman's Foreign Missionary society of the First Methodist church was held last evening at the parsonage, and was a very pleasant affair. There were seventy-eight present. This is the first meeting under the administration of the new president, Miss Mira Haskins, and it augers well for other meetings and similar gatherings.

   —The regular meeting of the Woman's Missionary society of the Congregational church will be held in the church parlors on Friday, Oct. 6, at 3 o'clock. Ladies are requested to be present early. An attractive and interesting program will be presented and the work of "Alaska" will be taken up. The usual ten-cent tea will be served from six to eight P. M. to which all are cordially invited. A special invitation is extended to strangers.

   —A dispatch from St. Paul to the New York Sun gives evidence that the matter which has heretofore been referred to in The STANDARD is receiving attention elsewhere. The Sun says: "It has been the practice in the public school for the janitors to collect all the lead and slate pencils after school hours, and distribute them indiscriminately in the morning. Health Commissioner Hoyt has requested that hereafter each pupil retain his own pencils, as there is reason to believe that diphtheria and other diseases have resulted from children putting in their mouths pencils that have been used by others.

Emma Goldman.

EMMA GOLDMAN ON TRIAL.

Will Only Have to Answer For Her Union Square Speech.

   NEW YORK, Oct. 5.—Emma Goldman, the anarchist, was brought to trial for her fierce utterances at the recent anarchist meetings. Three indictments were found against her by the September grand jury, but it is probable the district attorney will only ask for conviction in the present trial for her speech at the Union square meeting on Aug. 21. Miss Goldman, who has been out on bail, came into court accompanied by her bondsman, Dr. Hoffman, Justus Schwab and several of her anarchist friends. She was plainly dressed in black. Her counsel is ex-Mayor A. Oakey Hall.

   Assistant District Attorney Mclntyre opened the case for the prosecution. The only witness called so far was Detective Sergeant Charles Jacobs. He testified that he sat directly behind the defendant on the night in question and took notes from her speech in German. He read a number of extracts from her speech, which were of a most seditious nature. He was cross-examined by A. Oakey Hall as to his knowledge of German.