Prince William County Virginia Clerk’s Loose Papers

Q. Will you tell me, in your opinion, whether a man in normal health could have received a blow upon the head from a solid substance of sufficient severity to cause a lesion of the brain, sufficient to cause epilepsy, and not make an impression upon his head that would be detected by a careful medical examination made by a physician two hours and a half after the blow was received?

head, but did not make an examination of the back of the head to determine whether there was a contused wound there.

sufficient to cause epilepsy? Answer – I am testifying to another doctor’s qualification. I do not know how dexterous he might be with his fingers. Q. Did you hear Dr. Iden’s testimony? Answer – Yes, sir. Q. If you made that examination, could you, from that examination, say whether the blow was sufficient to produce epilepsy? Answer – I think, relatively speaking, we need a blow of some severity to damage the brain, and if we did not find an external mark of violence, like a bruise or cut, we would expect a man to present some of the symptoms which they present, as concussion, that is, a little drowsiness or sleepiness.

substance. Answer – It would have to be a blow sufficient to damage the membranes of the brain to produce epilepsy.

Q. Doctor, what are some of the constitutional diseases which you mentioned which might cause epilepsy? Answer – The first one that we rank in the order of its frequency is syphilis.

Q. Tumor on the brain? Answer – Yes anything which would act as a foreign body within the brain.

Q. Meningitis? Answer – Meningitis being the result of one of the contagious diseases such as scarlet fever, it would act as an irritant in the brain.

Q. Alcoholism? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. And metabolism as you described? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Before a medical witness could express an opinion as to whether or not this gentleman’s condition, if we assume that he has epilepsy, was due to this accident, should he not be able to exclude every other possible cause? Answer – He should make a thorough examination.

RE-CROSS EXAMINATION

Q. Doctor, suppose after this blow was received, and on the night of the blow, the physician who first attended him found him dull, confused, and that three days following this blow he was found by his family physician to be confused, suffering with headache, pronounced vertigo and confusion of mind, would you say the blow had anything to do with it? Answer – Well, I am basing my opinion on his finding.

Q. That is purely a hypothetical question, and I am not asking you to pass judgment on anybody’s finding. I asked you if a man received a blow in the neighborhood of the head and on the night immediately after he received that blow he was dull, confused, and several days afterwards his family physician finds him confused and stupid, and suffering with vertigo, and, as he says, confusion of mind, whether you would conclude that blow had something to do with it?

Mr. Hall: We wish to object to it as a purely hypothetical question. We object to the hypothetical

question as not containing the proper elements.

from your side: the statements made by the other doctors should be stated all together, and let him say what he thinks of it. Answer – It makes it so difficult for me to pass an opinion upon the other man’s findings. When you say “confusion” I don’t know the degree of confusion.

matter with him after the blow occurred. Now, I am asking him if he found a man after receiving a blow, confused in mind, stupid and suffering from vertigo, whether he would conclude that that blow had anything to do with his mental condition? Answer – If I found those symptoms? Q. Yes, Answer – If I found those symptoms immediately following an injury, I should think so. Q. Now doctor, you were asked for the first time by Mr. Hall about the causes and you spoke of syphilis. I will ask if you did not examining Mr. Sullivan for syphilis? Answer – I could only make the superficial examination for syphilis. I suggested to Dr. Williams, in view of the fact that there was a statement of epilepsy and optic neuritis, the first thing we should exclude was syphilis. Q. Did you make an examination for syphilis? Answer – I turned him over to Dr. Williams. Q. Did you hear of any evidence of syphilis? Answer – No, sir.

OBJECTION – SUSTAINED
A. B. Carr, another witness called on behalf of the Southern Railway Company, being duly sworn, testified as follows:

DIRECT EXAMINATION

Q. Mr. Carr, where do you live? Answer – Bristow.

Q. How long have you lived there? Answer – About eighteen years.

Q. What is your business? Answer – Farming and Store Keeper.

Q. You have a store right at Bristow? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. On which side of the track? Answer – On the right side going north.

Q. Did you see the C&O freight train that ran into No. 17, Southern Railway passenger train, on the evening of February 23, 1915. Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. You saw it when it passed Bristow? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Where were you? Answer – I was at the post office as the train was going by, and I saw this iron under the train, and I ran on the side track and watched it to the bridge.

Q. On which side of the train were you, the right hand side or left? Answer – The right.

Q. How close were you to it? Answer – To the train?

Q. Yes, Answer – The siding there, but I don’t know how far it is, about 30 or 40 feet, and maybe 50.

Q. Did you see any fire flying from under the train? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. And that is all that you did see; you didn’t see the wreck, did you, did you go down there? Answer – I went down there late that night.

CROSS EXAMINATION

By Mr. Browning:

Q. By the right side you mean the east side, don’t you? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. What did you see, Mr. Carr? Mr. Keith asked you if you saw this iron under the train. Tell us just what you did see under the train? Answer – I saw this iron dragging under the car.

Q. Was it before dark? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. It was before dark? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Did you see any fire flying? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Which truck was it? Answer – I don’t know.

Q. You don’t know whether the front or rear truck? Answer – I suppose it was the front one.

Q. Did you notice it very particularly? Answer – No, sir.

Q. You just saw it as it whizzed by? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. You did not keep your eye on it any length of time? Answer – Yes, sir, I stood on the track and watched it as far as I could, but that wasn’t very far.

Q. Where was that car with reference to the station when you first noticed this iron? Answer – Where was the car.

Q. With reference to the station, was it north or south, or even with the station? Answer – north.

Q. It had passed the station when you saw it? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Was any fire flying from it before it got to the station? Answer – I don’t know, sir.

Q. You didn’t see the car itself before it got to the station? Answer – No, sir.

Q. Do you know what that piece of iron was called, Mr. Carr? Answer – No, sir.

Q. Do you know whether it was some of the car, or some of the truck? Answer – No, sir.

Q. You don’t know that? Answer – No, sir.

Mr. Keith: Was it running fast or slow?

Mr. Browning: One moment.

Mr. Keith: I will withdraw it, I will not take up time with it.
Ernest Anderson (Colored) another witness called on behalf of the Southern Railway Company, being duly sworn, testified as follows:

DIRECT EXAMINATION

Q. Ernest, where do you live? Answer – I live at Nokesville.

Q. Where were you on the 23^rd of February, 1915, when the wreck occurred down below or north of Bristow? Answer – I was at Bristow Station.

Q. Were you there when the C&O freight train went by that ran into the Southern train, or that was derailed? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Where were you standing? Answer – On the platform there.

Q. On which side of the track is that? Answer – That is on the east side of the track.

Q. Well, when the train went by what did you notice about it? Answer – I noticed a blaze; it seemed to me two metals rubbing together and sparks kind of rolling out.

Q. You say there seemed to be two metals rubbing together? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. In other words, something hanging down? = OBJECTED TO

Q. State what you saw? Answer – There seemed to be two metals rubbing together.

Q. Where were they rubbing together? Answer – I couldn’t tell positively where they were rubbing together, but it seemed to me it was on the trucks somewhere.

Q. Did you notice anything else? Did you notice whether there was any fire flying? Answer – Yes, sir, there was fire flying, at least sparks like.

Q. State whether that train was running fast or slow when it passed there?

Mr. Browning: We object; you should qualify him.

Court: Do you know when a train is running fast or slow? Answer – Yes, sir.

Court: I overrule the objection.

Mr. Keith: Do you live at Nokesville? Answer – Yes, sir. Q. Do you see trains go by every day?

Answer – Yes, sir; I work on the tracks. Q. How long have you been living and working on the tracks? Answer – Working on the Southern for about seven years. Q. Will you state whether that train was running fast or slow? Answer – It was running at a rate, I judge, of 30 or 35 miles an hour. Q. And that is all you know about it. Isn’t it? Answer – Yes, sir.

CROSS EXAMINATION

By Mr. Browning:

Q. Ernest, you said it seemed to be two metals rubbing together; did you see the metals? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. You just saw the fire? Answer – Yes, sir, I saw the fire and I judged it was that.

Q. You saw the fire and you judged the cause must be two metals rubbing together that made the fire – Yes.

Q. Did you ever have occasion to measure the speed of a train? Answer – No, sir, just judged it that it was that fast, as it was running by, seeing them every day when I am out there.

Q. You see them running every day, but never had occasion to measure what speed it was running? Answer – No, sir.

Q. Can you tell what speed a train is running? Answer – No, sir, I don’t reckon I could tell the speed per hour it was running.

Mr. Browning: It now appearing that the witness is not qualified, we ask that the evidence be

stricken out.

about the matter? Answer – Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Answer – All my life. Q. What kind of work do you do? Answer – I work for my father in the blacksmith shop. Q. Did you see the C&O freight train that went by Bristow going north on the 23^rd of February, 1915, that figured in the wreck? Answer – Yes, sir. Q. Where were you standing when you saw it? Answer – Down at the end of the platform. Q. How close were you to the train? Answer – I reckon twelve or fifteen feet, about the distance of the platform. Q. The platform is on the right hand side of the track going north, isn’t it? Answer – Yes, sir. Q. Will you state what you noticed about that train when it went by? Answer – I noticed a lot of fire flying from it. Q. Could you see what was causing the fire to fly? Answer – No, sir, I couldn’t see; it was down pretty close to the rail. Q. Do you know whether or not that train was running fast or slow? (Objected to by counsel for Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company) Q. Was it running fast or slow? Answer – It was running pretty fast, it looked to me it was.

sir. Q. And, to the best of your judgment, it was running pretty fast? Answer – Yes, sir.

CROSS EXAMINATION

Mr. Browning: Q. You just saw the fire flying? Answer – Yes, sir. Q. You didn’t see what made

the fire? Answer – No, sir. Q. Did you ever see them put on brakes on trains running along? Answer – Yes, sir. Q. Does that make fire fly? Answer – A little, but not as much as this. Q. Was this flying from the same place as that? Answer – About the same place.

Q. Mr. Puckett, where do you live? Answer – Alexandria.

Q. What is your occupation? Answer – General foreman of car repairers for Southern Railway Company.

Q. How long have you had that position? Answer – Eight years, nearly eight years.

Q. State whether or not your business requires you to know about the machinery of the cars and engines that are used on the road? Answer – Yes, sir; I have been in the car department about twenty-seven years.

Q. What does your business require you to do exactly? Answer – I have charge of all the car inspecting, car repairing, and what building we do here, and in charge of all the car men and inspectors there.

Q. You repair all kinds of machinery that comes in that needs it? Answer – All kinds of car work, yes, sir.

Q. How about the engines? Answer – I don’t have anything to do with the engines; I look after tank work; that comes under my supervision, and cab work.

Q. The wheels of the cars? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. The springs of the cars and all that sort of thing? Answer – Yes, sir, everything pertaining to the car business.

Q. State if you visited the scene of the wreck which took place on the Southern Railway near Bristow February 23, 1915? Answer – Yes, sir, I came up there the next morning, and got there a little after five o’clock on No. 25. That is the first train that went over the track after the accident. When I got off there they had got the south bound track clear.

Q. Who was there with you? Answer – Our wrecking crew was there and Superintendent, Mr. Burton.

Q. Was Mr. O’Neal there, the road master? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Was Mr. Hyde there, the section foreman? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Who was there representing the C&O Railroad Company? Answer – Later in the day I saw Mr. Flanagan, master mechanic, from Richmond. That was the first C&O man that I saw that I recognized or had anything to say to.

Q. In the first place, what kind of a car is that passenger car which was on that train No. 17, the passenger car which followed the combination car? Answer – It is a steel coach; that is, it is steel up to the window sill, steel under-frame and steel sides up to the window sill.

Q. What was the condition of that car the next morning? Answer – I inspected the car next morning. I found the side raked a little bit, a right smart, and window glass, the majority of them broke, and a few of the sash broke.

Q. Where did you inspect it? Answer – Down here at the coal bin; they brought iy down and put it in the side track at the coal bin.

Q. You found some window sash broken? Answer – Yes, sir, a few, not many, just cracked a little bit.

Q. What was the condition of the door on the front end of the car? Answer – Do you mean the door in the end of the car?

Q. Yes, sir. Answer – Nothing wrong with it.

Q. Anything wrong with the door frame? Answer – No, sir, not the end of the car; the vestibule door was broken, and vestibule posts, but nothing wrong with the door.

Q. Or the door leading into the car itself? Answer – No, sir.

Q. Where is that vestibule, as you call it? Answer – On the outside where you go up the steps, we call the vestibule door; the end door is in the center of the car.

Q. You don’t keep that vestibule door closed, as a rule? Answer – The instructions are when running to keep it closed.

Q. Do you recall what was the matter with that vestibule door? Answer – The corner post; that is, the vestibule post, was broken and the door was sprung and split up a little bit, but still on the hinges.

Q. Is it right in front of you as you go out of the door? Can you make that clear where that door is as you go out of the car. Answer – Say this is the end of the car back here (illustrating) about three and a half feet, and the door is in the center, what we call the center door; come out here, and here are the steps coming down, and here is the vestibule door which swings on the corner, and swings over the steps.

Q. How far is that door located from the entrance into the main car itself, we will say the door on the right hand side, how far is that, as you go out of the car here, from the door that goes into the car? Answer – I would say it is about three and a half feet from where the vestibule door hinges to where the main door hinges. The car is about nine feet ten inches wide, and the main door is about twenty-six inches, as well as I remember.

Q. Well, is it to the side of the main door, or in front of the main door? Answer – To the side.

Q. How far? Answer – I said about three feet or three feet six inches. The main door to the car is in the center, and the vestibule is hinged over here; when it is opened, it comes around near the door posts.

Answer – Yes, sir. You shut the door, and drop the platform down to prevent anybody from getting out or in, or falling off. Q. The old fashioned cars had no vestibule? Answer – No, sir. That is what we called an open platform.

Q. Did you make an investigation with a view to finding out what caused the wreck the next morning; and if so, what did you find? Answer – After I got there I went up to the C&O car standing there, a coal car, with one wheel of the rear truck on the ground, off the track, and the box bolts had sheared off and one column-bolt broken off.

Q. How many box-bolts did you say were broken? Answer – Two ex-bolts sheared off and gone, and one column-bolt broken off, and the bottom end gone; one end of the tie strap broken off the column bolt and also missing.

Q. Now, to make it clear to the jury just what a box-bolt and column-bolt and all that you have been trying to describe is, will you take this model; I will ask you, first, if you made this model? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. What is that model of, Mr. Puckett? Answer – That is a model of the freight truck.

Q. Just show the jury now? Answer – This, as I said, is a model of the freight truck, just as near like the freight truck that was under this car as could be made, as near as I could make it anyhow.

Q. That is to say, that model represents, as near as you could get it, the condition of the truck that was wrecked? Answer – The exact condition of the truck as it was the next morning when I got there, the condition of the truck under the car. That is what we term box-bolts right through here (Indicating)

Q. Why are they called box-bolts? Answer – This is the journal box in which the journal works; this is what we call the journal box, this journal on the end of the axle, and these bolts coming down through here of course hold the journal box and arch-bar together.

Q. What is the journal? Answer – The journal is the end of this axle; here is what we call the journal (Indicating).

Q. It is the end of the axle? Answer – Yes, sir.

Q. Now, what do you call this center? Answer – This is the truck bolster; this is the journal box (indicating)

Q. Where are the column bolts? Answer – This is the column bolt right in here.

Q. They fit right beside the box bolster? Answer – Yes, sir. This is what we term the column casket down through here. It holds these bars and forms a strut and holds these bars apart.

Q. Now, show to the jury what is the arch-bar on that truck? Answer – This is the arch-bar (indicating) this bar here, and this one up here.

Q. Both the bottom one and the top one are called arch - bars? Answer – Yes, sir, that is what we term the top arch-bar, and this is the bottom arch-bar. That is also called the tie-strap.

Q. What is that also called besides the tie-strap? Answer – The tie-strap or tie-bar. The M.C.R. rules call it the tie-strap.

Q. That morning when you got there, just show to the jury from this model that you have here just what was wrong with one of the cars of the C&O freight train? Answer – where is the track? If we had a track here, and I could show you exactly the position that the wheel was in. (Model of track produced)

Court: Is that a model of the track at Bristow? Answer – This represents the frog and switch. Q.

Just as it appears up there? Answer – Just as it appeared up there, yes, sir, at the pump house. This is the frog, and here is the switch that leads into the little spur track to the pump house where we unload coal.

made this model representing a railroad track? Answer – I did. Q. What was it intended to represent? Answer – It is intended to represent the frog and switch where the accident occurred.

Q. What was the condition, I say, of that C&O freight train that you found there with the arch-bar broken? Answer – When I got there and examined the car this truck here was in about that shape (illustrating); this wheel reared up under the end of the car, and that one on the ties; this wheel (indicating) was still on the track, and the truck under the other end of the car was also on the track; this wheel (indicating) was off. This came down there dragging like this, and it caught this part of the frog up here.

Q. Now, show the jury, if you can, what would be the effect of this arch-bar being down when it got to this frog and switch? Answer – When it got here it bent this end of the frog a little bit, and struck this block here and slid up on top of that wedge, and when it got here it hung this rail right here (indicating), and twisted the whole thing out.

Q. What would be the effect of doing that? Answer – When it twisted this rail or tore the track out.

Q. The car behind this would run off? Answer – Yes, sir; it tore out two rails from here on. It turned this rail right over, and of course that left nothing there. It just ripped those spikes loose there, and tore this rail right out, and when the other cars came along the truck had gone. This wheel here (indicating) had gone over and passed the joint, and kept on the rail. The rear one behind there, that just went right down on the ties, and the other cars came in behind them, and they just began to pile up on the south bound track.

Q. From what you could see there when you got there the next morning, what would you say was the cause of the accident which happened at Bristow that day, the 23^rd of February, 1915? Answer – The box-bolts in that rear truck sheared off, the box-bolt in the rear wheel of the rear truck of C&O coal car, have you got the number? If you haven’t I have: 25,227