Fatal Railroad Accident
Chenango American, Greene, NY, March 30, 1876
On Saturday evening, about a quarter before nine o'clock, as the down express train was approaching this village, and while it was crossing Nathan Smith's flat and running at the rate of about 25 miles an hour, Mr. James Watson, the engineer of the train, discovered a man walking upon the track directly towards the engine with his head in a downward position about 100 feet from his engine. He immediately gave a signal of warning which was not heeded by the doomed man, the consequence was that he was run into and instantly killed. Directly after this man was struck by the engine, the train was stopped and backed up, and his lifeless body was picked up and brought to the depot in this village, where it was immediately recognized as that of James L. Bly a well-known farmer of this town. The body was terribly mangled and bruised, the back, neck, and one leg being broken as well as nearly all his ribs. His head was also bruised very badly and the combined wounds must have caused instant death.
Mr. Bly has been involved in a great deal of trouble of late, and some think that he purposely let the engine strike him in order to put an end to his existence. Whether this is the fact or not we have no means of knowing except to sift the evidence given before the coroner's jury, which we give below. This our readers can do, and judge for themselves.
Mr. Bly was 45 years old and leaves a wife and family of children to mourn his untimely end, and the public have another fearful warning of the danger of walking upon Railroad tracks.
The Coroner's Inquest
State of New York - County of Chenango ss: Inquisition taken at Greene on the 26th of March 1876, before Marcus M. Wood, one of the coroners of said county. The following named gentlemen were summoned and sworn as jurymen: L.T. Darby, Foreman; T.D. Welch, U. Whittenhall, Geo. H. Bartoo, LO. Lumbard, S. Walker, C.B. Wheeler, A.G. Rose, R.W. TenBroeck, J.D. Denison, Geo. R. Lyon, E.D. Morse. They at once proceeded to view the body, which they recognized to be that of James L. Bly of said town and county, when the Court was adjourned until March 27th, at 10 o'clock, A.M.
A. Boyce being duly sworn said: Am acquainted with James L. Bly; saw him last alive about 6 P.M. on the corner at the Chenango house; went to wagon shop 5-1/2 o'clock; talked about a horse which he wished to trade for; we completed a trade; should say he had been drinking; saw him drink in wagon shop from a half pint bottle; it was two-thirds full; three drank from it; drank once at the Chenango House; think he had drank some before; cannot say there was any liquor left in the bottle; he could walk all right; he said Jo. VanValkenburgh would be the means of killing him; it bothered him very much.
F.D. Weaver: sworn said: I am a telegraph operator; know J.L. Bly; saw him at a quarter to 7 o'clock on Saturday evening, on the corner near Mr. Russell's house; did not speak to him; he was going towards the depot; he seemed to walk well enough.
G.O. Williams, Physician, being duly sworn said; I reside in Greene; am personally acquainted with J.L. Bly; saw deceased about 10 o'clock Saturday evening at the depot; he had his clothing on. On examination found left leg broken in center; a fracture of brim of pelvis; an incised wound one inch long penetrating abdomen; nearly all the ribs fractured or dislocated; left clavicle broken at inner third; right, dislocated; right shoulder blade broken at neck; large depressed fracture involving interior half of left temporal bone; two and one-half inches above left ear a transverse incised wound 1-1/4 inches long, corresponding with upper border of fracture, through which a probe would reach the brain; small triangular scalp wound on right side of head, injuries sufficient to cause instant death. His clothing was wet and a strong odor of liquor about them; found two broken bottles, one of which had probably contained liquor and the other medicine. When killed he was probably near the east side of the track, with his face in that direction, the blow from the pilot caused the fracture of the leg, and simultaneously he platformed the injuries of the chest and head.
Joseph E. Juliand sworn said: I live in Greene; I am personally acquainted with J.L. Bly; was present at the examination of the body; identified the body as that of J.L. Bly; the list as presented is of the articles as found on the person of the deceased marked No. 1; heard the evidence of G.O. Williams, which is according to statement made by him at the depot March 25th, at 9-1/2 o'clock P.M.; the list of clothing marked No. 2 is the same as was on the deceased.
Ezra B. Wheeler sworn, said: I live in Greene; was present at the examination of the body of J.L. Bly, which was held at the depot in Greene, March 25, 1876, at about 9-1/2 o'clock P.M. I heard the evidence of Joseph E. Juliand, which is correct.
Charles W. Whitten being duly sworn said: I live in Greene; am acquainted with J.L. Bly; saw him at the depot a little after 7 o'clock p.m. on the 25th inst; S.V. Page was present in the depot; Bly appeared as though he had been drinking, but was not intoxicated; Bly came to the door and called Page outside; they talked together about 15 or 20 minutes; Page returned inside the depot and after a short time he seemed considerably excited and we went out twice to look for Bly.
James Watson sworn: I reside in Binghamton; am an engineer on the D.L.&W. Road, Utica Division; was running train last Saturday, train no. 12. The train came down about 8:45 P.M.; there was a man killed by the train that night. We came along by the curve on the road. I saw an object about 100 feet ahead of the train, above the station; as soon as I saw the man, I reached up and took hold of the whistle and pulled about three times in quick succession to attract his attention, and then called for brakes and reversed my engine. About the time I reversed the engine he stepped towards the right-hand side of the track. The train ran about 250 yards. We then backed up and came to where the man was and he was dead; he laid in the ditch on his back; we were running 20 or 25 miles per hour. The man was walking north towards the train, with his head down; when the signal was given, he merely looked up and tried to get off; he did not respond to the whistle at once; the light form the engine must had struck 200 feet south of him; he had time to get off after the whistle was blown; he laid about 5 feet from the end of the ties.
E.J. Arnold: being sworn said: Resides in Greene, am a lawyer; knew J.L. Bly; saw him last, about 7 P.M. the 25th; was employed by him as attorney in case of indictment and civil case for same transaction; had an interview with him by appointment on Saturday, which lasted about an hour in afternoon; did not have the appearance of having been drinking; did not discourage him about his suit; Bly had been drinking at 7 o'clock; was making some deal with Boyce; appeared more cheerful and confident that day than usual; do not know of any reason for his going up the railroad track that night.
Nehemiah Sherwood sworn testified: Reside in Greene, knew James L. Bly; heard of his death; I went up the railroad Sunday morning, to see where engine struck him; going up I saw a track of rubber boots, followed it up; just above Nathan Smith's crossing he went off the road and set down on bank; when he got up seemed to have put hands down in snow; he sent through lot down to ditch, apparently on a run, as though he was going to a barn; then turned and went towards the river, on a run, within about 2 rods of the river; then went up about 100 rods; then came down on a piece of ice, and one foot went into the river; he then came down about opposite, where he fell in the ditch; he then came down; he then went on Nathan Smith's flat by the bars; he then came down and sat on right hand rail going up; he then traveled off on track about 30 rods up. The force of the engine seemed to have carried him 3 rods into a ditch; think it was track of Bly; examined track between 6 and 7 o'clock A.M. Sunday.
James A. Harrison testified: Reside in Greene; am clerk with M.M. Wood; knew James L. Bly; was in store nearly all day Saturday; did not sell him any liquor that day; did not see him in the store that day.
Julian S. Wood sworn says: Reside in Greene; am druggist; knew J.L. Bly; saw him last Saturday at the store; the last I saw him about 4 P.M.; he was sober; he did not buy any liquor in my store that day; I was in store all day except at meals; my father was in store; didn't see him drink that day.
Fred Beals sworn says: Reside in Greene; am clerk of M.M. Wood; knew J.L. Bly; saw him last Saturday coming into town; was not in the store while I was there; sold him no liquor, and don't know of his buying any.
William G. Rice sworn says: Reside in Greene, tend bar at the Chenango House; knew Bly; saw him last Saturday about 6 P.M.; he appeared sober; he drank there only once that I know of; I waited on him; he drank with Boyce.
Robert C. Parker sworn says: Lives in Greene, am at hotel; knew J.L. Bly; was in hotel last Saturday; saw Bly about 1/2 past 6 o'clock P.M.; he was not tight; saw him take one drink; I waited on him; A. Boyce drank with him.
Horace J. Wood sworn says: Reside in Greene, am clerk in drug store; knew J.L. Bly; saw him last Saturday; was with him between 3 and 4 P.M.; did not sell him any liquor that day; do not know of his buying any; he had not been drinking; last I saw of him was about 4 P.M.; have sold Bly liquor, not within 4 or 5 weeks that I remember of.
George Bly: being duly sworn said: reside I Greene; aged 19, son of J.L. Bly; saw father Saturday about noon; been living at home for the past year; father had done but little work this winter; has been no more depressed this winter than usual; have never heard him say that he was tired of life; never heard him say he would take his life; have heard that he has told some other party that he had made some threats to take his own life; do not know that I ever had any fears of his doing so. Have you heard your mother express any such fears? rather not answer; was not in the habit of telling me his business; am oldest son; heard first of father's death in Morse's saloon; when told of his death, asked how it happened, and where it was; if he put himself on the track; I asked that question because I had heard it talked by people outside of our own family; first impression when I heard of his death was, that it was accidental.
Stephen V. Page being duly sworn said: Reside in Binghamton; am acquainted with deceased; saw Bly Saturday evening at depot, between 6 and 7 P.M.; had conversation with him; no one present; it lasted 15 or 20 minutes; Bly did not appear as though he had been drinking; do not know as he had any liquor with him; said he was going to subpoena some witnesses; I supposed it was to be done then; did not say where he was going; talked about his law suit; but was not excited at all when he left; I expected to see him again that night; did not know where he was going; though he was capable of taking care of himself; think he would be able to leave the track on the approach of a train; have seen him once or twice in the last three months; always appeared jovial; think he would not walk up to train to be hit.
Here the testimony ended, and the jury retired and after consulting for a short time rendered the following verdict.
The jury find that J.L. Bly came to his death by being struck by the engine of the express train, while walking on the railroad track on the evening of March 25th, about one-mile north of the village of Greene, while apparently in a bewildered state of mind. That the jury exonerate the railroad company from all censure.
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