Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1920, May 8 - Child killed at LeBreton street crossing, GTR Renfrew sub.

Ottawa Citizen 10 May 1920 Solomon Viner, Age 5, Met death at the LeBreton St., Crosing While playing about the G.T.R.tracks crossing Le Breton street Saturday afternoon, little Solomon Viner, five years old was hit byu the 6.30 train from Pembroke and as a ersult of his injuried received, died one hour leter at St. Luke's Hospital. More - illegible Ottawa Citizen 15 May 1920 EVIDENCE CLASHES AS TO SIGNAL BELL Enquiry Into Death of Little Sol Viner is Not Concluded. Coroner Craig conducted an inquest into the death of the late Solomon Viner. aged five years, who was killed last Saturday afternoon by the G.T.R. Pembroke trainat the railway crossing on Le Breton street, last night at the police station. The whole evening was devoted to taking evidence, which was not concluded when the inquest adjourned at 11.30. It will be resumed Monday at 8 p.m. Throughout last night's inquiry the evidence was somewhat conflicting, especially in regards to the electric signal at the Le Breton street crossing. Members of the train crew stated that after the child was hit the train stopped, and that they heard the electric beil signal ringing. Residents in the vicinity of the Le Breton street crossing stated that they did not hear the signal ringing. Mr. and Mrs. McVeigh. 248 Le Breton street, were coming out the front door of their house immediately before the accident happened. They diid not hear the bell ringing, but would not say that it did not ring. Mrs. McVeigh testified that she did not hear the bell, and when asked by the coroner if the bell rang, seemed to get confused. Her husband approached the railing of the court room and accused the coroner of trying to make his wife commit perjury. Coroner Craig threatened to have him put out. George Mason., 230 Le Breton street, swore positively that the bell did not ring and that such was the case on previous occasions. He stated that he was nearly run over himself at the same place, about the middle of March, and at that time also the bell did not ring. Ottawa Citizen 18 May 1920 ACCIDENTAL DEATH LITTLE SOL VINER Much Conflicting Evidence as to Ringing of LeBreton St. Signal Bell. After listening to the greatest mass of contradictory evidence ever taken at an inquest in Ottawa, the jury at the inquest into the death of the late Solomon Viner last night returned a verdict of accidental death, after a deliberation of twenty minutes. Addressing the jury after hearing all the witnesses, Coroner Craig stated that during his experience as coroner in the last fourteen or fifteen years, he had never heard such a mass of contradictory evidence, and that they as sensible men had to weigh the entire evidence and arrive at a proper verdict. So many witnesses had to be heard that it was found necessary to extend the time of the hearing over two nights. Friday night last, evidence was taken from eight o'clock till 11.30, and last night it 11.05 when the last wltness was heard. The verdict returned by the jury was that Solomon Viner came to his death in St. Luke's hospital, May 8, 1920, being struck by G.T.R.. train number 52 at the LeBreton street crossing the same day, and that death was accidental. Viner, who was five years old. was hit about 7.30 in the evening of Saturday, May 8. The point over which was the most conflicting evidence, was. whether or not the signal bell at the LeBreton street crossing rang, as a warning that a train was approaching, at the time of the accident. Residents of the, vicinity of the railway crossing swore that they did not hear the bell ringing, and some of them went so far as to swear that the bell did not ring. Railway employes swore the opposite. The train crew swore that when the train had stopped just over the crosslng, after tho accident had occurred, they had heard the bell ringing, while other employes, who had tested the bell since, found it to be In good order.

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Updated 18 October 2020