The New York herald., 1868-03-26
THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD DISASTER.

Conclusion Of the Coronerss InQuest-Tho
Railroad Declared in Rough and Dan
gerous Condition-The Company Censurod
by the Jury.
At half-pa ten O'Clock yesterday morning Coroner
Rollins resumed the hearing Of testimony before tho
inquest which had been empannelled on Friday last
and which, the hearing Of testimony in defence q
the road given by the engineer ana conductor q
the train on which Oscar Lobdell was killed
on the 18th inst, adjourned to give thess
who were present at the time OF the aocl-
dent an opportunity to appear and testify a. =
the condition Of the road Ofthe witnesses residing
along the line Of the railroad on Long Island SUB
pnnaed but one appeared and his testimony was
brief and somewhat qualified, will be seen on 20
rusing the testimony, which was follows. The
first person examined was the roadmaster:-
william Hedden sworn:-I live at NineveA. Z.
l.; was not passenger on the train that mes
with the accident on the 18th inst. on the Long
Island Railroad; 4 am employed by said road -
roadmaster; have examined that portion OF he
track where the accident happened, and am unable
70 any II % the train r % @ nae So
cerned; examined the point where the wheea
m united the rail- and from appearance Of the rail- =
ing rail, though 1t was when examined It;
undoubtedly had been replaced before I ssw
"; Went t'' o '' were &c gone, ' though there ere % wers
some rotten ties in this neighborhood; but tho
same
the country; have been roadsman since the LIST q
last November; since the ground was frozen put
track walkers on one 70 every m two miles % dS,y
to see that all was right, that there We no broken
rails, &C.; besides these men we have section men,
who take care Of the track by keeping 1t in order;
when the frost Is leaving the ground the roads
are generally bad and need great deal Of
watching, and that has been mole. partlcu.
larry the case this season. ! have heard of
complaints as to the condition OF the road, but NOT
to me; have been connected with railroads over
where the ground has heaved more: track walkers
were never on this road before, and II was for the
safety Of passengers that put them on have been
told by some persons that 1t was said to be an un-
necessary expense, though no one told me -
sTain over w0aS the track az speed Of AZ
teen or twenty miles per hour; It Is evident
square with the adjoining one; cannot say for oer
tainty whether new spikes have been put In the
Srs T order men SAW am se foG
wheel to mount rail on the inside OF curve, -
was the case IN this instance can not say now loaS
road was changed to Hunters Point; portions
York. but there portions Of 1t that may not be So
Frederick r. Sanford, sworn-Iive at Hicksviilef
L. L. lived there since st OF october last; that
time have been acquainted with the road; some
parts Of the road do not consider TO be In good
order % was On mt he tram a N S wece s9an
brought to stop got out Of the car, and with
Others examined the track; found the tics where
number Of them were decayed at the ends and
where the spikes were driven through the chalrsS
placed; the s' conclusion arrived at was that the
road at that particular spot was much out OF repair
ingly dangerous; have heard continued complaints
among the passengers as to the condition OF ths
gers; the dangerous and rough condition OF the road
is frequent topic OF conversations; at the time 0e
the accident the train was running at rate OF speed
not exceeding twenty miles an hour; IL was not s1o
In my opinion to go at that speed over the ground
where the accident occurred; was never connected
Evidence OF the house surgeon Of the first surgical
division Of Bellevue Hosptal:-
Oscar EoSde S S'l was Drought 3 into BelIeyae Hospss
at six r. M, March IS. 1898, suffering from COM
pound comminuted fracture Of tbia and abula q
right leg, compound comminuted fracture OF nrner
the result Of being thrown from and , ran
| which was thrown from the track while In
motion, about four O'Clock P. N. Of same day;
pe hearty paIseless. ] and, although stimuanis
freely given, did not rally, and died AZ hapast nlne
Of a,a% the s and an loss Of
quent upon said injuries.
Tue evidence was here closed. o.,
| Coroner Rollins briefly addressed the jury as fd.
Gentlemen OF the jury-The testimony Il closed.
irain aad on nSR Which Oscar IobdeIl was Killed would
have been here to-day to testify as 70 the cond-
Hy ntv the case was adjourned but these gentlemen.
two OF whom were specially invited to be present.
| have neglected to appear and express under oath
their opinion OF the state OF the road or the causes
which led to the killing OF L0bdell You have, gen
| tienen, heard the testimony given In. You are -
familiar with II as aun; and therefore unnecee-
sary for TO review II In detail H. in your opinioa
the company has been found not to have the road i
proper condition II s your duty TO 30 md; but u
n your conviction that the death OF Oscar Bobds1
was brought about BY the visitation OF God, you win
accordingly so say. .s :. . &
The Coroner then, followed BY the reporters ana
spectators retired. eA
The jury, after brief discussion, found "rnat
Oscar Lobdel came 10 his death ~ injuries reoeved
l on the Long Island Railroad on the 18th day OK
March, 1898; and tha& we, the Jury, further censuro
said IsmO aland Railroad COnfbany for allowing thu