The New York herald., 1869-11-13
TIE RiRzEM RAILROAD DISASTER.

How the Lives Of Passengers are Jecpar-
dized-COrOner's Inauest--svhereabouts Of
ta,S Missing Switchman.
Notwithstanding the efforts made by the author
tiles during the early part OF yesterday to discover
the Whereabouts Of Patrick Geraghty, the switch
man, who fed from the terrible scene hts careless.
ness mad brought about at the junction OF tho Har-
lem and New Haven Railroads, on the previous
evening, no traces OF him could be found The
shockingy manged remains or Thomas Hammond,
the fireman who was instantly killed, as mentioned
IN the HERALD OF yesterday, were conveyed to the
fremont police station where Coroner Bathgate pro-
ceeded to hold an inquest.
Conductor Ransom Ham, who was the only avail
able witness, on being sworn, testified In substance
to the following particulars connected with the acc
dent:-The Chatham local train, OF which he was IN
charge left West Mount Vernon Its schedule time,
VIZ, twenty-elght minutes past eight on Thursday
evening. Not more than four or five minutes had
elapsed and while he was taxing up tickets in the
foremost passenger car, the whistle blew "down
brakes;n believing this to be signal OF danger he
graspcd portion of the car for support ana imme
dlately the forward trucks OF The car ran OIL the
track. He then looked out and saw engine, which
at once convinced him That 1T had rolled down
the bank, and on examination found tnat
marsh, bottom upwards; the tender followed,
ana this by 'lclescoDing" the forward part OF the
baggage car, kept the latter horizontally on the
the track remained IN al almost erect position. In
the baggage car were the man having Charge OF the
same and a newsbOy, neither oil whom, it appears,
Is injured On first looking from the train, lmme-
diately after the accident he saw man standing
the track with lantern IN his hand, and this, he
supposed, was the swltchman. He asked him what
was the matter, and whether he had left the
guess they are wrong.n lie saw this man for only
moment and did not see him again. Hurrylng
toward the engine he called the engineer,
Austin WallDridge by name, and the latter
answering, he found lying some d istance from
the engine and frghtfuly scaided. further search
revealed the body OF the deceased firmly wedged
under the body of the wrecked locomotive. 1t was
Impossible to eXtricate the until tie earth
had been dug 10 the depth OF two three feet IRON
beneath them, and then 1t found that the lever
tie throttle valve had been driven through the
body into the ground. Deceased must have been
instantly Killed. Word was at once sent TO Williams
bridge, from which place tram was subsequently
sent which conveyed the passengers - the city.
sible and sent to his nome III New York.
AS there was no swtcnman then at the
against accident to approaching trains going up
down When the train was approaching the juno
ton Its speed was about eight miles per hour that
being in accordance with the company's regua-
tons. The signals as he was informed by the
brakemen, were shown ''all rght' when the train
| first came in sight Of the junction; but he saw u
| diiierent signal alter the accident occurred.
post mortem examination OF the body was made
| by Dr. McEroy, who testified that IN addition to
| the injury through the body--before described-he
! had found the ribs OF deceased crushed and the
body calded from the head to the lower part or the
4
cause1 immediate death.
In s.der to obtain additional testimony from those
who witnessed the disaster, and II possible to pro-
the attendance OF Patrick Gerraghty the switch
man, the inquest was adjourned until next Monday
The remains OF the deceased were taken charge OF
by the Harlem Railroad Company, and they VIII be
forwarded to his friends at Troy. He was about
twenty-five years OF age and unmarried
From what has been ascertalned In regard to the
accident 1t would appear that the switchman, hav-
| ing seen New Haven train pass down ABOUT half
past seven O'Clock, reversed the signal and 1ndl-
Gated 'ali rght' for Harlem down trans, without
moving the SWITCH IL Is supposed that he went In
and slept while, and on being awakened by the Har
lem tram ran out and at once reversed the signal At
this fearful juncture the engineer blew his aiarm,
causing the patent brakes TO lie instantly applied,
but too la,e to avert the ruin which followed.
IL was ascertained late i'll the afternoon OF yester-
day that Gerragnty lives IN First street, Mount Ner
non; tnat he arrived home about nine O'Clock on
Thursday evening" and told his family, while in
distracted state, tnat lie had "misplaced switch
throwing passenger train from the track and had
perhaps destroyed hundreds or lves.n lie has been
in the company's employ for many years and ~
described as temperate, careful man. 1t was
stated that he had intention OF cOncealng him
sell, anu left only on hearing threats OF passengers
to murder him.
Austin Wallbridge, the engineer OF the wrecked
train, was yesterday IN critical condition. but
although derium with other distressing symptoms
had set ill., hopes were entertained OF his recovery.
He is considered one OF the most competent eng
neers on the Harlem Railroad.