The New York herald., 1869-04-29
Continuation of the C0r0ner's
Inquisition.
Mr.. CharIick and Congressman
Reeves On the Stand.
TIE RAILROAD THEORY CT THE CALAMITY.


Az nallpast nine C'ClOcE yc9lSFutl toi-
oner Hendrckson and the Jury resumed the inquiry
into the OF the accident at Willow statioE on
the Lorg Island Railroad, and which eventuated IN
the death of six persons as already recorded, at
Remsen's Hotel. Jamaica. Although there was not
quite so large an attendance of people as OH Mon
day, yet the same degree OF interest seemed TO be
manifested by those present on the first day of
the inquiry. The jury roll having been called over,
the taking of further testimony was at once COM
menced.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM BURrS.
reside in the town OF Jamaica; resided near the
place of the accdentthe East Jamaica tollgaie, di
rectly opposite where the accident occurred; was
at the tollgate she time of the accident; there
in front OF the gate sweeping up the dirt when
l first saw the cars coming; | looked
out aud saw the cars run very un-
steady-the hind car | told my wife there
was going to be an accident on the cars, they went
so unsteady, and when cast my eye over again |
saw the car and thought she would upset; she came
again upon the track and then heard the great
nose the screeches and the halloos OF the paSsen-
gers; went over to see what was the matter:
from the tolgate 10 the cars about 100
yards. and 1 repaired Immediately there; |
approached the uninjured portion of the train
and arrived there first: arriving at the other end
saw the hIndmost car all smashed 70 pieces and
saw two dead bodies lying the track; it looked
though the cars had passed over them: saw num-
Der with bloody faces and noses and they asked me
If could go and get some water for them: went and
got water for them at Mr.. Gespie's well; went
away to Mr.. Roses and got bottle OF laudanum: |
saw more than two dead bodies: when came
back with the audanum the track torn up con-
sideraby the rails, think were torn up, and there
was good deal Of dirt on the track; did not pay
particular attention to the ties; think the car must
have arrived at the point where the rail broken
before saw it running unsteady; did not examine
the con t.on OF the ties the rail: | was called
away about that time think one Mr.. Willis from
Jericho first arrived at the gate after the accident
! have not examined these ties snce did not
know who those persons were that saw lying dead
on the track when the car was coming she ran un
steady and seemed to be wobbing from side to side
To juror-I can't tell whether the or the
track before it came to this broken rail not;
thought the car fell on its side the roof towards
me; the car righted again. and then the trucks
came from under II and the car came
down; the car rolled towards me at first; il was
after that that heard the crushing; the train was
going pretty las-a little faster than usual Think
Tam in the habit OF seeing the 20 Dy every day:
have seen the men repairing the track occasonally
two years ago, when the last accident happened
examined the track. and 1t was III "A very bad c0nd
tion them have seen some new ties and rals put in
within the last SIX months: this wobbling OF the
car was much more than the usual raotion: about
where the car was finally wrecked | first tue
peculiar motion of the car.
TESTIMONY OF HENRY REEVES.
reside at Greenport; was tram which
came IRON Greenport Suffolk county, the same day,
and which arrived at the scene of the accident about
three hours after Ii occurred.
To juror-The train on which | came
through TO Jamaica; the track had been repaired
sufficiently to allow our train TO oyer there
was no detention whatever examined the scene
OF the accident; made an examinations; walked up
the track and back again slowly looking at the ties
and rails, but not picking at them: alter getting on
took look at the broken car; the sides and ends
OF the seemed to be strong and secure, and not
materially shattered while the bottom entirely
gone: | looked also at the bottom OF the broken
trucks; thought they were comparatively new the
broken wood work seemed to be new and sound and |
not to have been used very long; then walked mp
.ne arack M Slowly wnere & the ran was or9ke9 @ looking
walked along; thought the ties were good; noticed
none that seemed TO bevery mitch worn or decayed,
and saw mark on the end OF one where the wheel !
OF the truck had been drawn across IT. could not tell
how many of the rails had been replaced; there
were men at work at the time; did not observe the
mark OF the nange Of the wheel except on two or
three ties: did not examine them all; did not OBJ
serve a continuous mark on them: came to the
place where the long part OF the broken rail iay
went down the bark and looked at the rall: !
thought the fracture at the end q clean one as
III was comparatively Iron, that had not been
used very ong-not in anywise crystalliZed. as !
believe iron usually does by concusson; do not
know that person not an expert could tell IN all
cases the nature OF this fracture: 1t looked to me
Ike any ordinary clean fracture; am not an ex.
several pieces OF the broken rail and chair here
producedl: those are not any Of the pieces that
saw; j saw piece eighteen or nineteen feet
long, the fracture on the end OF the piece
that | resembied this piece here somewhat;
different from the one saw, but am not expert
and do not know exactly: the dead had been re. |
moved and the car taken on the track and the EN-.
poyes repairing the track when got there: |
they were replacing three or four of the ties west OF
where the car lay but not where the broken raii |
was; do not know that any lie had been replaced: |
some OF them had probably been displaced and hev
around tSem aia NO, '' ss ."G iso werS 1 poTnns m a
tes looked at the place where the broken rail
was joined TO the other one, and thought rnc |
the broken ran was Joined 20 the other
could not ten but another Tie had been substAu.ed
this Is the tie that In the road that speak OF:
saw appearance OF the disturbance Of The soil
there: some OF the employees OF the road pointed out
to me the spot where the accident occurred; did
NOT stoop down TO examine critically the rails. but
looked at the chair and 1t looked as usual IL mad no
appearance OF anything beng wrong with u; tAen
had conversation with the conductor, Nj. White,
the conductor OF the tram that was injured; asked
eleven O'Clock; asked him how fast he was going,
and he said twenty miles an hour; was there about
engine; did not examine the chair sufficiently 20
know thai II might not have been replaccd; did not
examine to see whether 1t had been lately spiked
down.
TO juror-If new chair had oeen there IL would
be brighter, ! suppose; u presented the usual
appearance nothing out OF the way; am mem
ber Of Congress from this district; have general
experience OF iron, but am not am expert; ! saw
could not nave told whether char that had been
IN use before had been replaced there for the on
under the broken rail- "a piece oi rail about
eighteen feet long was here produced by the RAN;
road Company, and the witness SAID nc believed
that be the piece he saw j ulu not make
thorough examination OF II, however; now tniuk
part of the fracture Is an old one.
TESTIMONY or JOSEPH s. CRAIG.
I am All einpoye OF the Long Island Railroad COM
pany; have been In their employ since 2Dii OF last
December, as assistant road master unlll Npril a.
and since that time as road master: the road master
IL TO see that the road II Kept In running order
the duty OF the road master Is 10 40 over the whole
length OF the road and see What repairs are needed
and then have them done. The main road, from
Hunters Point TO Creenport Is under my supervl.
sion; and the branches-the Syosset and Northport
branch and Gencove branch and Hempstead-the
road running from Jamaica TO East New York. We
have something over hundred men under my
immediate supervision 10 Keep the track In order;
we have i've and men TO each
section aud twenty-one oremen; reports are made
from tlese ioremen to me any time anything Is
nf fIIlain