New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-17
THE ERIE DISASTER.

THE CoRoNER's INQUEsT-ARREsT OF THE EN-
GINEER-CoNDITION OF THE WOUNDED.
LACKAwAxEN, Penn, July 16.-For once in
the annals Of railway accidents prompt action has been
taken by the officials Of the Commonwealth Of Pennsyl
vana to bring the reckless empoye whose cupabe neg
gence resulted fatally to speedy justice After the
collision on the Erie Railroad at Mast Hope, the parcu
lars Of which given in yesterdays edition. the
wreekers were dispatched to the Of the
disaster, where they took charge OF tho bodies
which we're burned in the smoking car. The en-
tire car had been burned TO the trucks, and
ylng between them the charred remains of eight
victims burnt to cinders. In this number entire
family Of Germans consisting of father, mother, and
three children, who yet unknown, the Rev. b. d.
Hallock Of New.York, Daniel Baer German emlgrant,
and another person yet unknown. The remains were
carefully scraped up placed in separate boxes each
one OF which was numbered and all articles which the
flames had not consumed collected together and
correspondinRy numbered, which may in time help to
identify the remains The victims were brought 10 Port
Jerys and given in charge of undertaken with orders
from the Erie Company properly inter them in the
Erie Railroad Companys lot in Laurel Grove Cemetery,
where several who killed at the Cars Rock disas
ter now lying.
THE INQUEST.
The Coroner Of Pixies County, Pa impanneed jury on
Thursday which met and viewed the remains before they
sent to Port Jervis They met again yesterday at
the williamson House. in Lackawaxen, take the testi'
mony of those who witnessed the collision. There was
Misunderstanding between the Justice OF the Peace
and the Coroner TO who should conduct the nvesga
ton but the matter finally compromised, and the
Coroner oficiated. Several witnesses examined.
among whom was the conductor OF the freight rain the
6remen Of both locomotives, Of Daniel Baer who
was burned 70 DEATH and several OF the railway officials
From the testimony of the witnesses It appears that
James Griffin the engineer OF the freight train, while on
spur switch waiting for passenger train TO pass him
opened the throttle valve of his engine and started his
hlVfr
behind him. Some say he asleep while his fireman
says he did not whether he not After the
collision the engine OF the passenger train passed on for
feet after having dropped her ash pan, which
full of hot Goals The car that finally stopped over
the fire was the smoking in which were some I'm
migrants who had taken hrst-class passage, and
several who wished to smoke 1t that those
who were burned killed outright from the fact that
they crushed by the broken seats, while there
who state that the victims only pressed under
the seats and burned alive From the fact that the
depot was on fire at tme appears that seve-
raj of the depot employees principally engaged in
saving freight and unconscious that there were
any passengers danger The following witnesses were
examined;
TESTIMONY OF THE FIREMAN.
Perry Hoyt the fireman of the engine the passenger
train was the witness At the time Of the collision
was engaged in my duties, aud had warning Of the
danger We we're going about 80 miles an hour at the
time OF the accident saw the platform Of the depot
before stopped to fire up At the time OF the accident
the engineer of my locomotive had hold of tho throttle
have never his hand OF IL since have been run
ring with him. Six OF our burned and three
were broken up did not notice any person standing
the OF the freight train supposed the entire train
10 be off the westward track The engineer slowed as he
approached the tran but when he everything right In
the opened his valve The engineer and myself both
stuck the engine We 80 minutes late atPort JerYis
aud only gained four minutes between there and Mast
ITon "A mi a W
outside OF the the engineer could not sec the
locomotive of the freight train until within about $50 feet
Of the switch.
TESTIMONY OF THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FREIGHT TRAIN.
JudsOn ID. Brown the conductor OF the freight train
the next witness Hs train was the first extra OF No
39 left Port Jerys time, and arrived at the switch
at 1922 closed the SWITCH and pulled up to the spur
near the west end switch 10 lay there for trains
Nos and No. OF the first night train west passed me
at 1881, about two or three minutes late when No.
passed my tralu stood In the door Of the caboose at
the rear OF my train; just the train passing felt
my caboose move, judge that No. was
running IS miles an hour when 1t passed;
my engineer Is named James Griffin; no Is
a good careful man never him take glass Of
liquor he has acknowledged 70 me that he asleep
while waiting for the trains to pass railroad employees
are apt opportunities for sleep when they ofer
udge my engineer awoke suddenly. and believing the
train had passed started 20 follow the hagmsn Is named
Edward Smith; he sitting on the platform OF the
depot at the time OF the collision after the collision
started for the head Of my train; then ran to my
caboose for o pail and ak, and when returned the
smokingcar was on fire; the OF both trains were
TANNED together the ashpan Of the locomotive must
have fallen down at the time OF the collision have been
ralroading eight years; my train did not move
over feet before my engine was struck the general
instructions do not permit the engineer to start the
without signal direct or indirect from the con-
ductor The engineer has the the timetable aud knew
a.. a. fn1t,, naaaa
freight train stops over hour switch is custom
airy for the brakemen get what rest they can The ac
cdent was occasoned by my engine running on the west
ward-bouud track before No. had passed
. TESTIMONY OF TIE TLAGMAS.
Edward Smith, Aagman OF the freight train' testified
that he was sitting on the platform at the time OF tho ac-
cident The switch was locked and all right 10 pass
train g. Ny business is to be at tho headof my train 70
unlock the switch gave no signal to the engineer
have been acquainted with the engineer
who had charge Of our engine Tor over year
[ never saw him take drink OF liquor
believe the engineer TO have been asleep ana ne was
awakened by the whistle OF the passing locomotive
which he believed TO have passed him,
TESTIMONY OF THE sTArIoS-MAsTER.
Samuel s. Crawford, tho statlon-maser at Mast Hope
Depot testified that the first he knew Of the disaster was
when he was awakened by his brotheri found the de-
pot on fire attempted to communicate with the Fort
Ieryls Office but could not; then began to remove my
hooks and papers; saw the wreck what appeared TO
be the remains of eight bodies did not see the engineer
OF the freight train after the accident .. ....
TESTIMONY OF A BRAKEMAN.
Harry snackett a trackman who lives at Mast Hope
tesed that he arrived at the OF disaster about hVe
minutes after the collision occurred; no helped remove
the freight from the house. and afterwsrd assisted
at the wreck.
TESTIMONY OF JONATHAN S. CRAWFORD.
Jonathan g. Crawford, merchant at
Mast Hone, testified that he went to
the river after couple of buckets Of water;