The New York herald., 1869-04-27
the LONG ISLAND RAILROAD HORROR.
THE C0R0NER'S INQUISITION.
Popular Feeling i'm Regard to
the Matter.
THE EVIDENCE ADDUCED.
CONDITION OF THE WOUNDED.

Coroner Hendricks0n and o Jury proceeded to In.
vcstgate the facts connected with the accident al
Willow Tree, on the Long Island Railroad, at one
O'CLOCK yesterday afternoon, at Remsen's Hotel
Jamaica, L l., and, as might be naturally expected
Sne deepest interest was manifested In the proceed
1ngs as might be gathered from the fact that there
was large number Of people present from the sur.
rounding neghbOrho0d, as well as from BROOKLYN.
where the principal parties who were killed resided
There was evidently good deal of pent up
feeling in the breasts of the assemblage but it found
scarcely any vent, except in low murmurings and
whispers. A majority Of those residing In the i'm
mediate nelghborhood where the terrible slaughter
occurred seemed, however, to be decidedly OF
opinion that the track was In poor condition, 10
soy the least and nat the fatal calamity could have
been avoided by the exercise Of ordinary care
and supervision by the railroad officials whose
province it was to see to the matter. 1t Is but Just
10 say on the other hand that the railroad men had
Eeir friends among those who assembled at the
inquest and who asser ed strenuously that Tie
track was IN good condition and no blame was 10 be
attached to MIR. Charlick his employees.
Mr.. Oliver Charlck was present during the pro-
ceedings.
The District Attorney OF Queens county, Mr.. Ben
hmin w. Downing, and his assistant, Mr. James
Covert conducted the examination Of the witnesses
On behalf OF the people.
TESTIMONY OF DIR. WILLIAM D. WOOD.
am practising physician, residing at Jamaica;
have been practising fifteen years. am aware OF
the occurrence OF the accident on the Long Island
Railroad; 1t took place ON Friday last; do not
know the hour Of the day it occurred, or
upon what tram; was called to Remseu's Hotel to
attend some OF the sufferers; found there gentle
man named Abraham Won Gasbeck, Of Hoboken;
hot, ha,
afternoon, by request OF the Coroner, made post
mortem examination Of six bodies lying here; the
FIRST one was George II. Van Nostrand; the left leg
was broken into fragments about midway; found
four wounds on the lower portion of the right leg; the
hinder portion Of his body, from the hip to the
knee, was completely mashed to a jelly; the next
one was Mrs, Johp w. Pray; both Of her legs were
fractured below the Knee, and q protruston Of the
bowels, both arms broken, and the skull broken to
pieces and separated; there were further injuries
70 MRS. Pray; the next ope was Mr.. william c.
tr1ded, both arms broken and skull fractured on
next 1s s %as fas H. 1Ss osses qs H. psy 'front.' ns ia the
EOf the left knee, protruslon of bowels and spine
forced out Of position and fracture q the breast
bone, skull broken In and flesh or the left hand
scraped out; he hai also two wounds over the left
eye and his left elbow fractured; the next was
Patrick Shanahan, compound fracture Of the thigh
Done and several bruises on the right and left
Rrmsi the sixth one was Mrs. Jennie Adams,
VINO understood was year and ten months Old,
body that completed the list of the killed; believe
the cause OF the death OF each Of these persons was
from the injuries received.
To a jurOr-I have no knowledge how they received
these Injuries.
TESTIMONY OF I. W. BARTON.
am superintendent OF the Long Island Railroad;
have beeu So 10r about eighteen months; John III.
Nhe as in charge Of The train going east that day
and George Weaver was the engineer; there
anu VIM. Bowers; Leander NoOd was the baggage
master; the hreman's name OF the train Ephraim
connected with it he was merely riding up to Hunt.
in ton on busn IS; there were three cars on the
train; they had an engine called the thirty Wheel
she Is not new engine: she has been on the road
three or iour years: 1t Is lighter than the other
gines we have; there are two engines lighter. the
Woodbury. and Northport; this one is about the
along the road; l am acquainted with
the cars en- the train; they were about
two months out OF the snOp, after having been re-
paired; could not say how long they have been
the road; when came on the road they might have
In the shop tney got trucks put into them, new
whees aud new axles; the truck was not all entirely
new; there were some new parts put into Il, bur the
new; the springs were new; the floor timbers were
new; the noors themselves were renewed; am
speaking now more particularly OF the hind carthe
one the accident occurred IN; the master or
car repairs, Mr.. Edward Omstead. knows
the cars when they came out Of the shop. ~
O. Who Is the person authorized TO examine the
cars and pass On their fitness or unness to be run
on the rOadY A. Mr.. Olmstead, the master Of the
car repairs; have been employed on other roads
and am acquainted with the style OF making cars
l denee In he Mey these secs Is were ae a
others; these tracks were si1e-bearlng trucks: some
roads do not allow their trucks to bear side
tue car; these bear on the SIDE OF tue the same
rs tue New York Central or the Hudson River: on tue
Harlem road they 90 not bear the side OF the car.
because they could not curve them IN tue short turns
hind car the train which the accident occurred
lighter or heavier than the ordinary cars you run
over the roadf A. lhis car Was q shorter and
llghter car she was probably ton lighter than our
heaviest cars.
q. In case of breaking OF the axle tree or under
work are there not some appliances IN the shape OF
cnains To hold them up2 A. Some roads have chains
on . ,ae s trucks 10 keep then from sewing; some
chains on In some cases; we have no cnalns on any
Of our cars; ! was present at the scene
OF the disaster about an hour ana half alter
It occurred ani examined the condition OF the road
and the remains Of the car; the breaking OF tnls
rail IL the only way can account Tor the causing
ol the accident; nothing OF the running gear OF the
Car broke-tnat s, the wheels or the axles; don't
Ow whether the breaking OF this ran might ha,e
b. the elect instead or the calse or no; the
sleSing process IN ght havc broken the rail-
the whoc OF that read presented the appearance
as though something was sicwing along; IL looked
.as II the truck hai gone corner ways through the
ground; when I got there I found the track
had been torn up for some little distance
ing OF the bottom ont OF the car commenced
soon alter the truck lett the tracS because
you coud see the marx where the wheel dug into
the ground [rhe witness here went on TO state that
the track was In as good condition as necessary;
tnat new Iron and ties nad been aii on portions OF
~ where they were needed; thai one part OF the
fractured rail appeared 10 De fresh one and the
other an Oil one, and tnat he could not account for
atcilcnLl
Mr.. O'Donne-who is this roadmaster that takes
MS orders immc lately rom your A. Jo,eph >.
craig; nc IL here; The engineer is also here:
suior-leli me why the Long Island Railroad does
no use chainsH A. because they rattle aud MAKE
great deal o nose, and they also wear the truck
out
q. But with them there would be greater safety
A. Well n the cars ran or the track II would; the
only times have seen the bottoms OF cars torn was
when tncy had no chains on them; was sixteen
years on the New York and Harlem road be-
fore this ono; this road ~ better than that:
i have walked along portions OF this ira X
when | first came on this road; II rides as
good ~ the New York and Harlem does, or az the
Eencraiity OF roads; had never been on railroad
before tho New York and Harlem; l com
mcnced there as q brakeman, aud got up to he
assistant superintendent for three years; the