The New York herald., 1872-07-06
An Examination Before Presi-
IL a,'u' iss 81 dent Fox. a sg'.s . iaa s e 3
Conductor Lynch, Il the Rookaway Express, Ex-
oneratsd- -Rathburn, Of the Outgoing Train,
Admits His Negligence Con-
ductors Make Up Lost Time-some
a Facts for Travellers to Read.
Two Victims Already Dead and
Others Dangerously Hurt.


The HERALD OF yesterday contained all the main
Acts relating to the collision that occurred ut
Hebbards station, one and half miles beyond
Bushwick avenue, on the South side Railroad OF
Long Island, at twenty minutes past five o'clock,
on the 4th OF July; but the iatcness OF the hour at
which the accident occurred and the confusion
attending the removal and ........... ,44
CARING FOR THE MANNED,
prevented its reporters from obtaining all the de-
tails calculated to fix the responsibility where It
properly belongs.
Yesterday O reporter called at the ONCE OF the
company In search OF further details and met Presi.
dent Fox and Superintendent Douglas. They in
formed him that the conductors, fremen and en-
gineers OF the colliding trains had just been sum-
moned to the Presidents room to be catechlsed
and IL he would remain few moments he could
hear . ''ti aoi taM u
-'t F,t4sr THEIR SENTIMENTS. ilias.t 500
Five minutes later the men entered the ROOM
The first person questioned was Conductor Lynch
OF the RocKaway express, bound for Wilnamsburgh.
He stated, in substance that he arrived a the point
where the collision occurred at 800 p NJ. on time.
This is the point where the double track termi-
mates, and from that point to Bushwck avenue
trains are run on single track.l During his to
that point, nothing occurred, and although he had
train Of six cars with about three hundred passen-
gers he was exact time up to that point and the
cars and men were in good condition In answer to
question put by President Fox, ne stated that he
had never drank drop Of liquor In his life, nor
used tobacco; that none Of tho employees
Of the train were under the influence OF
liquor, and that every man was at his
post After waiting the four minutes provided
by the rules for the outgoing train from Williams
burg Conductor Rathburn) he left the double truck
for the single one, knowing that he had the right
r.~.HA o..
Bushwick He remarked to the engineer, 'we
now have the right to the road for twenty-four
minutes, that will bring US to Bushwich in twenty.
one minutes" Immediately after starting there
was whistle in advance, and, looking out, he
stopped the train, @
SENT A FLAGMAN DOWN TO SIGNAL
Rathburn's train, and ran down himself, shaking
paper to stop the outgoing train While signalling
Rathburn's train the employees Of the road en-
deavored to work the Rockaway express back up
the steep grade to the double track. This was un-
successful, and Immediately after the trains COL
lided. At the time his train was stationary. None
Of the passengers within the cars were wounded,
while nearly all who rushed out on the platforms,
separating the FIRST and second passenger coaches,
were more or less injured In trying to get on The
seats were all occupied but there was room In the
aisles to accommodate the balance with standing
room, and there was no occasion for the platform
to be occupied. l4a .iI>. ig
Engineer Cody, OF Iynch's train, confirmed his
conductors story; said that he compared watches
with him and he was correct as to time ana cir
| cumstanccs. He had run on the road four years,
| and during that time had never known Of rt
| ANY LOSS OF LIFE TO PASSENGERS
Here Lynch w was asked wnat nc qua or the pas,
rendered the injured all the assistance In their
power; he examined each one personally, and the
baggage master went around with pail OF water
| and sponge and applied them to the wounds.
=, Conductor Rathburn, In his statement, admits
| that the accident was the +t
| RESULT OF HIS DIsOBEDIENcE or THE RULES.
He stated that after coupling on at Bushwfck he
nine minutes ae Ee ooteS he ma MAJ ahe NJ anS
he saw that both trains due at Fresh Pond at
ten minutes past five. He thought it would take
both trains about the same time 20 reach Heb
the point where the coilision Occurred
Rockaway train on the switch or side track. He
then looked out the other side Of the car, and could
! not see anything. Immediately after he saw the
danger nag, and pulled the bell rope. Tie collision
followed and he lound himself landed In the ditch,
injured In the side He and Lynch at once COM
4 pared watches, and IL was then twenty minutes
after fve In answer TO Mr.. Douglas question
why, knowing that he was ,h llTl no
BEHIND TINE IN sTARTTN9,
and was not allowed to consume the four minutes
allowed for variations he had gone on, Katnburn
said ne thought 10 would take tne train from FIX h1sS
| to go there, and then he would have four minutes
to spare. 'po you not know that you had no right
Rathburn replied: II had no right to the four
minutes, bnt knew Lynch would stop for me- !
! left Bushwick at twelve minutes past i've.
4G ot IHAp NO RIGHT OF WAY,
| but Thought could make IT,"
Mr. DouGLAs-Is it usual TO run trains in the four
minutes allowed for variations OF watchesY
Conductor RATHBrRN--It Is not but We did use 1t.
Mr.. DouGLAs-You understood from the rules 1t
KATHBURN--I thought could run 1t In. r0
Mr.. F0x-Ha1 yOu been drinking Ha iis
In M ny o o al eass tH 1' wlnc ~ A. is eafy
Engineer Scott next stated that when leaving
Bushwick Rathbuin pulled out his watch, and BY 1t
it was eleven ana half minutes after five; by
scott's watch 1t was twelve minutes after i've: he
knew the other train was due in five minutes at
Bisiiwfck and they went On. .iiHf ~
Mr.. DoUGLAss-Dd Rathburn not say to you
- it Owe HHR ALL she CAN DC,
or words to that effect 10 40 FGr.t.' nr. o.
SCoTT-HcJ did not. ~ .UGfla b..
Mr.. DouGLAss-Mr. Fox want to get at the facts,
and have learned that such remark was made.
Scott stated that when he saw the danger nag he
was about nine hundred feet from the Rockaway
EXPRESS @ out M SSpgls nSn ssys ne measured the
easily have stopped the train on the eightfo
the-milc up grade. Scott further said that he was
RUNNING ABOUT TwENrY-Two NILES PER HOUR,
and that he reversed his engine before jumping,
and only drank three layers that day. Isl
This Is the substance Of the statements made by
the employs. superintendent Douglas exnonor-
atcs Conductor Lynch and puts the responsibility
upon kathburn and his engineer, who, he says, leit
Bushwick about fourteen minutes late, or at seven-
teen minutes past i've. lie was In his Office at the
ferry when the Bnshwick telegraph operator in
formed him that Iathburn had procecdcd on; but
DcloIt Hc Cpuiu get u UcsnutCn tV LNIcu tfc tOi-
lison occurred. satisfied, from his own statements,
that - ~ '.' ''"' ftt "t1tt
RATIIBURN Is RESPONSIBLE o.
for tho accident by which, at the present writing,
Mrs. Rowe and her son, who died yesterday lost
their lives, and six others, whose names appeared
I'm yesterdays HERALD, were injured, the superin-
tendent has put sathhurn aud scott under suryeil-
lance OF a detective untn the Coroner's jury
passes upon the matter. The superintendent
be $4,000. None or the trucks left the rails
except those OF the engine. Ho most positively
do ha atn IN me n he plu
that proper attention was not given the passen-
gers ana asserts that on hearing vi the DISASTER he
at once proceeded 70 Hibbards with all the cars
this side Of there, and run all they wonld accommo-
date into the city. The others were brought Ia In
street cars, and by fifteen minutes to nine r. NJ. the
wreck had been completely removed for the run
ming OF trains. n sts..i 4. t ~.
Tie superintendent and President especially re-
quested the reporter " not misrepresent the road