The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-16
THE ocEANPoRT DISASTER.
LAST DAY OF THE INQUEsr-vERDIcr OF THE
coRoSER's JuRY--THE DRIDGEMAN CEN

LAST DAY OF THE INoUEsr-vERDIcr OF THE
coRoSER's JuRY--THE DRIDGEMAN GEN.
sURED. tttf
Tho inquest In the case OF G. Edwin vermucIin who
died from the effects OF injuries received the
Oceapport disaster was continued this morning be-
fore Coroner Gugle, at tho Newing HOTEL Long
Branch.
Daniel Lennon, twelve years old OF Oceanpors tes-
titled that he was fishing on the drawbridgo when
the of; no heard Mr.. Conroy toll Zobei,
another boy, 20 put the flag out; the flag was out;
Mr.. Conroy had the lever, or long wooden
bar, In his hand at the time; he did
not see Mr. Conroy put this latch but he did SEQ him
pun the Key and throw II down. no did not see any
body else touch that lever except Mr. Conroy; Zobel
and Clayton the bridge, but did not touch the
key or the latch.
William Berlin OF Occanport. testified that Thurs
day morning last when she accident happened he was
on the bridge; he afraid to be the bridge on
any occasion lest tho might of, they gener
ally went 80 fast; that day he thought the engineer
went fastcr than usual he thought the train went at
the rate OF forty miles an hour
Mr. Il. s. Browne testified that he was In the employ
OF the Central Railroad built the bridge in question:
Mr.. Lothorp Of Trenton constructed the draws, and
II could not be unlocked by train passing over III all
the draws the limo were by the kind
ing the weight Of four engnes tho Ocoanport bridge
able TO bear such weight; the bridge could not be
opened without raising the lever; Mr. Murtyugh or
some.of his changed the short piece OF iron
Gently for u long piece a. the front Of tho bridge
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE BRIDGE TENDER. -
The written instructions to the bridge tender Conroy
by b. Murtaugh were here read-
JERSEY CRY, } une g. 1877.
with white flag when drawordgs wss turned off Never
An @ cut signal ssa Ms on O."
vsns" nr. sss you about TINS II sGva fpn
Colonel James Moore the witness sworn
Ho SAID he was superintendent OF the road with It's
divisions and brauches he lived In Elizabeth; every
person connected with the road supposed TO have
written instructions as to Its rules and regulations
and as 10 how they should act on all occasions. lilo
tan River is ten miles per hour, and owing
TO its being such heavy draw Bay
draw BRIGGS on The Long Branch section Of the
road, OF which there i've, tie rate OF speed 10 NJ
an average Of twenty m.s per hour; he went over
the road once or twice u month"; and even travelled
over bridges AZ as high rate as fifty miles an hour
he considered twenty mile limit Of speed very sale;
but hore was NO law existing at present compelling
the company to travel at given rate. though there
n few years ago.
Jacob h.aden, section boss OF the Central Railroad
testified NO knew nothing ABOUT tho accident, no
did not get there until II was ell over trans run
uo hs nsu had The rcd au
he could not tell why this occurred under ordinary
circumstances the engineer should have seen Il; prob
ably II was owing the f0ct that the day oggy
was his place TO watch trains not the place Tor trains
10 watch MINI he reported tho circumstance to Mr..
Stems, general superintendent
john ConrOy was recalled and testified TO having
written letter TO the Superintendent Tor Instructions,
and asking for power to keep people of tho bridge;
boys were pcrpetuaIIy on tho bridge, ana be had
nstructions TO keep them OIL no run the brakes Tor
SIX months with two red lamps when the written In
structi0ns no should havo TOUR, he always at
tended TO the instructions given him, SO far the
facilities for SO doing permitted; he always locked
the bridge when the tram passed by; II another
train In i've minutes afterward he did not
consider that it always necessary for him TO 10
back and examine the lock; he thought II would be
In rapid succession he said he was positive the lock
was Unmatched at tho tmc OF the accident but how the
latch got displaced 1t was impossible for HIM to say he
could not say whether any OF the boys on the bridge
displaced the latch; they might have done SO by
dent, but not Intentionally.
VERDICT.
This ended the testimony aud the jury, after an
hour and halis deliberations returned the following
verdict'-''Wc, the jury find that q. Z. Vcrmuelen
10 his death by the wrecKing OF passenger tram
the Long Branch division Of The Central Railroad
Company of New Jersey near Oceauport, on the mora
ing Of the 9th Of August 1877, and we find that tho
accIdeut caused by the neglect OF John s. Conroy
no having given the safety signal TO tho approaching
trun without first seeing that the draw was securely
fastened. ana also believe that the saety OF the
travelling public demands slower rate Of speed In
future in crossing these BRIDGES"