New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-24
TILE sPUYTEN DUYVIL COLLISION


MEIJIys. TIE BRAKEMAN on TRIAL.
TRYING TO PROVE HIM GUILTY OF MAS,LAUGH1ER
The STORY OF THE DISASTER RETOLD.
The trial of George Meus, brakeman on the
Chicago Express train which was run into In JAN
nary last by the Tarrytown special at Spuyten
Duyvl Was begun yesterday ID the Court OF oyer
anu Termlner Chief Judge Noah Davis presiding.
Assistant District Attorney OByrne appeared for
the people In opening the case he said that Mellus
WAS charged with mansaughter IN the fourth
degree for having caused the death OF the late
Sc ator Wagner aud others. MelIus was the brake
man on the rear car of the Chicago express tram
IN the New. York Central and Hudson River Rall-
Nay The train stopped Tor reason at Spuy-
ten Duyvil. 1t was MeIius's duty to 20 back
certain distance and flag any train which might
aporoach Instead of doing his duty, he only went
back few yards, the result being that the FAIRY
tovn special could not be checked III time to pre-
vent a collision, which resulted in death and bod
NV injury to many persons. The trst witness
called for the prosecution was Moses W. Waterman,
a deputy coroner lie testified that he made al ex'
ANIMATION OF IA body taken from the wreck The
body was burned almost beyond the point oil rerOg
ujtl0n 1t was supposed TO be that OF the late
Senator Wagner. lie also found human hand III
the ice box OF of the cas- ON tho train which
VAS run into. John VI. TOucey, the superintendent
of the New-lOrk Central and HUDSON River Rail
been III the employ of the railway company Tor
abuut twenty-five years. The rules OF the railway
company were shown to Mr.. Toucey, who identl-
fed them. They were then put IN evidence. Mr..
Toucey said 1t was the duty OF Melus TO obey the
rules OF the company.
OF a tram should stop at an irregular time or
place whose duty would II be to look alter the
tr;unf A-The conductors duty Is first to pro
tect his own train and aierwa ards to md out what
caused 1t to stop When TINS has Deen done tle
order him to go back ON the tratk with the proper
OeIs It not the duty OF the rear brakeman 10
back Immediately upon the stopping OF the train
without waiting for orders from the conductor
Ayes. , >, ,
division superintendent of That part OF the road
where tue accident occurred. lie said that the
Chicago express left the Spuyten Dnyyil station ut
7:OI D. H. The Tarrytovn express left the same
station thirteen minutes later It was MelluSs
duty To 20 back as soon a his tram stopped ana
project it, On crOss-examinatlon Mr.. Bissrll said
that aDOnt seventy trains day passed through
the cut in the road near where the accident took
place .
The conductor of the Chicago express. George f.
Hanford, WHO is also under Indictment for the
same offence as MelIus, was next called. Ihe
tram, he said. left Albany at one minute past
9 o'clock. it nearly twenty minutes
late IL reached the place were it was standing at
the time OF the accident at three minutes past
o'clock. About nine minutes passed be-
tween the time of stepping and tue collision.
" hen the train stopped, the witness stepped To the
ground. He saw MelIus going back on the trac'i
towards the cut He did not think it necessary to
paw any further attention to HIM. lie himself
went ahead To look alter his train. lie
where he the head light of the IarrytOwn
tram as it came round the curve. The stOppage OF
the Chicago express was caused by some one not
connected with the train who pulled the safety
cord. When the train stopped the witness went
forward to the first car to learn the reason vi the
stOppage.
Melus the witness said. ought 10 have gone
back to the mouth OF the cut. lie had given gen
era orders to him to go back Whenever the tram
stO "A occasion
witness thought. Mcllus had run back to the
mouth OF the cut in two minutes and half. On
cross xaui,natlOn Dir. Ilanf0rd said that he had
not given any order to Melus to go back toward
the cut, because he saw him III tho act of going
back when he first stepped of the train. He adj
mltted that .he had testified before the Coroners
Jury that the original Cause OF tho disaster was
rum and politicians" lie Was of the same opn
ion still. There were many people the train
who entertaining themselves by drinking
and singing. The passengers were very noisy He
was sorry to DO obliged to make this statement.
but it was his duty to do 80. The train WAS
stopped by the air brake. He would have started
the tram again sooner than he did if he could nave
got the air brake IN order sooner.
The neat witness was AlOnzo b. Valentine of
Vermont. lie was passenger en- the Chicago
express and was in the car Idlewild His son and
dauy liter law were the train. Both of them
were killed by the collision. The witness said
| that he saw Melius leaning against the rear car
| lie held the lamps III his nand Alr. Valentine
| then entered the and in about five minutes hc
saw the lights Orthe Tarrytown train. He went
| out on the platform OF the car. Meus Was stand
| ing about five or SIX leet IRON the rear of the
| last car He asked him what tram it was that
was conin Melius answered that it was the
| Tarrytown special. Al that II on ent the whistle
| of the approaching train was blown and Melins
| started back with the lamps in his hand ; lie did
! not 90 II ore than fifty feet.
| William k. Murray. OF Spuyton DuyyIl said that
| he saw the Tarrytown tram run into the Chicago
| ex press lie stood at the time tho stoop of
| Klcullens Hotel lie went out the stoop
| little before the collision. lie saw train stand
ing on the track near tho hotel. man stood near
the rear car of the train. The man had red and u
| white lantern In his hand. lie stood where he
| was until the approaching train mao nearly come in
! sight. lie saw the man standing there about five
| minutes Then the man walked back on tho track
| about 1915 feet lie was still walking back when
| the Tarrytown train came in sight. Several other
witnesses testified TO the same effect Henry Reyn-
olds said he the station master at Spuyten
| Duyvil The station was about 1000 feet to
| the west OF the entrance TO the cut. The Chicago
express passed the station at thirty seconds alter
| o'clock. IL at least thirteen minutes
before the Tarrytown trail passed With this wit
ness the closed TOR the prosecution.
| The oaso for the defence will DO presented to-
| day. Ex .Asssmblyman Robert a. Livingston, who
| was the Chicago train. and Howard y. Mars
Il Mall.