Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-01-26
SPUYTEN DUYVu.
a GENERAL ARRAIGNNENT
! The COroneRS jury ARinS In q SWoeplny
i Verd1et of Censura


! The COreneeS jury l3sinS In q SwseRln:
, VerdSet of CensurA
In the inysstigation of tks railroad &C
cident on the Hudson River road. afte
further testimony Deputy Coroner Wa
terman read his evidence of the condition
Of the bodies when found. Coroner Mer
kle then charged the jury, reviewing tn,
evidence at some length. He said the &C
cidens was caused by some person, either
frivoloUsly Or accidentally, who had, ii iriv
olous, no idea of the danger in which he
placed his fellow beings and Of the conse
quences which followed. As was thus
far not detected, but he he who h
might, though human law could not reach
him. his own conscience would constantly
remind him Of it
After being charged the jury retired.
aud after delibsration rendered verdic:
finding the following facts
First. That George Melius, the rear
brakeman Of the Chicago express, i:
guilty OF wilful, deliberate and culpabis
neglect in not going Immediately to the
rear OF his train 4 sufficient distance to
warn approaching trains, according to the
rules laid down by his company, and he is
directly responsible for the loss of lite that
lCtlONcU SUCH LeSIecC.
Second. That George Thanfori. the
conductor, IL not going to the rear of the
train 70 see that the trainman did his duty
was responsible fo- the loss of life that
followed such neglect OF duty.
Third. That Edward Stanford, the en-.
gisie man of the leading locomotive, in per-
slSteutiy endeavOring to draw the train
after the brakes had been applied, was re-
III AI~ e = -
Fourth. That Archibald Buchanan,
the engineer Of the locomotive immediate
II attached to the Chicago express, in per-
sistently endeavoring to draw the train at
ter the brakes had been applied and in
neglecting to cut Oft the escape Of air. was
resposible for the loss of life tha. followed.
Fifth. That Frank Burr, tho engine
man of the Tarrytown special, neglected
duty in not keeping proper lookout in
passing the Spuyten Duyvil Cut, and fail
ing Tor this reason to see the signal Of dan
ger IN time to check the speed of the train,
is responsible for the loss of life that fol
lowed.
Sixth. That John NJ. Toucey, the su
perinteDdcnt of the New York Central and
Hudson railroad company, in neslecting
to provide efficient safeguards against
the entire road, and in formulating Il
schedule of time for the passage Of trains
that permitted 4 rate Of twenty miles an
hour on 1 sharp curve, through a cut in
which it is impossible TO see more than
fifty feet ahead. is responsible for the loss
Of life which followed.
"SeveEth. That the officers and man.
ayers of the New York Central railroad,
in ncglecting to provide suitable instru.
ments to rescue passengers in danger, and
to extinguish fires, are responsible for the
loss of life which followed the accident"
The jury further find that each and
every person named is responsible for his
own actions, and as further expression
OF opinion says that there appears to be no
excuse for the criminal carelessness shown
by the employees of the railroad company,
and the only surprise is that the loss Of
life was not greater. The jury also fine
that George Melius, George Thanford,
Edward Stanford, Archibald Buchanan,
Frank Burr. John NJ. Toucey. and the
New York Central Il Hudson River rail-
road company are guilty Of causing the
deaths of Webster Wagner, Park
Valentine and Louise, his wife,
Mary L. Brown, !. Albert Richards.
Oliver P. Keely, Francis Marshall
and Darling L. Ransom, by criminal
and culpable negligence in the perform
ance of their several duties in connection
with the Hudson River railroad company
and the jury desire to express fully their
adherence Of the practice of the promis
cuous distribution of railroad passes du.
ring the session Of tho Legislature, it be-
ing an incentive to unseemly conduct, by
free excursions between the
capital and the metropolis. The jury also
leem it their duty to urge better protec-
ton on the line Of the Spuyten Duyval
bran ch within the city limits.