New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-20
THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.
INVESTIGATIONS BY THE CORONER.
yIsnNo WE sCEyE oR ruE DIsAsrEe Ar sprYrr,

~
tral and Hudson River Railroad met Yesterday
morning in the Sub-Precnct under the Grand Con.
| tral Depot After the oath was taken special train
was made up carry the jury TO the scene Of the ac
clde1t The train started at 1920 q. m On IL vera
coroner Mcrkle, Deputy Coroner Goldschmidt.
GENERALS Superintendent Touc"y, Assistant District
| Attorney Vincent, II. r. MarstOn, counsel for the
brakeman, MelinS, who is under arrest. Captain
! Hooker and Detective Irving. Of the Nineteenth
Sub-Precinct and the jury which Is com
posed OF the following persons: Henry J.
DAWSON civil engineer, No. 231 Broadway;
| William II. Weghman, mechanical engineer. No.
| 50 Astor House Henry Eichng mechanical engi-
neer, No. 81 Park Row Leaudcr +. Howes, banker.
| No II Wall-st.; ESbert L. Velc consulting engi-
neer No 80 Cedar-st.; Louis +. SCHNEIDER i'm.
porter, No. 1872 Broadway; Charles II. Haswell.
civil engineer, No. 1872 West Forty -Gfth-st; David
| II. McAlpin, tobacco dealer, No. $50 Avcnuc-D.;
| Francis j. Burke, agent, No. - Lberty-st: John
Peysern, dealer in Saddlers goods No. 2O3 Grani-st;
| Isaac Feichman 40. 46 Murray-st. ana Edward
iIeuser No. 1873 Bowery. The conductor and
brakeman Of the Chicago express and the engineer
ofthe Tarrytown train were also in the train.
| At the scene of the accident the special tram
stopped, and the jury then Inspected the place. al
| though no evidence Of the wreck now remains at
| the spot Meus told to 60 up the track to tho
town train, and Engineer Burr of the Tarrytown
train, was directed TO stand where he first saw
Meus There was a difference of forfy-iye yards
between the two places where tho men stood, which
was considered great distance Oh such a short
curve. Henry ID. Walsh, who will be n witness in
the case, was asked to stand where he Meus
step out of the of the TarrytOwn train The
spot was 12J feet back of the place where the
accident occurred and about forty feet nearer TO it
than where Engineer Burr said he first saw Melus.
About 600 feet from the scene Of tho accident
there is cut through which the engines run and
from it to where the wrecked train stopped
the track is a sharp, short curve. The jury
inspected the curve closely aud asked many ques-
tions "a TO how far engineer could after his
train passed through the cut. The special train
then moved on to Spuyten Duyyil station, which IS
almos, half mile from the scene of the accident
The switcl-h0use, which is situated at tbs point
where the track leaves the Hudson River, WIS.,
tied and the manner of working the switches was
explained. The switchman stated that the Chicago
express passed his station at 7:0l p. m and tho
TaTytown special at 7:14 p m. From Spuyten
Duyy station the train moved back TO the place Of
the accident, where an experiment was tried 10 SEQ
how long ii would take the brakeman to run from
there to the cut As the train stopped,
Mcius Jumped off with flag in his hand and ran
70 the TWO minutes. III Ne ull ualc lc 5dlDo
time the night of the accident there would have
beer disaster, according to the statements OF mo
tranmen. The special train then came back TO the
Grand Central Depot.
THE FIRST TESTIMONY.
AID. m. the jury assembled in the Coroners
Office to listen to testimony. All those on the tram
in the morning were present again, except that 9.
T. Titus represented the New-York Central Road.
George +. IIauford conductor of the Chicago ex-
press the first witness. HIS testimony was rs
follows:
Ny train arrived at the fatal spot about 7O5 p.
The that stopped was because some on" On hs
pulled the cord which Is attached 10 tie air
brakes. The train h!d 20 stop instantly 1ntll the
the forward part OF the tram had Jumped me track Or
was broken down. When | stepped from The train |
White ght in hl4 hands IN the act stepping
surprising that the Of the train was protected
went to learn the OF the stopping That an
important duty, thought because If the engine had
jumped track would have obstruced the mp track,
and the coming IN that direction would have 10 be
siguacd found that the trouble was with the brakes
and 81 went to work to release the air chiinb rs
stepped into the mall to examine the brake valve,
asked the brakeman where the valve was, and ~ nnd
As stepped from tris car to the ground saw the
| headlight Of the Iorryt9wn tram directly ~ INC
! TO the rear of the tralu ami hearing
shout, IN the Empire dmwing-rOom ear, went IN and
| helped 10 eXt1cte two men / examined the Gal NOR
oughy and satisfied myself that NO one was let Ia II:
Tac EInpire the second car from the last Mhen
left the car hraid tlr or! 3l tc' "I nlsSeu, 10 40
| Ger Illewd. winch wae IN names Ihere was humoer
| %
aXe5 10 bredk uo Tue car a. Ie vas 40 eAI Ilo ~,
told them boards of the fence aud break IN
the windows and asaei some one 10 gel Tho coApcn
from che engine About quickly as II takes me To tel
/ IT, an an brought and the second ltsf wlLi""
Mtu LIZ u' nict M, nov AMI tc throw tails ni t
| on the lire. Wdter-paiis we're brought, Ous
! the water was scattered. Two young men
rocrrd a IA lder which they put up against the ear
and p,s OF water and snow balls handed to them
stood short time directing them where 10 thIo"
the snow and water They assisted oat Of the car TWO
| h. I .
aud to II they could grta line oil nose RON EAkne
| 30 81 | helped al I could, and said there uutno
o'clock IN morning until al the bodies had been re-
| novel
| Daring the recital Of the evidence in regard to
the burning OF the ldrwiid the conductors yes
! were moi,ieucd win tears. lilo stopped several
| times to suppress MS emotion; .,.,,. o.. oir
| Can any passenger IN the car 3iPy ne ar
| brake, = asked the Coroner. " eS y cord runs
| through all the ears which connects with the
| bra.cs Ii is put there as an extra precautlon
7"Conidn't lie cord be protec,edp - Not
effectively. The object Of It - safety TO me raY,
! cling community. rho brakes were All right unth
we .foppcd Ii there is u defect N them 1t VIII 10
oy Ion, lad YOU stopped before the accident
| ,ccI red = " About seven Minutes 800.
| d" me enough To signal the tram oehmdT les
SIR ,,,,o ,o
m >puvten Duyvl station II he had started lhlhe-
~ think he had The station about half nile
| from where the accident took place. IL certainly
Mas very bal walking that night as there were t"q
and hSli 10 three uo4es OF Iush the road, aud
- .""Snni1 moi the lives of the people have been
,vei II Won hal sufficient appliances at hand 10 "a
| PincIiish the fire I" asked juryman.
| "No | think that all in the ear except Two Wer9
| loJ T.fnre the car burned II Mrs. Valentine had
separated rom her husband, think that we eouid
hiI9 "a 81 Won ind out who tempered with the air
'"iTbat WAS impossible. The party all through
! the car was cirOusing. singing ana "rlhhlhS
TIE CoNDUCToR'S OPINION.
Then growing red III the face anu Slapp'ns' WIN
49,, I'LL, NJ which the Coroner sat