The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-31
ROAD AND AGENTS CENSURED
TERDTCT OF THE COROyER's JURT
ON THE DISASTER At HASTINGS

VERDICT OF THE CoRoyER's JURT
ON THE DISASTER At HASTINGS
B-akennn Herrsek Getty Of Na.si..~ht.-
and Traia Desp.teker Ossuaa Access
so~y-Testi-osy OF oaet.Is Ceseer-ed-
The Jury impanellsd By Coroner Mitchell OF
Yonkers to Ak the responsibility for the acci-
dent which sacrificed twelve lives on the New
York Central Railroad between Dobbs Ferry
and Hastings on Christmas eve. returned n
verdict last evening after fifty-three minutes
consideration Of the evidence it had taken six
hours TO present
The verdict read:
We the undersigned members Of the Corouers Jury
hn. Brak Albert Herrick guilty OF manslal1hter
in the second for the deaths u Th1u1sw POsr
and other, the ascid.n, the New York Central and
Hudson River Railroad above Hastings. y. Y on :hs
nigh: OF Dee. - lspt. and Ind Augustus oss-
train esp atchsr ~ the Grand Central Depot.
csssory thereto.
We csnsG-e the wTo-k Central and Hudson River
Railroad Company for employing utterly incompetent
discharge the iatIes OF re spousi5e positions.
W. also station Agent Ccar!es De Lanoy for
ar:ln- Out the OF brakeman Herricks ap-
pea-auc- 4: hts station with his danger signal
We recommend chat the New York Central and Had
son RIVER Railroad Company adopt sone system ey
cure.
The Buffalo and Niagara Falls special. which
left the Grand Central Station at 80 o'clock
2. VI. on Dee. ~. was delayed on signal at S:l6
o'clock. half way between Hastings and Dubbs
Ferry. The conductor ct the train sent the
rear brakeman. Albert Herrick. back on the
track 10 stop any coming train. Herrck
thought the next train was local
due to stop at Hastings. and went
to the station . there to Wait for it:
az the station the st Louis express. which left
the Grand Central station at $ y clock. thunder
ed past and crashed into the Steering ear
and Niagara train. seven Passengers and the
conductor Of the sleeping car were killed a.
hospitals at ionkers Of their INJURIES Her
riet; dl7appered. Chief Humphreys Of the
The Inquest was held q yanderbiIts under.
taking establishment at Iarrytown; Brake
nan heTreS vas wrensseie g ~ ms fa5he
Westchester county was represented by Dis
sgss st2ney p Plat q ,ps his af k
I2af hosef sn Michael kcksra and Isaac
Baker. 'Jr. District Attorney Plat examined
not Allowed to do any taIkins, :, He told Syn
factory arrangements for the acceptance OF
bail he would produce the missing brakeman
agent. was on the platform of the station when
aGTs- &c did mo- not ask erfie Thers hs
went into the operators room to light it. The
red and white lamps were left on the platform.
De Lanoy could not say whether they were
visible from the track.
Augustus O-sman. train dispatcher at the
Grand Contra! station. was % the Sfand nearly
not TO despatch trains but 70 time them and To
keep inferior rrai rs from interfering with the
perior to a local. He learned that there had
been trouble at sing sing about $50 o'clock
mel and passenger train had crashed into it.
tie was in charge in the absence OF Mr. Mccoy.
and he teiegraph,ait Instructions to the station
agents e. hold all trains north and south OF
the blockade. and then ordered wrecking
trains from Mott Haven and Peekskill, Then
he noIifed Superintendent Mccoy. who went
to the scene OF the accident.
On cross-examinaslon pssmau said that no
trains were. sidetrtcked between New York
It was not his duty to notity station agents 4
them as d matter Of convenience TO the public.
He should receive reports from each OF the
timing a5ons Of sh tine eef fh train Passed d
the Niagara Falls special was that 1t had not
passed Dobbs Ferry.
he was .. years old. that he had been oper-
ator II the employ Of the railroad company
about six years. and that after.a probation in
the general superintendent office he was ap-
pointed train dispatcher IN Nov. J..
{. /. FaiEchilt. eopdu;t-r q the Croton local
train. and Conductor wilkins Of the Niagara
Falls train told each how he had sent his rear
child man did MS duty and the Niagara Falls
train came u no hurt Il y t!klns had known
tina; the train following his was an express
extra precautions He considered rhat the
station agents should have been notified OF
= Superintendent Mccoy explained that it was
not necessary 70 notify eng neers and con-
rb .it al isl Al
lection Il order wera oheye1. The duty Of a
taeman;I, Mr. Mfc9y said. ~, lis plain and up
That ali there is in this accident
NsSsrr Fas special. telttsd fhas he had ' me-
notice of any stopraga on the track until he
picked up the brakeman sen out by Conductor
Engineer James Donohoe o, the St. Louis
train said he stuck to his engine as it pioughed
sarTsl from bis eaS tut b-aseS and I Ncalaed
In many places. and with three ribs broken He
on no bn, red he rst owe # n shs hsstP s
fore he arrived there. because he was afraid
OF cutting pfr the Croton LOCAL that should have
passing the station. and then got up full speed.
There were no torpedoeS on the track: and he
W Wv 5 nS G4t t99 S' to stop h, train
white light ne r-verssd the machinery. but he
h.d 10 line "a stop. II the signal had been given
train he aould have saved il, The road takes
big curve between Hastings ant pobbs Ferry.
ana the train was invisible, a few feet distant
Peter Hays. u section hand who was as
signed 10 duty in the signal station half way
between thttTu stations. testified that he SET
the danger signal and showed n red lght. He
did not think the Light cou!G be seen more than
700 feet '!own the track. because the night
WAS missy and there WIS a mig curve. Henry
Cramer and others of IN. trains crews gave
evidence, and established the exact time ot
the collision n -. o'clock.
Coroner Mitchell will issue q warrant this
morning for the arrest 81 Ossman.
The Executive Committee Of the New York
Central Railroad had u long session yesterday,
at VIII lch the adoption 81 a block signal system
was the principal topic discussed Ii was de-
cided 10 recommend the sykes system. as the
officers of the compar had already intima.ed
would bs done, and 1T the quarterly meeting
Of the Board OF Directors the recommendation
was formally adopted. The estimated cost Of
equippipg the main line from New York to
Buffalo il from S:35o.NO TO 100000. and the
cost " operation Is sl7o.UOO TO s1OUUyo.
Mr. Toueey Ka-a't Resigned
There was a rumor last night that General