The evening world., 1891-12-30
Inquest Begun on the Victims Of
the Hastings Wreck.
Railroad Commissioners Aid in the
Coroner's Inquiry.
The Central Road Postpones Order
ing Block Signals.

began this morning an Official investigation
into the cause OF the collision OF Christmas
Eve ON the New York central Railroad at
Hastings. by which twelve people lost their
lives.
The coroner declared that he was going 10
make a thorough and searching inquiry. and
for that purpose had summoned as a witness
every person that knows anything OF the
disaster.
. Brakeman Herrck, who Is blamed for the
tragedy, hud not been found, chief detective
Humphrey, Of the central Railroad, reported
The Coroner was assisted In his search for
facts by District-Attorney ". r. Platt. OF
Wcstchcstcr county, ana his assistant, David
Ncrplanch, who crOss-ex amined the witnesses.
The state Railroad Commissioners, Presi-
dent Rogers and his colleagues, Messrs.
Baker and Rckard, whose duty It Is to In
quirc into all accidents and report finding
In each case, were also present.
ave are here to listen to the evidence
said Mr.. Rogers, " and II We md tnat all the
facts are not brought out to our satisfaction,
We have the power to summon witnesses and
will make II separate inquiry.
The testimony was all taken down by the
commissioners own stenographer.
Commissioner Rogers had q consultation
with District Attorney Platt, which delayed
the proceedings nearly half All hour. 1t IL
understood that Mr.. Rogers gave Mr.. Plntt
some valuable pointers IN regard to the line
OF examination to be followed.
Lawyer William Henry Butler, who said
he represented himself, occupied seat next
to MIR. Rogers. An army Of witnesses filled
the little room where the inquest was held,
and there was little space for spectators.
The following Jury was impanelled: WILL
lam Lawrie doreman), John Yocum, Daniel
Shanahan, Thomas Arthur, George Wander
bilt, Peter Haller and samuel b. Leach.
The first witness was James c. Gould, a
travelling engineer. who was In the car
Gibraltar on the Niagara express, which was
run into by the st. Louis express.
He detailed the circumstances OF the. COL
lision, as already published In TINS RpKAIHs
WoBLD Although an employee OF the road
he was not informed OF the cause OF the delay
on the track until after the collision.
Charles G. Delanoy, station agent at Hast
ingE, told how brakeman Ilerrick came into
the station on that fatal night. Herrick did
not Inform the witness what he was there
for. He simply said:
nave been uTopNeu from n tram.
| HerriCk LETT his lantern on the platform and
Delaney thought the engineer Of the bt.
Louis Express could have seen them. but he
| would not swear that the red light was
| pointed south.
! To a question by Foreman Lawrie as to
the Croton local having been taken on with
no notice given, the witness replied that II
I was not customary to notify station agents OF
the withdrawal OF trains. II was about twen-
ty-nvc minutes after the Niagara or Bunalo
express passed Hastings that Herrick came
In lie was smoking cigar.
"shOuld you not have displayed the sema-
phore TO stop the 81. Louis cXpressf" asked
Mr. Platt.
II the Buffalo express had been In sight l
would have displayed the danger signal, but
! concluded that Herrick was able to protect
his own train was the answer.
Delaney positively declared that he heard
no torpedoes explode. Horrick In his letter
to supt. Mccoy stated that he had placed the
explosives on the track to warn the st. Louis
express
! Commissioner Rogers was about to Ques-
tion the witness when the Coroner suggested
that he put his questions through the Dis
trict-Attorney. This Mr.. Rogers declined to
do, and, after comforting with mis- associates,
he announced that the commissioners would
take no active part in this investigation.
They would probably conduct one OF their
own later on.
EDWARD l.. Van Aiken, telegrspher at Hast
ings, testified that Herrick was sitting III the
station smoking when the 81. Louis express
dashed by. IIerrick jumped up and ex-
claimed: That's one ON me; I thought II
was the local"
A moment later the witness heard a voice
say "Did you hear that crash Z" referring 10
the collision.
Hastings is not II reporting station. and
was not notified OF tho withdrawal Of the
Croton local
Commissioner Rogers was permitted TO ask
u question:
ibid not you or Delaney Say 10 Ilcrrck,
why don't you come in out Of the rainT'"
The answer WAS AL emphatic mo"
The coroner here announced that any one
IN the room could question the witnesses. lie
would throw open wide the door for public
investigation
Eugene l.. Farnsbce carried the mail to the
s."7 train at hastings Christmas Eve. lie
saw lierrlck On the station platform, and
noticing a commotion on the track, asked
HIN what the matter Was. iierricA replied
~ don't know, but | SEE about thousand
lights"
II has been stated that Brakeman Herrick
was drinking IN neighboring tavern wien
the collision took place, but Proprietor
Bryels OF the International Hotel at Hast
ings, the only barroon near the station