New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-15
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE SWITCH WAS WRONG.
A BOLT VAS NOT IN ITS PLACE.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY BEFORE THE
CORONER'S JURY AT NEWBURG
SWYTCHMAN DONOHUE'S EVIDENCE.
DISASTER on TIE WEST sHoRE-oNE MORE
NAME ADDED TO THE LIST OF DEAD
SCENES At ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL.
SCENES At ST. LUKE's HOSPITAL.


SCENES At ST. LUKE's HOSPITAL.
Newburg July IA tSpecan.-The total number
of those killed in the West Shore wreck near
here Yesterday is increased to Charles G.
Sstalrc, of New-London, Conn, who had suffered
internal injuries broken ribs and severe shock,
died this morning at o'clock at ST. Luke's
Hospital. This death with the number published
in The Tribune to-day, makes seven, The news
boy, Nelson. Miss Cook and Engineer Holland,
while they have been resting easily, are hardly
expected to live. The other persons in St. Luke's
are. according 70 Dr. Borst doing well The sad
dcst is that of the Michel family. Friends
have called on them, but could not be admitted.
son Of Mrs Wright, who was killed, and
brother of Mrs. Michel, who is daughter Of Mrs.
Wright, came up from Brooklyn, but was so over
come that he was added to the hospitals patients.
Friends and relatives crowded To the hospital
this morning The unknown woman who
described in The Tribune to-day identified
hv Mr.. Rohman, of Michaes & Rohman, Of
Twenty-third-st., near Fifth-ave., New-lork city,
as Miss Fannie Rohman, aged thiry-two years,
living at No. 249 Fifth-ave, New-(ork City. The
body was taken from the establishment Of Ter
williecr. the Newburg undertaken, to New-iork
tonight.
The only names to be added TO the list Of the
injured in to-day's Tribune are those Of Charles
Bush and f.. T. Curtis. Curtis was pastor OK
the Colored Baptist Church, OF Catskill. lie has
a severe scalp wound and body wounds. He
went home Bush is brakeman, of Union Hill,
y. j. He is cut about the body and legs lie
also went home Fully dozen people, who were
more or less slightly injured. left the hospital
after having their wounds attended TO, without
giving their names. st. Lukcs Hospital under
charge Of Dr. Borst, has fully cared for the in
iurnd people.
The Coroner and his jury assembled at his office
this morning, but there few witnesses The in
quest will be continued Tomorrow. District-At-
torney Iirschberg conducted the examination Of
the witnesses The West Shore Railroad
Company was represented by a. S. Cas-
sidy Division Superintendent Watson, and
other West Shore employees.
The first witness was Michael Donohue, who
had been in charge of the fatal switch. lie swore
that the switch was all right lie set it ar Il AS,
and il was not changed until after the collision,
which occurred at /? :O2. lie had not looked at
the switch until some time after the wreck, how
long after he did not know. \ gang of men had
been busy all the morning putting in a new
switch at the place of the accident. lie did not
see the necessity of this, he considered the old
switch perfectly safe. He said that there was
slight break at the point of the switch, but in his
opinion, that could hardly be called defect. he
opened the switch at IL :4j O'Clock 10 let the
tr.n from Coeyman's. the pickup freight
train into the freight yard. He insisted that he
then set the signals and switch right for tha
doomed express train. lie was at his post when
the ill-fatcd train rushed by and left the main
track He said that even then he thought the
switch all right. although he did not examine it,
x-bnrla fbn
left open by the workmen or not. lie thought it
had not been, but could offer no reason for say
ing So He still insisted that the switch was
closed for the northbound express.
The next witness was Robert Brock, division
roadmastor Of the road. He said that he and
Division Superintendent Watson, were making a
tour of Investigation when a m">s age reached,
them at Thomp>ons Cove informing them OF the
wreck They reached the scene soon after the
disaster He examined the switch and found that
a bolt had been left alt This made II impossl-
lIe 70 worl, the signal ard switch automatically
IN his opinion the express train had spread the
rail-, Several spikes had u be driven 10 restore
the track 10 safe condition. This condition, lie
thought gave rise TO the current rumor that IN"
switch had been changed. He said that there
were two levers and that the signal and switch
could he operated separately. Under these condi-
the rlGnal HlgHt ul"lCdV S"'V'S "''''' >~
switch might be wide open.
The main questions related to tn" fact that there
WAS A bolt missins which should connect the
signaling rod with the switch. HE witness
thought that a train might bc run over the
switch with the bolt missing, in safety, but was
non -cotmital as to what e thought was the calise
of the accident. Mr. Brock, in explaining the
reason why I'll" bolt was not in place. sad that
James Dyer, II section gang boss. had given
reason for the misplaced bolt. \ passenger train
was due az Ncwburg al 80. but when the tram
approached this spot the bolt which connected the
switch and signal was not in place. Dyer, on
finding that the bolt. which lying near, and
which he tried 10 insert in its place, wouli not
fit. senallcd the train 10 STOP then withdraw
ing the bolt he allowed the train TO pass, in
tending aftcrward to enlarge the hole and insert
the bolt. .
Donohue. the switchman, was then recalled lie
said that At first he was NOT certain OF me posi-
tion of the switch. bur after hearing Brooks
ostimony he knew the bolt was not in position;
But hc insisted that he operated both signal ana
switch correctly by using th" two separate levers.
The cOrOners Jury then ADJOURNED 10 meet ao
0 O'Clock tomorrow.
About noon to-day woman, VIII" sarl she w.s
Mrs Nisare wife Of thf man VINO ' ,.d d' and nd
claimed his body She gave her address rs no.
t,:i' Cox Nirr"t'y?e.NtIi-st. ~? New-York civ.
In AN n'ryGT PTnsd III '"i a"ote MsI'ss az
spvino There is no doubt that the switch was
wrong. but who was responsible for II cannot
vet say Js | have NOT lnNrIl4dl'h tH' Nit,N
thoroughly. The signal is operated AUTOMATICALLY.
and under ordinary circumstances II VIII noc
IU. zoo foot the distance between the switch
and sinual. would br sufficient for an engineer TO
stou his engine bring II 10 safety speed. IN
cns' the sisnal imIcatod anything was wrone
Do.ton. July l4-Mi~s Jane q. Cooke OF Gam.
hric,o one of the passengers on the ill-fated
tain wrecked at Ncwbu,s. y. T., Yesterday, had
been a student at tho Harvard Annex for the
last four wears and during the last school year,
ending in .Inne. had taught history at the Cam
bridge school for Young Ladies. Her brother, J.
" Cookc. was a special student AZ the college
proner and will complete his studies in two
wears Miss Cooke had guardian. Benjamin
Wey. of Cat,ill, y. Y. and it to that place
she was going when she was killed. She left
Cambridge shortly after commencement day and
probably went TO her old home in Buffalo, and
after short stop started for Catski where she
had many friends She was undcr contract TO