The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-25
Who IS TO BLAME?
First Session of the Inquest
on the Meadows Ca
tastrophe.
BRAKEMAN OR ENGINEER.
One Says He Gave Warning Enough
to Stop the Second Train, the
Other Contradicts Him.

The first session of Coroner William n.
Parslow's inquest into the death of JEFF
trey Blewitt, in the collision at the
Railroad, last Thursday afternoon, was
held last night at Roche's Hall. It de-
veioped question of blame between
Flagman Joseph Chessman, of the Wav-
erly local which stood at the shute, and
Engineer Frank Farrell, of the
Chesapeake & Ohio limited, which ran
into the local. The Pennsylvaia Railroad
Company was represented by Assistant
Freight Irainmaster George Waite, who
sat in the audience. A stenographer
from the Chancery Court took the testi-
mony for the railroad.
George June. the operator, who, as he
admits, displayed safety signal while
the local train was in the way was no5
present. The room was full of railroad
men. who discussed the inquest after the
adjournment to next Friday evening. 1t
seemed to be the prevailing opinion that
Flagman Chessman had not gone as far
back as he ought. Engineer Farrell made
favorable impression, although his ap-
parent opinion that Chessman ought to
have walked 1900 feet IN five minutes
will strike some as unreasonable.
The jurymen are;- Philip MuIdoon.
foreman, John A. Totten john W.
Young, William j. MoKigney, Dennis
O'Leary, Erick Coss, Timothy Connaugh-
Heury Kohler and William J. Tanner.
CONDUCTOR CAMPBELL's STORY.
The first witness was Charles CamphelI,
of No 27015 Sixth street, the conductor OF
the Waverly local. He said;-"My train left
Jersey City at 500 P. NJ, and stopped at
=, Ku
man, went back with danger signal.
and learned that the engineer was re-
pairing brake. / saw Engineer Martini
dale and Fireman Lanning under the en-
gfne. They said they would require two
minutes I went to lower W. S.
the Jersey City Office that we
would be detained about two minutes.
When returned to my train to see how
the repairs were progressing, heard a
loud whistle, and the next moment there
was a crash. l returned to tower w, S.
and sent word to Jersey City. Ithen
looked to the injured. I eaw the dead
body of Blewitt in coach No. 1905 I
knew that train No. IS was right behind
me, according to the schedule. We were
struck about five minutes after we
stopped"
Coroner Parslow:-"Could your flag
man have gone far enough back to stop
II
Eyes, think he was far enough back"
Flagman Chessman told the witness
that he did all he could to stop the ac-
proaching traiD.
Foreman Muldoon:-"How far was it
possible to see the flagman at that timeH
81 think he could have seen seen 8
quarter of a mile. My train stopped be.
tween the signal towers W. Fl. and w. S.
and very close to w. S"
Juror Totten:-"Do you know what
was done with Mr.. Blewitt's effectss"
81 turned them over TO the Superin-
endent."
When Blewitt's body arrived at the
Pennsylvania Depot, his pockets were
empty, and report was circulated thas
he had been robbed. Coroner Parslow
informed the jury that he had received
notice from Superintendent Crawford
that Blewitt's effects were in his possess
sion, subject to the Coroner's orders.
Charles w. Lanning, fireman of the
local train, covered the same ground,
practically. He said his engine was about
opposite tower w. S. A white safety
signal was out when they stopped; he
could not say whether it was changed.
They expected protection from tow~
and from their fagman. Tower H.
B. is at the east end of the
Hackensack Bridge. Tower N. S. Is the
next one toward the west. It was not the
duty of the tower operator to pull in his
white safety signal as long as the block
ahead was clear.
CHEESEMAN'S STORY.
Joseph Chessman of No. II Erie street,
said he had served the Pennsylvania
Company four years. When the
train stopped he did not wait to
see what was the matter. but ran back
with his danger signal, he could not tell
how far, but certainly far enough for
- n
time if he had seen the witness signal.
He stood between the rails and swun g
bis lantern to and fro. The engine of No.
65 was not steaming as she passed him.
81 couldn't tell how fast she was
going" said he, "but it was pretty good
lick. don't always rely on the tower"
AS he he turned toward the w. s. tower
ne noticed the danger signal.
ENGINEER OF NO. 65.
Engineer Frank Farrell of No. S.S06
Paramount avenue, Philadelphia, wRs at
the throttle of the engine of train No. IS.
He testified that nearing the w. s. signal
tow er beyond the Hackensack bridge he
saw the rear end OF a train ana a red
signal on tower w. S. and a dagman
swinging danger signal. He shut on
steam, applied the brakes and Immediately
after the crash came. 1.-THE dagmRn
stood in the middle of the track, about
the length of my train from his tratn,"
SdiQ ne. uaU SIX CATS. ulG uOt nave
time to stop my train after seeing the
fiagman's signal. / commenced to slow
up when I left the Hackensack bridge.
Then had to 60 around a curve before
I saw the train ahead of me-" The
curve is after after leaving the bridge. I
didn't have space enough to stop my
train after I saw the local.
was running about thirty-fvs niles
an hour. could have Ctop-
stopped in about 2,o00 feet. white sig
nal was displayed in tower H. B. as wa
passed, meaning all clear. We could NOS
see tower w. S. from tower n. B. at that
time of night. saw a red signal from
tower w. S. before 1 saw the fagmsn
The fiagman could have walked back far
enough in five minutes to have stopped
my train. / don't think the towers are
more than five minutes walk apart.
have been running on an engine thirty
years."
In answer to the Coroner, Engineer
Farrell said a car was f1tty-five feet long.
The fagman was between three and four
hundred feet from the local train. It
would have required 1900 feet to stop his
train at that rate of speed because it was
heavy train. Engineer Farrell then
said he wished to correct his statement
that man might walk from tower W. 5,
TO tower II. B. in five minutes. 1t would
probably take loncer.
+ NJ A TvV II u 9 Il 4