New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-30
THE COMPANY CENSURED.
A CORCNER'S JURY BLASIES THE RAILROAD
FOR THE TARKvILLE ACCIDENT.

1T ExONERATFs FROM ALL BLAME MGARRr.
THE swITCHMAN. WHO WAS CHARGED
WITH CAUSING THE DISASTER.
c,roner's Jury in Brooklyn last night ccnsurl
the Long Island Railroad Company for the parlvls
accident on June 20, In which eight men lost ther
lives and cxoncrated the switchman. Mc(iarry who
was charged with causing the accident.
Coroner Kcne assisted by Railroad Commissioner
Richard continued the inquest last evening. at the
Kings County Court House in Brooklyn. Assistant
District Attorney Callahan questioned the witnesses
and lawyers representing the friends OF several OF the
persons who fatally or seriously injured.
A number OF railroad men were called 10 give expert
evidence in regard to the nature OF the accident
The first witness was F. G.. Ford, chief engineer OF the
Long Island Railroad Company. Much Of the Inquiry
related to tho detector bar Of the switch which II was
believed tho switchman MoGarry opened after hnM the
train had passed it, throwing the rear cars iom
tho tracks, causing the accident This detector psr
was taken of In January last ana replaced since tho
accident The object OF It IS to prevent opening the
throw off, while train was crossing It. model
~ the lever I'm the signal tower was shown to the
jury.
Coroner Kene asked the witness II the accident
uou,d have occurred II the detecor bar had been In
place and the witness said the switchman could not
have unlocked the switch II the detectOr had had
been in place. The switch might have been opened
as the train was passing over IT, Had there been
two tracks through the tunnel the accident would
not have occurred. The witness did not deem the
switch a safe one without the detector bar. Tho
lar had been removed to replace defective rail ana
had not been REPLACED through the negligence sn e
spector Harlan, who was not no" e"p%s~
bv the company There were several hun.
dred thousand persons carried every year
through the tunnel and no ono had suffered
accident before the witness said but he admitted that
the detector bar had always been In place until
this season.
G. Dwight Baker, OF No. 173 East Fifty third
ST. who was riding the tender OF the engine on
his way home, testified TO seeing the signal SET
- sofe- on the home track. He IS employed In the
trainmasters Office OF the Long Island Raiiroad COM
pny in Long Island City. lie went up IN he
tower after the accident, and McCarry told MIN mat
he thought the train had passed over the SWITCH
when he threw It The train was so crowded
that he rode on the tender. superintendent BLOOD
was recalled and said that he received Mr.. Bakers
statement on the night OF the accident and had NC
Garry arrested lie baled out the engineer ana CON-
ductor out did not offer ball for McCarry. A. J.
Wood a switchman in the tower at Manhattan juno.
tIon testified that he talked with McGarry over me
win, four five minutes before the accldent. hter
the accident McGarry also talked with the Witness
over the wire. George a. Ialsey the switchman VINO
lower house and he told how he found the levers.
They showed u clear track for train from NAH
haitian Beach TO Bay Ridge. -.
The Jury brought In The following verdict; The
by the gross neglect OF the company and also by the
gross neglect of certain employees OF the railroad Tor
failing to replace the deectOr bar on the switch when
they Ind been ordered TO do so: Tie s"1tchmans
The verdict was received with applause by Mo
Garry's friends.