Connecticut western news., 1896-08-06


 ATLANTIC CITY, Aug 5.-A searching and thorough inquiry Is being made to ascertain the cause and fix the responsi- bility for the appalling disaster which oo- cured here last week in which A were killed and as many more injured by col lision of the Reading express and m ex- cursion train from Bridgeton on the West Jersey road. Coroner Mclaughlin impan- eled a jury consisting of six of Atlantic City's wealthiost and influential citizens. They are Charles Evans, hotel keeper and president of the Atlantic City Nation al bank; Lewis Evans, John Champion, Levi Alberson, T. J. Dickinson and Charles c. Adams.
 After formal organization in the coro ner's office the jury, headed by that off, cial, visited the old Excursion house. which has been utilized as morgue. The dead had all been taken there and placed in ice boxes. The jurymen viewed the bodies and, after few minor formalities, visited the scene of the wreck. Judge Thompson, law | judge of Atlantic county. was there on be- half of the Reading Railroad company and | Joseph H. Gaskill as counsel for the Penn sylvania.
 The jury made an exhaustive examina- ton of the ground and devoted considera- ble time to the inspection of the signals, which still remain as they were at the mo | ment of the accident that facing the Reading being the red or danger. signal, | and that toward the West Jersey meaning "Come ahead" As soon as train strikes point In the tracks few feet beyond the signal tower stationed at the junction of | the two roads an automatic arrangement rings a bell In the tower house, and the | train which first rings this bell is given | the right of way. Wednesday night this | privilege belonged to the West Jersey | train. But In spite of this and the fact that tho danger signal was against the Reading that train continued on at full | speed, and the collision followed.
 George K. Hauser. who had charge of | the tower and who Is now under arrest has made several statements to the police. He told them he saw both trains coming | when both were sufficiently far away to | admit of the full display of signals, but as the West Jersey was tho nearest, he | gave the Reading the red light and sig i naled the other train to come ahead. The Reading, however, never slackened speed, | but came on. The man in the cab either | thought he could easily clear the point In | time or the brakes failed to work. and they | could not stop in time.
 Coroner Mclaughlin called Hauser be- fore him ard gave him hearing. It was purely perfunotory, however, and but lit | tie was said. Hauser refused to make any statement whatsoever at this time and was held in $500 bail for a further hear ing. Ball was furnished, and he was re- | leased.
 Tower Operator Longs Testimony.
 The most interesting witness of the inquiry was Nioholas Long, the day tower | operator at the Ill fated crossing in the | Al of Night Operator George +. Hauser at the time of his arrest that the danger six nals were set against the Reading train, and that the West Jersey excursion train, | which was run into by the former, had a white light, which, in effect, Is m order to go ahead. Mir Long testified that he had worked in the tc wer about eight years. He was on duty on Thursday last from 6:45 In the morning until 6:SS at night. He left the tower about $40, being re- lieved by George F. Hauser, who got tbere on the Reading freight train about 6:SS. The last train witness saw over was the | Reading freight train. nt 6:3a The entry on the tower slip, "trnin 23 wrecked at 6:4s," was not made by witness, and he knew nothing about 1t Before Harser reported to the witness all sienals were set at danger. He was positive of this. He | did not remember anybody being around the tower that day and knew nothing of a boy from Wilmington, Del. who WAS said to have been seen in the vicinity.
 As soon as the freight passed, witness threw the signal back. put the time on the sheet reported to the main office at Camden and after exchanging a word or two with Hauser left the tower and locked the basement door. He then started to walk home. The signal towers and its | appliapceS urara xrorktpu prnperlv that day. When he gave the clear way to the freight, necessarily the danger signals went up against every other track. Then he returned them all to the normal danger signals The Reading track was the only | one he oou q give a clear signal to in both directions because 1t Is a double track on that road, and trains frequently pass each other. Witness had gone about 500 feet away from the tewer when he saw the West Jersey approaching. He looked at the home signal and saw that the West Jersey had clear track. Then he heard the long crossing whistle of the In bound Reading express. When he heard the Read ing whistle, the train was about a half mic ofr. He paused and watched her ap- proach, expecting to see her stop. The West Jersey was goipg very slowly.
 Reading Had Right of Way. 1 As soon ns nc saw the position of the trains he felt satisfied that the Reading should have had the right of way, was customary. This was close to 6:5o. The towerman who relieved him, however, had given the West Jersey the right oi way, and yhe Raadiag train should have came ta a stop, The towerman has the right to stop an express to let freight train pass If he sees fit, although 1t breaks rule of the road Then came tho crash | tH d Hauser there alone. Together they report cd the accident to the railroad companies by wire. When he got back to the tower, the West Jersey home signal was clear, | but the distant signal was precautionary Witness explained that the signal at tho distant point might have indicated . o!ear track to the West Jersey engineer at tho time he approached it. and that after thu engine had passed under 1t, Towermar l Hauser might havo changed 1t to Its nor mnl cautionary condition, as he bad 6 right to do. The ending train was due al tho tower at 6:6Q. She usually came across the meadows at 8 pretty fast rate. He l | ositiYe that beforo leaving the station hs bad, as usual, put all the signals at dan ger.
 A Il the men mast nearly concerned ir the sccidenE gave testimony, including Night Towerman George K. Hauser, Fire man Thomas Hallihau and Conductor Pinkerton of the Reading express and En gineer Greiner and Fireman Newall of tn, West Jersey excursion train. Arthur Stilea a resident of Atlantic City, wht was riding on his wheel along tbe turn pike road and saw the collision, also testi fled. Nearly ah those witnesses agreed that Engineer Edwin Farr of the Readin; train, who was found dead with his han, on tho throttle, had done every thing il
 his power to stop his train whom he sav thnt collision was imm nent, and ever! one of them except Greiner stated or In
 ferred that the West Jersey train ooul, either have been stopped after Enginee
 Grelner aaw the Reading thunduring alonr toward him ur handiod so that only tn
 two engines would have come together
 This would have meant the death of tn