Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-05
The Fourqurean.PriCe Co
ATLANTIC CITY INQUEST.
Responsibility for Railway Accident
Apparently on Fnrr.

Apparently on Furr.
ATLANTIC CITY. N. j., August i.-The
testimony brought out at to-day's session
Of the Coroner's inquest ir the Meadows
collision, seems to fix the direct RESPONSE
bility for the accident upon the dead en-
gineer of the Reading railroad express,
Edward Farr From the testimony, Fairs
action In running at a speed OF forty-fve
miles an hour past danger signal seems
inexplicable, and as the man is dead the
reason for 1t will probably never be
known.
Farr Is given the reputation of having
been an experienced engineer, and man
of exceptionally high moral character,
and not OF a reckless or careless dispo-
sition. Only two weeks previous TO the
accident his train was slgnalled to stop
at this very crossing, and he promptly
brought his train under control.
One witness to-day-Conductor Pinker-
ton. Of the express-testified that Farr
saw the signal set at the crossing. for ne
heard him give the signal in reply 10
notify the towerman that he had the sig
nal a blast of his whistle. Conductor
Pinkerton intimated rather. than charged
that the signal was suddenly changed on
Farr, as he heard the whistle blow furi-
ously in moment again, for what ne
took to be another signal blast. sun, TINS
witness was forced to admit That When
he looked from the platform OF the car
the danger-signal was set, and this POSI-
tion of the semaphore was corroDorated
by every other witness.
IL was shown that Farr made every er-
fort to stop his train when ne saw the
coming collision, and succeeded In re-
dUcing its speed from torty-nve miles an
hour TO fifteen In few hundred feet.
He might have jumped after putting on
the air brakes and reversing his engine.
but he died with his hand on the lever or
his engine.
The operator, George Hauser, who set
the signals. told Straightforward story
as TO the positions of the semaphores. and
declared that he did not move the signals
on the Reading line from the way they
were set when he entered the tower.
which was at danger but only moved
those on the West Jersey road to clear
track.
Witnesses testified that 1t is unusual
to give a frst-class express the right
of way on railroads over such trains as
the excursion train, and that Hauser did
an. unusual thing in giving the latter the
right OF way. Still, as the danger signal
wf.l set for him, Farr should have stop
pc, even If II was usual for his train
to get the right OF way.
Fireman Hollahan, of the express. testi-
fled that he did not see the signals until
the train was within twenty-five feet Of
the distant signal, and II was then set
a danger. He knew nothing of Farr' 3
action, as he could not see him from
his side of the cab across the top of the
boiler. and saved his own life by run
ming back to the tender.
Engineer Greiner. of the excursion train,
testified that he got a clear signal. and
went over the tracks at the crossing at
the rate Of thirty miles an hour He did
not notice the express particularly until
II was nearly opposite his train, as he
was attentively watching for his signals,
and supposed the express would stop at
the danger signal.
The inquest will probably not conclude
until Thursday