Evening star., 1896-08-05
FARR D1sRnaARDED SIGNALS.
PuPD04t Of An the Evidence on tn
Atlaatfc City Disaster.

PuPDoRt o. An the Evidence on the
Atlantfe City Disaster.
ATLANTIC CITY. N. J.. August Sin
tsrest IL perceptibiy waning in the story
Of last Thursday nights meadow disaster.
and there was Q notable decrease In the
attendance when today's session Of the
ooroner's inquest began. Almost week
has passed since the fearful crash and the
original theory that Engineer Edward Farr
Of the Reading flyer was responsible for
the deaths of forty-four persons still holds
good. There have been indications of
shifting Of the blame either to the West
Jersey engineer. John Greiner or the night
tow erman, Hauscr. who Is under bail. but
nothing more than inference has been
directed against them. The fact remains
Lndisputed, apart from other considers
tiors, that Farr disregarded his signals
until too late to avert the catastrophe, or
else made no attempt whatever to stop his
train.
Most of the important witnesses have
row been heard. and there is a hope that
the inquiry will end with today's session.
An effort was made last night to secure q
deposition from John 8. Kelly, the West
Jersey conductor who Is lying at the sani-
tarIum. A stenographer, accompanied by
the lawyers and jurors. went to the nos
pital. but the physicians there refused to
permit them to question Kelly for three
reasons. First because any reference to
the accident asitated him: secondly, be-
cause he was unde- the influence Of NOR
phine and could not talk clearly, and,
thirdly, because he does not know anything
about the accident. The attempt was
sbandoned.
w. P. Bushnell of Germantown was the
first witness today. He was a passenger
on the Reading train. His first intimation
Of danger was given by three blasts of the
whistle Of his train. He looked out and
saw Hauser on the tower frantically wav-
ing his hands. Witness thought at the
time that the tower was at the thorough
fare drawbridge. which he feared was open
He began to look for his own safety and
left his seat.
Almost Immediately he felt the applica-
tion Of brakes. and simultaneously, he
thought. came the crash.
William B. Purdiek, another Philadelphia
passenger on the Reading flyer" did not
feel any movement Of the brakes being ap-
piled. 1t rather seemed to him that more
power was put on when the danger signals
were reached.
Howard Cloud, West Jersey telegraph
operator in this city, received the first re-
port of the crash, and went to the scene.
What he saw has been already many times
told.
John Sweitzer, the Reading baggage
agent at Camden. said he felt the brakes
put on. Just before the crash. Baggage
Master Thorne, who was killed, looked out
of the window and made an expression OF
Indignation against somebody. He prefer
red not to repeat Thorne's words. and did
not know against whom they were directed
A number OF witnesses were here called,
but none answered. and at 1910 o'clock a
recess was taken until o'clock.
During the interval the jury went out to
the tower to inspect the working of the
levers.
1t was f1Eally decided to hold no after.
noon session. because Of the absence OF
necessary witnesses. An adjournment was
taken until o'clock tomorrow
Rumors were afioat this afternoon OF
newly discovered evidence, learned on the
jury's visit to the signal tower during
the recess. Foreman Evans confirmed the
rumor. but declined to state what the evil
dence consisted of. He said 1t would come
out in the inquest at the proper time