The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-08-07
THE NEADOV MASSACRE.
The Jlry Of Inquest Completes
Its Investigation,
THE QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY

suspicion Has Been strongly Directed
Against Night Operator Hauser-Prose
cutor Perry Intimates That Operator
Long Was Once Found Asleep on Duty.
ATLANTIC CITY, Aug. THE last SEES.
sion of Coroner McLaughlin's inquest
into the meadow disaster of last Thurs
day night, which legan att o'clock yester-
day afternoon, several times threatened
to prove sensational. When the six jurors
retired to deliberate upon their verdict,
however, responsibility for the forty-four
deaths had been no more firmly fixed than
at the opening of the inquest on Monday
morning. Only n fact remains undis-
puted, and that is that Edward Farr, en-
gineer of the Reading train, who died
with his hand on the throttle, disregarded
the danger signals inc Numbered on to
his own destruction. 1t has been equally
demonstrated, however, that he made a
last desperate effort to reverse his engine
when he saw that a collision was immi-
nent, but then it was too late,
Suspicion has been strongly directed
against George F. Hauser, night operator
at the tower where the wreck occurred,
but nothing more than suspicion. He has
declared that he touched no liquor that
day, was at his post of duty, and although
he knew the Reading train had always
had the right of way, asserted that he had
used his best Judgment in tagging it this
night and giving u clear track to the slow
West Jersey excursion train, because it
was nearer the crossing. More than this,
he emphatically refuted the intimation
made by a witness on Wednesday hat he
had first given the Reading the right of
way and then quickly changed it when
too late to avert danger.
A sensation was created when Prosecu-
tor Perry questioned Nicholas Long, the
day towerman, He asked if he had ever
slept while on duty, and receiving an in
dignant denial demanded to know who it
was who, sleeping in the tower about two
weeks ago, brought an express to a stand
still and compelled the crews to go and
wake him up. He denied all knowledge
of such an occurrence.
A. E. Luce, engineer of the p. m. Read
ing train from Philadelphia, the fastest on
the line, testified that when approaching
the crossing he blew one blast for a signal
and two in acknowledgment of a clear
track, but if he received no signal he would
apply the brakes. He could stop his train
in $500 feet after the brakes were put on.
He did not answer "a fixed signal, and the
danger signal being the normal one, was
regarded as a fixed one. In answer to Il
juror he asserted that he paid no attention
to u Camden and atlantic train which
might cross the meadows with his train.
He had enough to do to make his w
time. He understood that Reading trains
had the right of way at the crossing, but
only when they We're given the clear sig
nal. He would use Judgment in spite Of
signals. If he SAW another train coming
and thought it was moving too fast to be
stopped before reaching the crossing he
would stop his regardless whether the
signal gave him the right of way or not
He could not see Il signal more than a mile
away.
Thomas Bodell, a West Jersey engineer
testified that in an uninterrupted view he
could see a signal two miles away, and AZ
engineer who could not ought to have hi,
eyes examined. He explained the uses Of
the blast whistles, and said he would con,
slider that an engineer violated his duty il
he blew the whistle at a fixed signal.
This ended the verbal testimony, and al
adjournment was taken until today. ThI
jury will 60 to the Sanatarium to try anC
get a deposition from Conductor Kelly
The record of the last physicad examine
ton of Farr by the railroad company vii
also be secured to learn the condition o.
his eyes. The case will then go to the jury