Evening journal., 1897-11-13
CONDRADICTS CLARE
Roadmaster Testif1es at the
Garrisons Inquest.
ONLY THREE WITNESSES EXAMINED.
After Abram Sparrow Gave It rs His
opinion That the Engine Had Piow-
ed Up the Bank the Proceed
tngs Were Adjourned.

COLD SBklNNf, N IL NOV. TO-
There vas waning interest apparent in
the coroner's investigation of the Gar
risons disaster. and the town hail IN
this village held not more than hair It's
usual crowd of curious people when
the third session was held last night.
Coroner William T. Wood presided.
with District Attorney Southard as ex-
amining attorney. Railroad Commis-
sioners Ashley w. Cole and Frank M.
Baker were present. With their stenog-
rapher, T.. c. McEESee. Colonel Robert
II. wilkinson of Poughkeepsie. counsel
for the railroad company, was also In
attendance, but, in accordance with a
ruling made by the coroner at the last
session, he took no part in the inyesti-
cation.
Considerable time was consumed in
reading TO witnesses who testified at
the last session the stenographer's min
utes or their testimony and securing
their signatures thereto.
T.. O. Parish. conductor of the wreck
cd train. produced his reports, showing
that there were 96 passengers on the
train when it left Poughkeepsie.
1t is now definitely settled that 81 is
the total number of lives lost.
This inquest is on 19 bodies. the two
others having been disposed of in Rock
land and Westchester counties.
Only three new witnesses were eX-
amined at the session last night. The
first was James Fitzpatrick of High
lands. who has been "a section hand on
the railroad for ten years. He said
that he had been employed at or near
the section where the wreck occurred
for four months. All he knew was that
repairs had been made there once. when
the track was raised about one inch.
Augustus Paz2i. an Italian track la
boser of highlands testified through
an Interpreter, chat the last repairs
that he knew of in that section We're
made last winter when new ties We're
put down.
Abram r. sparrow. division road
master OF Peekskill testified: 81 have
| hcdn IN the employ of the New York
| Central railroad % years and have been
i'daenaster since 1891"
"HaVe The trucks. 20 your knowledge.
over been moved in or out?' asked MI
Southard
emo. sir. they have not. The outer
most rail was 1 feet from the edge %
The emDan&nent. and ! never knew OF
an attempt being made to straighten
tho curve"
This was in contradiction 20 the testi-
mony OF Michael Clare. former section
master who testified at the last session
that the company moved the tracks
| outward in order 10 reduce the curve
Clare had also referred TO the wall. but
| Snarrow testified that its function was
not to give strength 10 the bank. but
was merely sea wal intended TO pro
toct the roadbed from the water. The
only repairs that he knew of during th'
past year had been laying Of new rails
and ties ana slight raising Of tn
tracks Mr.. Sparrow described a ditcl
which runs under the embanlpent' hu
said that the rise and flow Of thi'
stream could have no effect on th'
bank.
BY a Juror-Do you think, Mr.. Spar
row. that the bank caved out before o.
after the train passed upon it?
Mr. Sparrow don't think II eve
caved out.
District Attorney Southard-What d.
/ you think caused il, then?
sparrow think that the engin
Jumped the track and then plowed on
tn. bank and wall as 1t plunged int
the river.
This was the last witness of the even
ing. and an adjournment was taken
Nov. II.
Colonel Cole stated last night that tn
state board of railroad commissioners
of which he Is president, VIII. at
meeting to be held on Monday, fix IN
late for their investigation. Colonf
} Cole said that the reports Of the eN
pert engineers and surveyors who haV
hoan examining the scene of the Wrec
4 on behalf of the state Will not be mad
( public until they are presented at IN
; investigation.