The times., 1898-09-08
REYNOLDS NOT TO BLAME
The Disaster at Long Bridge
Was an Accident.
THE SIGNALS WERE RIGHT
Such III the Verdict of the CorOner's
Jury, and the switch Operator
Railroad Company EXOnerated-
Red Light Displayed Meant Stop

An inquest was held at the Sixth pre-
cinct police station yesterday to deter
mine the responsibility for the railroad
accident at the north end of the Long
Bridge Monday night, which resulted in
the death of Frederick Freeland. fire
man, and Benjamin F. Cooper a brake
man, and the serious injury of the engin-
Ger, Darius Harmon.
Coroner William p. Carr presided, and
the jury was composed of William Fow-
Ter, James Snow, John Garner, George o.
Miller. Edward L. Homer, and Richard
Roys.
The jury, after listening TO the evidence,
returned a verdict of accidental death,
generating the railroad company, on the
grounds that the engineer disregarded
the signals William C. T. Reynolds. the
switch operator. who was placed under
arrest on the night Of the accidens, was
released.
The conductor of the wrecked train.
Edgar T. Thornbury, was the first wit
ness. He testified that when within $50
feet OF the signal he saw that it was set
for the Washington and Mount Vernon
electric car. The train was then running
about fourteen miles an hour, and he
tried to stop II by shouting TO the engin-
eer and waving his lantern, but Harmon
did not see or hear him. The engine
Jumped the tracks where the roads of
the electric cars and the Pennsylvania
Railroad separate and fell over. the
tracks of the electric car being too light
TO take it He said that the engineer
should have stopped the train when he
saw the signal.
George P. Butte, a brakeman, was in
the cab in the rear of the short train
when he heard the conductor call out:
Shut off that mani" meaning the en-
gineer He did not see the signal and
could tell but little about the accident.
He described the positions of the bodies
after the engine and tender and front car
had been overturned.
Wilford L. Smith. foreman of signals
for the Maryland division of the Pennsyl
vania road, who lives in Wilmington, Del,
testified to the manner in which signals
worked at the point of the accident. Sew
eral hundred feet from the switch, he
said the engineer should have received
green signal, meaning that he was to go
slow. white light on the next paddle
meant for him to go ahead. The system
is interlocking and there cannot be one
light and different switch.
Robert Main, an employe of the Wash
ington and Mount Vernon electric road
testified that when he helped the engineer
across the street after the accident the
latter admitted to him that he had run on
the wrong signal. Witness testified that
before the accident he saw the signal
which was set for the electric car.
= old I'll
testified that he heard the extra freight
| reported at Waterloo at I:34 o'clock on
| the night of the accident. He was ex-
| pecting the electric cars at that time and
| one minute after receiving the report
| of the freight he saw what he thought
to be the light of the electric car.
An instant later he saw that it was the
| freight, and quickly as possible he
| put down the electric car signal and tried
| to throw back the switch, which was
set for the electric car. 1t was too late,
| however and the accident resulted.
| He testified that he had the green light
| displayed at the distance signal which
| should have warned the engineer to slow
up and as the red light was displayed
| at the next one, he should have stopped.
Had he obeyed the signals he would have
| been sent along his own track without
| any mishap.
After Reynolds's testimony the case was
! given TO the jury. which. after brief
| deliberation, returned the verdict that
| BENJAMIN F. Cooper and Frederick Free
| land came to their death, September 5,
| about IL 40 p. m. at the north end of the
Long Bridge, as the result of injuries re-
ceived in railway accident.
Attorney J. S. Flannery appeared at the
inquest as counsel for the Pennsylvania
railroad. Reynolds was not represented
by counsel.
Harmon. the injured engineer, is still at
Providence Hospital, in a very critical