New-York tribune., 1902-01-17
TUNNEL INQUEST OPENED.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY JEROME HAS A
DISAGREEMENT WITH CORO-
NER SCHOLER.


| terday to the jury in the coroner's inquest to
nx responsibility for last weeks disaster in the
Park-ave- tunnel was given by Joseph H
rIahhIh' the Centrals superintendent of the
Ne"-fork terminal Mr.. Franklin testified that
/ ne MADE up the schedules for incoming and out
going trains. and he described the system OF
/ uispatehlng trains and the system OF block sig
hals IN the tunnel. The schedule for incoming
i trains would take train through the tunnel at
speed of about thirty miles an hour, but there
! was nothing to prevent engineers going faster
TO make UP time, if the signals showed a clear
! track he said Engineers who brought in trains
/ behind schedule time had to make reports and
they frequently said they had to go slowly in
the tunnel because they could not see signals
Mr. Franklin said he was at the scene of the
collision in the tunnel about half an hour after
the accident. and that the red signal
showed at Fifty -ninth-st Later he caused a
test of the airbrakes Of the Harlem train. and
saw that the brakes were in good order. On
the morning Of the wreck. the witness said
the weather conditions unusually bad
in his opinion. He had observed that the smoke
and steam Of passing trains shut out view OF
the signals for several seconds. Under ordinary
circumstances. he said. engineers could see the
signals in the tunnel. If they did not see the
signals it was their duty to run slowly and feel
their way stop.
John NJ Wisker the engineer who ran the
, Harlem train into the New-Haven train, Mr.
Franklin said. had run passenger train through
the tunnel engineer only three times be-
fore the accident. Engineers could their
trains through the tunnel slowly as they
pleased. the witness said.
IF engineer is frequently late getting
through the tunnel. isn't he put on a yard en-
gine gravel train?' asked District Attorney
Jerome. who examining the witness.
Yes" the reply.
Answering other questions. Mr. Franklin said
that engineers who could not see signal lights
in the tunnel on account of fog and smoke were
able TO make their way cautiously and safely
by instinct. aided by sense of locality acquired
by experience.
Why did you not put a torpedo at Sixty
| third-st. as we'll as at Fifty-ninth-st.?" ?" asked
the District Attorney.
IT have been considering that" the reply.
For how long have you been considering it?''
For the last few days"
so you have been considering il for the last
few days And that is all you have done2''
There was touch of sarcasm in Judge Jerome's
voice. and he did not wait for reply before
saying he was through with the witness for the
day.
INQUEST MAY NOT BE LONG.
Judging by the testimony presented to the
coroner's jury yesterday. the inquest may not
be prolonged much beyond to-day. About
score OF witnesses testified yesterday There
were about twice many in the coroner's
courtroom in the basement of the Criminal
Courts Building. where the inquest is held.
District Attorney Jerome was present with
two of his assistants when the inquest began
at 10 a. m. and there were in the room several
lawyers representing the New-York Central
management persons who were injured IN the
accident and John NJ. wisker. the engineer OF
tie Harlem train. Judge Jerome made an ad-
dress to the jury while Frank NJ. Baker. one
of the State Railroad Commissioners sat be-
side Coroner Scholer. In his address Mr.. Je-
rome said in part:
II be that there re- are one or m more f Prsf
of this disaster. II is your duty say how these
victims came 70 their deaths and to say TneeeHr e
gence of some person This Is your province; si ana
TSg GO and oG do not thereby aid the Of
justice.
Tie District Attorney said he did not wish to
narrow the field of the 1ury's action. but the
duty of bringing justice any person crimi-
nally responsible for the disaster in the tunnel
devolved upon him and upon the grand jury
Mr. Jerome then left the room. and testimony
of several witnesses was taken to prove the
identity of persons who were killed in the tun-
mel disaster Coroner Schcler sent a sharp mes
SAGE 10 Captain Lantry. of the East Fifty-frst-
St police station. because several police wit
nesses were not present to testify.
Firemen who we're in the tunnel soon after
the collision were called to tell what they saw
there and among them Thomas F. Freel.
the acting battalion chief. who has been ap-
pointed Fire Marshal. Freel and other fremen
testified that the weather the morning OF
the accident such 10 make smoke and rog
remain in the tunnel longer than usual ana
obstruct the view of signals. II was showing at
the time of the accident, and considerable snow
fell into the tunnel through the openings in It's
roof
KEPT STANDING IN TUNNEL.
When Edward t. Devine. one of the survivors
of the wreck was the stand he ques-
toned by John H, Little. of the jurors as to
the length of time II customary 10 keep
New-Haven trains waiting in the tunnel The
witness said it often happened that train
kept standing three or four minutes in the tun-
mel.
Captain Lantry and several other policemen
testified TO their observations in the tunnel
Immediately after the accident. Patrolman
Patrick II. Cox said he talked with Wisker. the
engineer Of the Harlem train. and Wisker said
the smoke and steam in the tunnel shut out
view of the signals. so that he had not seen
them.
slight disagreement between District At
torney Jerome and Coroner Schoer marked the
beginning of the afternoon session. Judge Je-
rome wanted examine officials and employees
of the New-York Central. but the coroner had
called several witnesses from New-Rochelle, and
said he wished TO hear them at once. Mr.. Je-
rome appeared 10 be vexed. Pursue your own
course, Mr.. Coroner. and when you need you
can call u.s. he said. Then he and his
sistants left the room. taking along several
documents and maps
The New Rochelle witnesses described the ac-
cident in the tunnel they had seen II. They
were passengers on the New-Ha train.
Coroner Schoer sent message to District At
torney Jerome who returned to the room and
ed Eran he