New-York tribune., 1902-01-10

Jerome said:
It present ! do not think ] will. l think the
~oIeStoIS ~ ,i o. Ihe Toaa Know Hery niue apout tne
stand that the block system in use in the New
been devised, and have not seen anything to lead
me 10 believe that 1T at fault. The blocks, or
tween Sixty-th!rd and Fifty-eighth sts. is only
tions or blocks the greater security for the pas
sengers. ] do not expect that we will have any
any / want to know their attitude before the
mony.
~Wir the question of the kind of coal burned
IN the tunnel be taken into consideration" ?" was
asked
~Everything will be taken into considera-
tion," he said, but don't think the question
of the kind of coal used is a fundamental one.
That has little or bearing upon the question
of responsibility"
"Will you have testimony produced concern
Ing the difficulty Of seeing the signals in the
tunnel owing to the smoke and steam?" To
this question he replied
THAT That viii have to be looked into among other
that this engineer experienced man, who
had been through the tunnel hundreds of times
road, even in the dark. He knows just where he
st she se ne @ KNOWS d }af before entering IN block he
the signal it is his business to stop his train and
investigate. In other words, the fact that he does
not see a signal should be just important to an
engineer as seeing one. The rule is absolute that
an engineer must not enter a block without
getting the signal
SOME OF THOSE EXAMINED.
Among the men who were examined in AS
Eistant District Attorney Caravans office were
the crews of the New Haven and Harlem trains
that were in collision, with the exception of
John NJ. Wisker. the engineer of the Harlem
tain, who prisoner in the Tombs. Dis
uict Attorney Jerome paid visit Wisker
In rba Tor he L
ssid later that he did not think OF examining
Wisker in the investigation. because the en-
glreer was being held without bail
eused of causing the frightfu loss of life in the
tunnel Among the railroad officials who were
the District Attorneys office early in the day
were Division Superintendent Franklin. Mr.
Case. master mechanic. and c. c. Paulding, Of
the New-Tork Centrals law department
The first witness called was Dougherty. the
stneer Of the New Haven train. When he came
out Of Mr.. Garya1's room, Sweeney. the fireman
OF the same train, was called. Sweeney was
ordered 10 report TO Superintendent Shepard at
the Grand Central Station, and District At
.1orney Jerome told him to return to-day and
isign his testimony.
Division Superintendent Franklin and Edward
c Fyler, the fireman Of the Harlem train, were
among the witnesses examined in the forenoon
Fyler said on Wednesday that he saw the green
signal on his side OF the locomotive at Sixty
third-st- and called green across the cab 10
'Nisker. Then he saw the signal at Fifty
ninth-st., called out red" and made dive for
the tender. knowing that at the rate the train
The first witness at the afternoon session
was William Campbell. conductor of the White
plains train. Campbell remained only a short
time in the room where the investigation is be-
3ng conducted. When he came out from the
room he said that he had not been able TO aid
the District Attorney TO any great extent by his
,restimony. THE fact is" he added that 1 was
in one Of the rear coaches of my train when the
crash came. and I knew nothing of 1t until it
was all over and nothing whatever of the causes
that led up to it. The public has more infor-
anation on that subject than have"
THE SIGNAL MAN TEsTIFIEs.
The next witness was Edward Emden. a
signal man. and after him Charles f. Flynn
the signal man who was on duty at the time of
the collision, called into the room. The
hearing was adjourned for the day at4 p. m
At the close of the session IT was decided that
commissioner Baker Inspector Schlitz, Super
intendent Franklin and Assistant District At
torney Garvan should go through the tunnel on
special engine. The party will leave the Grand
Central Station at 10 q. to-day and will go
40 Mott Haven and return. This trip is taken
for the purpose OF thoroughly inspecting the
signal system OF the tunnel, as well as other
conditions there.
District Attorney Jerome declined to make
any comments the evidence obtained. He
admitted however. that the present grand jury
might be asked to take a hand in the investiga-
sion. All the evidence he said, had gone to
show that Wisker the engineer, was a careful
man and a man Of good reputation. both as a
citizen and an enploye. II was said that Wisker
had been an engineer only since August. 1901
and not regularly employed engineer of
passenger trains, but only special occasions
1ie was put on his latest recently as last
Monday morning. For all that. he consid-
cred a competent and capable
Il consider the accident avoidable," said
The District Attorney. 1T is plain that IL the
train had approached the red signal with less
speed the accident could have been avoided"
He said that in tire responsibility was
fixed on any individual the charge would be
Granddaughter.
Coroner Scholer said:
intend with the cooperation Of the District
Commission. n ma Ike
thorough and practical investigation into the
tunnel accident. To that end ! have made ar
ssIlseiiiehts @nerepy 1 can deFote Iny entire at
sefton 20 the matter, beginning with the inquest
] do not deem IL necessary ask further aid than
that already rendered me by the authorities.
MANY VISIT THE SCENE OF THE WRECK.
The effect OF morbid curiosity shown yester-
Day by the presence Of hundreds OF people at
Park-ave. and Fffty-sixth-st. where the disaster
n the tunnel occurred Wednesday. Early in
the day gang of laborers. directed by q section
boss, cleared away the last the wreck
by picking up the small fragments of broken cars
and bits Of clothing. There nothing unusual
to be In the tunnel at its south end later in
the day, but many persons went TO look and lin
tered to talk about the accident.
The police Of the East FIfty-hrst-st station sent
to the coroner's Office yesterday a wagon load of
things which had been licked up at the scene of
the wreck. together with articles that had been
.sken from the bodies of persons who were killed
Cash amounting TO sis3 q was in separate parcels
tll marked with the of dead owners Other
trticies sent to the Coroners Office were the fol-
bwing:
Two diamond rings, three watches, various pieces