The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-01-09
FIXING RESPONSIBILITY FOR
NEW YORK TUNNEL HORROR.
Preparations Now Under Way For Five Separate In
YHStgatiOnS Of the Great Disaster.
STATE RAILWAY COMMISSIONER ON
Scene, READY TO PROBE THE AFFAIR

that they had been whole only a few hours
before.
4 nervousness of all those who passed
through the tunnel this morning was very
noticeable. The moment the incoming
trains plunged into the. darkness and the
air in the cars began TO get stuHy men
and women looked anxiousIy at one
another and out OF the smoky windows
as though apprehensive Of something
about TO happen.
Trains were running on time today and
the scene Of the wreck had been cleared
away. Up until midnight almost all
trains were half hour or so late.
VIII Assist Coroner.
The railroad officers intend TO assist
the coroner and the District Attorney in
every way and Superintendent of Tracks
and Terminals Franklin arranged this
morning FOR a conference with District
Attorney Jerome and also with Railroad
! Commissioner Frank NJ. Baker and IN
| speCtor J. P. Schultz
Mr. Franklin went to the district at
/ torneys Office at 10 O'Clock
II was said this morning that what
/ ever might be the result of the investi-
/ cation which the railroad company would
make. it would not be announced until
! responsibility has been Fixed and def
| mite action taken by the coroner and
! district attorney
Inquest Date Not Fixed.
The date for the coroner's inquest has
| not been fixed yet. but il VIII probably
be held next week. Some OF the very
| material witnesses are in the hospitals
! and VIII not be able to leave for some
time The investigation 10 be conducted
/ by the district attorney viii be independ-
4 ent OF and supplementary 10 the proceed
| ings before the coroner and viii ne de
/ cidedly more searching.
Mr.. Jerome will doubtless rely on the
| inquest to supply facts but the scope Of
! his enquiry will not be restricted TO the
| specific and direct causes Of the wreck
/ The district attorney has said that be re-
| garded IL as a very complicated case
which is taken TO mem that the negii-
! gence of the engineer is only one point
that will be Investigated.
EnEineer's sIeepIess Night.
After passing sleepless night in his
cell in the Tombs. John Wischow. the en-
gineer Of the White Plains local which
ran into the New Haven train in the Cen
trail tunnel yesterday and killed fourteen
men and one woman, was this morning in
a state OF prostration.
He spoke TO no one not even to his
jsilers and hour after hour he sat gazing
yscantly through the bars OF his cell.
No friends nor relatives saw wischow
last night or this morning for the reason
that he has absolutely refused 70 see
anyone.
Talks IncOherentIy.
He did talk with some OF the prison
officers last night but his conversation
was for the most part incoherent He
feel; his position deeply, according to his
jailers, and believes that the public has
adjucged him a murderer, and that be
viii 60 through life as such.
Warden Flynn said this morning that
he had no fears that Wischow would make
an attempt 10 take his HE but that even
If he were so inclined the vigilance Of the
jailers would prevent any such attempt
Comforting with jerome.
| Superintendent OF Tracks and Terminals
Franklin, OF the New York Central Rail
road accompanied by j. H Spaulding. OF
| the law department Of the Harlem road;
B. Il. SimonsOn. chief signal operator at
I the Grand Central Station; F. p. Case.
master mechanic Of the road. and the
crews OF both the trains that coIIided in
the Park Avenue Tunnel yesterday. with
/ the exception Of the engineer, John Wis
chow. who is in the TOm5s, arrived at
| the Criminal Court building at 1920
/ O'Clock this morning and went at once
into conference with District Attorney
| Jerome.
They will explain to the District At
torney the mechanism Of the signals. the
rules, and what they know about the
wreck. This is part Of the plan for a
thorough investigation Of the wreck which
the district attorney has under way.