New-York tribune., 1902-01-10
PROBING FOR THE CAUSE.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY, RAILROAD CON-
MISSION AND CORONER DECIDE TO
MAKE JOINT INVESTIGATION.

MAKE JOINT INVESTIGATION.
Plans were made yesterday for thorough In
vestigaton of the collision by which fifteen per-
sons were killed and thirty-six were injured
seriously in the Park-ave. tunnel. at Fifty
sixth-st.. Wednesday morning. The whole ques-
ton of responsibility for the accident is to be
solved by District Attorney Jerome. Coroner
Scholer and the State Railroad Commissioners.
working together in inquiry.
The investigation which the District Attorney
began in the tunnel on Wednesday and con-
tnued later at the police station in East Fifty
frst-st apparently settled only one point to be
decided That that the signals in the tun-
mel at Sixty-third-st. and at Fifty-nnth-st. were
set properly. and would have prevented the
accident if they had been obeyed. There was
a green signal at Sixty-third-st.. the precau-
tonary warning to the engineer Of the incona-
ing Harlem train TO get his train under control
and be ready to stop if the signal at Fifty
ninth-st showed red. Then there was the red
signal at Fifty-ninth-st.. an imperative warning
that the New-Haven train was ahead and
the block. John NJ. Wisker. the engineer OF
the Harlem train, is a prisoner in the Tombs.
held without bail the coroners charge Of
homicide. because he ran his train past both
signals and into the rear of the New-Haven
train. causing horrible carnage.
An important point to be decided by the in
quiry was raised by the statement of the i'm
prisoned engineer that there much
smoke and steam in the tunnel Wednesday that
he did not see the green signal at Sixty-third-st.
The investigation will include the collecting OF
evidence as to the amount of smoke left in the
tunnel by steam locomotives passing through
at short intervals when a snowstorm is in
progress. There will be expert testimony to
indicate what effect so much smoke has on the
the tunnel There may be presented at the
coroner's inquest of the testimony given
to the grand jury that recently made a present.
ment regarding the smoke and poisonous gases
in the railroad tunnel. 1t is expected that there
will be testimony bearing upon increased safety
in tunnel travel when trains are run by elec-
tricity, when the tunnel is free from smoke.
gas and steam. and when it is lighted by elec-
tricty. All such testimony will have bear-
ing on the question of responsibility for ths
frightful accident of Wednesday.
CONFERENCE IN MIR. JERoME's OFFICE.
The decision to have one investigation in
stead of three separate Investigations was
reached yesterday morning at a conference at
the District Attorneys office between District
Attorney Jerome Coroner Scholer and Frank
NJ. Baker. one of the State Railroad Conmis-
sioners. Mr.. Baker. who was at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel in the morning, invited to-
the conference by the District Attorney. Cor
oner Schoer had already requested the advice
and aid Of the District Attorney in a prelimi-
nary inquiry to prepare for the formal inquest
he will hold on the bodies of the fifteen persons
who were killed in the collision.
II was decided at the conference that tha
coroner's inquest should begin next Thursday
morning, and probably in some convenient
room in the Criminal Courts Building In
the mean time 1t was agreed that the Distric1
Attorney should continue the preliminary in
vestigation which begun Wednesday at thu
scene of the wreck and carried on later az the
police station in East Fifty-hrst-st. Previous
to the conference with Colonel Baker the Dis
trict Attorney had sent for several railroad off,
cials and employees who were at the Grand Gene
trail Station and who directed TO the office
of Assistant District Attorney Garvan when
they appeared in the Criminal Courts Building.
Mr.. Garvan examined several OF them as witt
nesses in the preliminary investigation which
was held in his room behind closed doors i'm
the forenoon. while District Attorney Jerome
and Colonel Baker listened to their statements
and asked occasional questions Mr.. Baker had
his own stenographer present. A recess was
taken for luncheon early in the afternoon Dis
trict Attorney Jerome said he expected the pre-
liminary investigation would last several days,
He added:
We have obtained some new and important IN
formation bearing on the accident. but am not
sure that 1t would be wise at this time to make IN
public The investigation is for the purpose of dis
covering what evidence is to be submitted 10 the
coroner's jury / do wish to spend two or
three weeks in the examination OF Irrelevant wit
nesses at the inquest. 1 want 10 have thorough
Of the case before the public pro-.
ceedings begin All the facts learned here will be-
presented at the inquest but some of them will be
presented boiled down.
This is an inquiry into the facts. The object is tn
find out whether not the accident was due to
the negligence of any person or persons I do not
know yet whether IL was unavoidable. But SO far
as the looks simple: i do nor
believe shall have any difficulty in getting a
the absolute truth II find that the accident was
due TO a lack OF proper precaution on the part OF
any one ! will see that punishment is meted out To-
the person or persons TO the full measure OF the
law. IL, the other hand. il appears that every
care and safeguard was employed that mi ght rea.,
sonaby be expected amount of public clamor
will move from this position. This case will bs,
treated strictly its merits and in accordance
with oath of office.
WILL HAVE EXPERT TESTIMONY
The inquiry will be thorough as / know how 70
make 1t. will call upon experts for their opinions
because intend 10 get all possible aid in arriyinp.
ar fai and ssefic