Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-01-10
AN INQUIRY
Being Made Into New York
City Tunnel Disaster.
Engineer at Fault Shown to Be Gre
fuI but Of Short Experience.
The Injured Doing WelI..Braye Tom Mu, ply
Will Lose One Leg.

New York Jan. 9-Thomas F. Muir
ply Of New Rochelle. whose legs were
broken and who was badly hurt inter-
nlly in yesterdays tunnel wreck IN this
city. passed a quiet night. His condi-
ton was too serious. yesterday. to per
nit the amputation of his left leg.
which was badly crushed, but he told
the surgeons to amputate it If neces-
sary and it was said 1t would be done,
today.
Albert Wadley. a florist of this city
with n home in New Rochelle. who had
both legs broken and who suffered in
ternal injuries is improving.
Winfield Flute of New Rochelle, a
travelling salesman whose right leg and
left thigh We're broken. was reported.
today. to be III a serious condition. 1t
may be necessary to amputate one Of
his legs.
Everett Cooper. the 15-year-old boy
whose leg was broken and who was
burned. was improving. today. Albert
W. Adams. a carriage manufacturer of
this city, whose leg was cut off above
the knee and who was hurt on the
head was worse. today. and the doctors
at the New York hospital where he was
taken. yesterday. said they were any
ious concerning him.
The date or the inquest has not been
fixed but it probably will he begun
some day, next week.
At the Grand Central station it was
said, today. that as the district attor-
ney had commenced an investigation to
determine the cause of, and responsible
ity for the wreck, the railroad officials
L. -. s.xnt tt.,.,
would present all the facts in their
possession to the county prosecutor.
Mrs. Annie Wischew. wife of the en-
gineer. accompanied by. two attorneys
from the law department of the New
York Central Railroad, paid a visit TO
the Tombs, this afternoon, and had an
interview with the prisoner. None Of
those present was willing to talk of the
interview.
The district attorneys inquiry was
held behind closed doors. Mr.. Jerome
presided. He said he would give out
such parts of the testimonials might
be made public at the end of each ses-
sion. The state railroad commissions
decided to cooperate with the district
attorney and to abandon the plan for
a separate investigation.
John Wischew. the engineer Of the
White Plains local which ran into the
South Norwalk train, was said to be in
a state of almost complete nervous col
lapse, today. He refused to see any
one. The warden of the Tombs where
he was taken a prisoner. yesterday, said
the man had not yet obtained counsel
Another investigation probably vii,
be made by President Cantor of the
borough of Manhattan. MIR. Cantor
said, today: II will confer with the
corporation counsel regarding my au-
thority over tunnels exclusively used
by railroads. / am not fully satisfied
as to my power in this matter and as
thee are three Investigations being
made by the district attorney. coroners
and state railroad commission,
thought it best 10 find out my author
ity before I attempted an investigation
of my own.
MY opinion is that IL electricity had
been used by the railroad, the accident
would not have happened.
II visited the scene Of the wreck At
Q. 80 last night. ! watched the trains
passing through the tunnel. The vol
rrhes Of smoke from the locomotives
filled the tunnel so tht it was impossi-
BILE to discern the lights
The investigation was adjourned at
o'clock for luncheon. After the ad-
journment, Mr.. Jerome. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Garvan and State Rail
road Commissioner Baker had n con
ference over the evidence taken. Five
witnesses were examined during the
forenoon session. They were Division
Supt Franklin. Brakeman Barnum,
Engineer Doherty and Fireman
Sweeney of the Norwalk train. and
Fireman Fyler of the White Plains 10
raj. They all preserved secrecy about
what had transpired behind the closed
DOORS
When the investigation was conclud-
ID in the afternoon. Mr.. Jerome m
nounced that. as far as the evidenc.
which Is to be submitted to the coroner
1t the inquest is concerned. the investi-
cation practically has been concluded.
lie added. however. that the investiga-
jon will be carried on for some time
Continued on page 81