The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-28
High Officials Held Responsl.
bic for Loss Of Lives.
A. J. CASSATT HEADS LIST.
John D. CrlmmIns Another OF Those Found
TO Blame for the Newark
Disaster.

New York, March 2s.--Men whose wealth
counts up into the millions and who are
prominent In business and social circles
I'm three states were indicted by the
grand Jury OF Essex county. in Newark.
yesterday. Cor -the Clifton avenue trolley
tragedy on February 10. when nine high
school pupils were killed.
They are the officers and executive
committee OF the North Jersey Traction
company. as follows: A. J. Cassatt, pres
ident Of the Pennsylvania railroad; John
u. Crimmins, of New York: DIR. Leslie
u. Ward. vice president OF the Prudential
Insurance company. OF Newark; Elisha
r. Gaddis, head of the large wholesale
grocery firm OF Wilkinson, Gaddis * Co,
OF Newark: j. Roosevelt Shanley, OF
Newark: Edward f. G. Young. OF Jer-
sey City, president OF the North Jersey
Street Railway company. and OF the First
National bank OF Jersey City, and David
Young, vice president and general mana
ger OF the North Jersey Street Railway
company.
These form the executive committee.
Others indicted were Charles Shipman.
general superintendent; Superintendent
Smith. OF the Crosstown division; Rich
ard Eack, assistant superintendent. and
r. NJ. Pratt. roadmaster
SWELL THE LIST.
Had a proposition to indict the traction
company been adopted, true bills would
have been found against the entire board
of directors, and then the list OF million
aires would have been swelled by such
names as United States Senator John F.
Dryden, OF Newark; y. A B. widener,
and Thomas Dolan. OF Philadelphia; VIII
liam l.. Elkins. John +. Keahoe r. L.
Young, Joseph D. Bedle and George F.
Perkins.
The road employees. the moterman. con-
ductor and sandman. were not indicted.
Neither were the officials or employees
OF the Lackawanna railroad, whose train
ran into the trolley car. City officials
also went free.
The indictments are believed to have
been found in Difference TO public senti-
ment, which seemed TO divide the real
blame for the disaster between the OFF,
cials OF the trolley company and the city
officials According 10 testimony taken at
the coroners inquest IL seemed that no
city official had any particular jurisdic-
ton over the running OF cars and the
maintaining OF dangerous railroad cross
ings.
Persons about the courthouse yester-
day afternoon noted that Chief Judge
Gummere arrived early and went TO his
room. They noted also that a little later
several members OF the grand jury left
their room and went TO the office OF the
chief Judge They remained there for
perhaps 20 minutes. II was not long
after this that the Jury presented its
indictments.-
HIGH OFFICIALS TO BLAME
The jury evidently concluded that II was
the high officials, and not the servants
who were responsible
When rumors Of their Indictment be-
came current upon the streets in Newark
last night there was a genuine sensation,
as IL had not been believed that the gra nd
jury would do more than to make a
strong presentment. Notwithstanding the
fact that the coroner's inquest. several
weeks ago. put the blame for the killing
of nine children and the injury of 30
more squarely upon the North Jersey
company. No official information was
obtainable last night as TO the nature OF
the indictments, but II is said that they
will charge manslaugher, the penalty for
which. upon conviction, Is from one to
ten years imprisonment with the alterna-
tive of a fine, at the discretion OF the
court.
or the men said to be indicted those who
could be reached last night declined to
discuss the matter. on the ground that
they had received no official nofifcat ton
OF the action of the grand jury General
Manager Young OF the North Jersey said
in hts home in Roseville avenue:
II cannot discuss the matter, though I
have heard the rumor that / am one OF
several indicted In connection win tho
Clifton Avenue accident. II is grave
thing for any one 10 be under indictm ,n.
whether he be really guilty as charged or
not"
be called upon to plead before the middle
NJ the week