New-York tribune., 1903-02-14
FELT Brakes APPLIED.
Passenger on Philadelphia Express
Gfaes Contradictory Testimony.
VERDICT AGAINST DAVIS EXPECTED.
TBx TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuNE.l

TELEGRAPH THE TR1BuNtl
r,la,nfeld N j. Feb. 13.-All the evidence as
10 the westfeld disaster has been presented TO
the ooroner's jury. which is investigating the
causes of the accident, and all that is lacking
is the verdict which will be given out to-mor-
row evening The last public session for the
taking of testimony held in the council
chambers this afternoon. While nothing OF d
startling nature developed. one witness caused
someshing of a surprise by fatty contradictlhg
the epidence Of others regarding two rather lll-
portan1 details.
Joseph u. James Of Philadelphia. road iore-
man on the Philadelphia and Reading kallrodo'
who was a passenger on the FhiiaoeIiila ca
mess he night Of the wreck. was positive IN
his assertions that the emergency brakes were
arplied to his train few seconds previous 10
,ba wreck although Mr. Chambers master me-
,han,c Of the Jersey Central testified a 1e"
,sazs sso that he found the brake wide open
and all the levers II fun speed shortly after the
wreck occurred.
M lanes also declared that he reached the
side Of Davis Just after he was carried TO the
hank and remained with him until he Was taken
80 the hospital. and during that time he ihaue
N ststen,ent Several Plainfield commuters
who had been on Train No. l3 and reached
psvis's side as he dropped from the cab OF ms
locomotive had heard him mutter that he couia
IN. see The only evidence of statement MADE
after that was the story told by the Neslllelu
,olicemen. Young and Knapp. which Is no"
fatty denied by James. Tne last named 'oiu
OF the stand that an attempt WAS 1haoe 10
Davis 10 speak, but that James hao oiue'0
his ouesrioners to cease. as the man was os
There were eight witnesses in all, ana 1t tooN
little over an hour to examine lheh' Inc
story Of the trip 10 Philadelphia IN search Oh
.,idenoe was related on the stand by Chief of
i nj pG
r5 submitted copies of the records of complaints
.r.i,st Engine No %, that were made ar the
,ys,+b and Green St roundhouse- They were
.r o< q minor character except one from Dolan,
a, engineer that the valve gland on the right
side was loose and the stem packing hlo"h
out To confirm Jamess statements concerning
sbe emergency brakes. Louis 9. Reckless nag
xaren,an on the Philadelphia Express, was put
on the stand He thought the emergency brakes
were appiied but he couldn't swear 10 IT.
Charles w Orner, rear brakeman on the Same
1rain was thrown down by a sudden shoch'
,b,r, ne thought was caused by the sudden ap-
,lica1jon Of the brakes. John Staufer, Pullman
car conductor, had a similar experience anu
took somewhat the same view ,,
Robert NJ Wilkinson an engineer OF Z I Enll@-
delphia had run the fated engine NO; -, L ne
<5av before the accident occurred, and on me me
-71oruine of that same day When asked apouC
3fs condition he declared: She was IN IlrSt cas-
MT Fisk the foreman, pursued his uSudl
noIicv of trying to draw out the engineer 10 see
what treatment he received when ne Iliaue 81 an
,,-IIsy,alI,- large number of complaints against
en engine OF was delayed frequently Like @ Lne
ofbers Wilkinson declared that he hao no COLI COLI
1laint TO make about the treatment ne ie0eI'eU
from the railroad company ~
The last witnesses TO be examined We're III III
Fred f Brister. medical examiner for the fIlta ma.
dalnbia and Reading road. and his assistant
T- Frederick L. Baker. Their testimony slillpig
told Of the examination OF DAVIS sLslt CIV"
-ae-;rr which were declared to be perfect
While this the last session Tor 1he 1ahIilS s
- ,.,orroT- 3t 4 y m when the verdict OF the
1urv will he ready and will be made puphc. -
IS now conceded that the blame VIII De Pldceu
-, Davis and that the only question IS as 10
~rfaf reconnnraen endations viii be made II Is eA-
-7ec+ed that the jury viii have something 70
cav about the need of signal order boards at
every station the danger OF coal stoves IN pas
ssrear cars and the question Of having Two men
a. e,-er1 cab The grand jury will meet Mon
6sx. when the findings Of the coroner S jury VIII
he considered