New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-28
GATE OPEN, GUARD SAYS.
SHUT, ASSERTS HEDLEY.
Coroner and Railroad Commission
to Probe EIeUated Death.

| thorough investigation. Coroner Scholer held
| the guard, Christopher George, yesterday in
| $1,000 bail for examination at the inquest
! next Monday. This bail furnished by John
J. Flynn. a switchman. in the employ of the
marlborough. The State Railroad Commission
| will also Investigate.
There much variance in the accounts
! given by Frank Hedey, the superintendent of
| the Interborough, and George. George declared
! that the gate not shut and that he was
unable to shut it because of the throng around
| him. The superintendent says it was shut and
that he has witnesses to prove it.
| For gates to be open for block or two has
| been no uncommon occurrence. Although it is
| a violation OF the company's rules. the writer
! has frequently guards give the starting
| signal before they could get the throng of peo-
! pie far enough inside the doors to shut the
/ gates. There none Of this yesterday. The
| guards were particularly careful to shut the
| gates before giving the starting signal, while
at the stations through the shopping district
there were gatemen TO see that It was done.
The body OF the young woman who was killed
so horribly was Identified that OF Mrs. Bed
ford Codrington. OF No. S6S St Nicholas-ave
where she boarded with Hart Norton. who iden-
titled the body. She was separated from her
husband. printer, OF No. 100 West One-hun-
bred and twenty sixth-st. They have a son.
Clayton, nine years old. who lives with Mrs
twenty-eighth-st. Mrs. Codrington worked in
lace house. Codrington. too. called at Roth's
undertaking establishment and identified the
body. he fell in a faint. When he
vived he said he would take charge OF the
funeral
"It was absolutely impossible for to do
anything" said George. Il couldn't get the
gate shut and couldn't save the girl. I
standing by the levers. with a foot on the plat
,oPo 1Cho In, 4f,o+T Jvatt
move I had pulled the bell to go ahead There
was big man by the gate. and she probably
didn't see the danger. She jumped on Just as
the train about to start 1 yelled to the
ticket chopper. but he didn't hear me. The sta
ton guard the only who could have
saved her He could have pulled her from the
train. We went all the way TO Twenty third
ct. with the gate open. and people standing on
the platform.
Il couldn't even reach the bell 20 signal 10
| stop the train. My arms were practically held
down TO my sides. All I could do to yell
at the ticket chopper
by the time we saw the danger the train
was under good Roadway. and the accident
couldn't have been helped"
To Coroner SchOler George said he did pull
the bellrope once. but the train wasn't stopped.
The policemen. Mcclure and Butts. who ar
rested George made afidavits TO the coroner
|
ton had been dragged by being caught in the
gate she trying to board the train.
David f. Ostro. Of no. COO Lenox-ave., and r.
II. Loan. OF No. $40 West Seventeenth-st had
their names taken as witnesses.
In that cursory taking Of names by the
police there appears 10 be great Iaxity. As near
as could be learned. in this case the police got
the names and addresses OF those two men, but
did not examine them to the nature Of the
accident. tn he sta
afraid they would be discharged II they talked
said nothing. The police did not even get their
names. Later that night man. declaring him
self 10 be an inspector OF the company, called
at the Tenderlon station and vouchsafed 10
Sergeant Fitzgerald at the desk. that "It was
only an ordinary accident; she tumbled off
because the train was moving when she tried TO
get on" He didn't care to give his name and
Fitzgerald didn't make him.
The killing OF Mrs. Codrngton has aroused
much comment 1t is only what might have
been expected long ago. said everybody. when
the trains are crowded to their utmost capacity,
the stations inadequate and the guards disobev
the company's rules. There is much work for
the authorities to do. passengers say. IN COM
polling the company TO guard properly their
safety. There used to be guardrais at many OF
the stations. These. which would serve partly
to prevent one from jumping on a moving train
as the company says Mrs. Codrington did have
been removed. Guards at each station especial
ly detailed TO see that on each car the pas
sengers are not so crowded as TO interfere with
the closing Of the gates. II was said yesterday
would be the surest means Of preventing re-
currence of Tuesdays fatality. At some sta
tons yesterday this was done
Mr. Hedley regretted the stir that was heinz
made about the accident. Nothing is TO be
gained by exploiting this sad occurrence" he |
SAID Every railroad man regrets such things
bitterly and does all in his power 10 prevent
them. Big headlines only tend to create a
panic' and the result will be that some other
woman will go and do the same thing"
His statement of how the accident occurred
was follows:
:, Tho uptown train. composed of six cars, was
leaving the station when this woman rushed I'M 10
the cars and attempted to board She attempteS 10
get on oy the front platform OF the third car She
sraSped the guard rail the gate was shut ans
the motion of the train swung her around ~
. thomas Conlon, the platform man, standing on
the platform opposite the platform Of the sec
ond car. or Just in advance of the woman grabbed
her around the waist. She swung around and
struck Conlon in the with her fist with such
force 10 make his nose bleed. He eiung 10 ber
however, until they close to The END Of The
platform where he lost his grip and She went over
me END OF the platform between the side girders
We have witnesses. too both on the train and on
and that the woman grabbed that guard rail of the
car although the gate closed There were
who also saw how the thing occurred N~''N
The rule that passengers be not allowed to ride |
such day as yesterday. in the rain. people STAY
In their offices until the rain ceases and then come
not only in this city, but In others insist on taxing
the first train which comes along, crowding AZ to
behind. in which there is not only room bur also
seats. This accident might have occurred on any |