New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-29
MAY GO TO GRAND JURY.
Drastic Action Expected at Inquest
into Death on ELeUated.


torney Caravan. who viii follow the case closely.
Coroner SchoIer will call all the officials Of the
marlborough who he thinks could should
know anything bearing on the killing of Mrs.
Bedford Codrington to testify at the inquest
next Monday. He began yesterday by issuing
subpoena for Frank Hedley. the general man
ager. who will have chance to prove his dec
laration that anybody the officials wanted would
be produced. Other subpenas may go still
higher up" Coroner scholer would not discuss
this point.
He viii produce many possible who were
on the train. 1t is not unlikely that a grand
jury case may result from the inquest. Coroner
scholer said that if the evidence showed negli-
gence he would recommend that the grand jury
make an investigation and take action. He de-
MED however. that he had said he would ask
that body to indict Mr.. Belmont.
The penalty for criminal negligence resulting
in manslaughter in the second degree is imprfs-
onment not to exceed fifteen years, or a fine of
$1,000 or both.
The State Railroad Commission Will also con-
duct a rigid investigation. Coroner Scholer
wrote to Chairman George w. Dunn asking that
he cooperate with the coroner's office In the
case. Colonel Dunn who is in town, would not
comment on the case. He had not had report
from his inspectors he said.
Attorneys office is significant. The prosecutor
does not usually take an active part in the pre-
liminaries Of a coroner's inquest. In this case.
however there seems TO be a determination not
to let the penalty for mismanagement be saddled
on the underlings, but to go higher up. IL
calls to mind the action OF the grand jury in
Newark which indicted the entire executive
board of the trolley company FOR the horrible
accident IN which nine high school pupils were
killed. The result of that trial, however. did
not 1T in the public mind with the work OF the
Jury
ConIon. the platform man who tried so hard
to pull Mrs. Codrington off the platform that
she punched his nose, according to Mr.. Hedley.
was served with subpoena in Coroner Scholers
presence. There are still others out for the con-
ductcr and motorman o. the train. and for
others whom the authorities will not name
A new witness volunteered his services to the
coroner In the person Of Alfred S. Hamilton, of
the Hotel Judson. Mr.. Hamilton was on the
rear platform Of the second car. He heard the
screams and the talk that woman had fallen
off the train. He heard the bell ring There
was no response. There were about dozen men
on the platform with him. Mr.. Hamilton said.
He rang the bell when he the train did not
stop Several times he signalled, but the train
went on to Twenty hrd-st. Mr.. Hamilton was
open or shut
Wonder is being expressed on all sides that
the guard should SO lose his head to forget
the emergency lever which would have stopped
the train within twenty feet If this had been
done Mrs. Codrington might have been saved.
The greatest indignation is expressed at the in
excusable letting of several trains run over the
body lying on the tracks. 1t was these trains
which mangled the body and perhaps actually
killed Mrs. Codrington.
Such accidents are not unknown by any
means. There will come up for retrial in the
Supreme Court to-day the case Of Mrs. Nina F.
Brown, who was pushed off the platform Of
moving train at Fifty-ninth-st by the closing
OF the gate. She was not killed. although badly
injured. because no succeeding trains over
her.
The utter disregard shown by the employees as
to danger from following trains will be clearly
brought out at the inquest Daniel O'Connen,
who saw the accident from the street. will tell
how he ran TO the Twenty-third-st- station TO
tell them about it, and laughed at; how he
tried at the Eighteenth-st. station. and was
told he was crazy; how even the policeman on
post jeered him until he grabbed him by the
arm and showed him q woman's leg sticking
from between the ties.
Detectives Butts and Mcguire. Of the Ten
derloin station, succeeded last night in serv-
ing the subpenas issued by Coroner Scholer for
Thomas Conlon and Michael BoIand, the two
platform men the uptown side at Eigh-
feminist who are supposed to have been near
Mrs Codrington when she boarded the train
Both men disappeared soon after Mrs. Codring-
toms body was found, and they did not re-
turn to work until last night Conlon lives at
No 255 West Twenty-ninth-st., and Boland at
No. 713 E,ghth-ave., but neither could be found
at his home. The only satisfaction the de-
tectives could get, they said, when they in
quired for the men of the railroad officials was
that they would be produced at the inquest on
Monday.
The police are still unable TO ind Robinson.
the ticket chopper. by whom Mrs. Codrington
went to her death He disappeared soon after
the fatality The railroad officials, the
police say, refuse to give his address, or to say
where he can be found. but declare that he will
be produced Monday.
Conlon told Detectives Butts and Mcguire
that when he heard that woman had been
killed he left his post and walked along the
street far Twenty third-st., looking for
her body. it did not occur to him, he said to
look above his head.
The police say that the railroad officials are
showing q desire TO refuse any aid to them
or to the coroner in investigating Mrs. Codring-
toms death There are still two employees for
whom subpenas have been issued who cannot
be found, and the officials will not say where
they The police and Coroner Scholer are
not content with the declaration Of the off,
quest, but want to reach them with the papers,
that If they fail to appear they may be ar
rested