The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-12


OF the dead the most frightfully
mutilated was James Cooper. whose
head was completely severed from his
BODY.
The serious injured are: Henry
Aitkens, policeman, fracture of ribs
and dislocated leg; William Butler,
fractured arm ard lacerated head;
Martin Fitzgerald, internal injuries;
James Greer, leg crushed; Patrick j.
Gillian, left side crushed; John Gen.
sci, arm fractured, Bridget Malone,
internally injured and injuries to
head John T. McKinna, left shoulder
dislocated and leg crushed; William T.
Niebuhr, skull fractured; Henrietta
Osterlin, arm fractured; Seymour
Rowe. skull fractured; Thomas Swal,,
arm fractured; Fred Wister, both
arms fractured; unidentified man,
fractured skull, unconscious, at Roose-
welt Hospital.
Before the great crowds collected
by the news of the wreck could b.
cleared away the police were COM
pclled to use their heavy night sticks
On a number of EIen who were at
tempting to snatch jewelry or other
valuables from the victims. The ofll-
GERS had not time to make arrests,
oontenting them selves with drubbing
tie miscreants as heavily as they
could
Coroner Scholer ordered the arrest
of all those Immediately concerned.
Search was at once made for the mo-
torman, PAUL. Kelley, VINO secured a
position on the elevated line six
months ago. He came here from St
Louis. Kelley could not be found and
at late hour tonight was still miss
ing, although it was said he had spert
the afternoon at the house OF a friend.
The switchman in the tower at
Ninth Avenue and FiftyThird street
was first arrested. Conductor j. w.
Johnson ard, Guards Timothy Higgin-
son. j. McDavitt, w. l.. Berry and Is.
Clark were taken into custody. AT a
preliminary hearing this afternoon all
the men waived examination.
Two Versions Given.
Two versions of the cause of the
wreck were told to the coroner. One
of these was that the switchulan mad
set the tracks for Sixth Avenue train
and when he saw his mistake had at
tempted to rectify it while the train
was on the curve, the change throw
ing the second, third and fourth cars
of the track.
The switchman, however, declares
the wrecked train had Sixth Avenue
down to take the curve. Instead II
maintained the speed usual with Ninth
Avenue trains on the direct line.
The curve at Fifty-Third street is
sharp one and is practically un-
banked, according to statements made
today 1t is intended to be taken
slowly and is not constructed for
higher rate of speed than six miles
an hour.
The Conductors Story.
Conductor Johnson this afternoon
made a detailed statement to Ponce
Inspector Flood. He said:
Il was on the first platform of the
second car. We had just left Fifty
ninth street and were going at fair
rate of speed as it is a long run to
Fifticth street. The platform was
pretty well crowded There were a
number of men on the platform, and
in the aisle of the second car. There
were a number of shop girls, VINO were
laughing and joking.
when we reached the curve the
first car went on, and the second and
third cars went together like jack
knife. sticking right up in the air and
practically closing against each other.
In consequence, from whore | was on
the front platform of the second car
at the start | was dropped to the
rear platform of the first car. Then
the second car dropped to the street.
l held on to the iron rail like death
and was straight up in the air. l saw
girls and women climbing over the
seats of the car that they might es-
cape.
Being an old railroader, / pulled
out my watch and looked at it, 1t
was exactly 7:O6 a. m. The signals
were set wrong. That was the trouble.
They were set green and yellow,
which is for a Sixth Avenue train"
Bail as accepted for all of the rail-
To Fix The Blame.
Statements tending to fix the blame
for the accident were made by Of
ficials of the company after several
hours investigation. e. P. Bryan,
vice-president of the railroad compa-
ny, speaking for the switchman who
set the switch so that the train turned
off on the Sixth Avenue track DIT near
ly a right angle to its natural course,
made the following statement in
Jackson's name:
THE Ninth Avenue train which
met with the accident displayed
Sixth Avenue signals. On the assump-
ton that the signals were correct, l
gave the train the Sixth Avenue
track
General Manager Hedley, of the
Inter Borough Rapid Transit Compa-
ny, said that after the wreck the
switch was found set for a Sixth
Avenue train.
State Railway Commissioner Frank
Baker made personal observation of
the scene of the wreck today, in or
der to have on hand any evIuence
which may be needed.
Detectives learned that MCtorman
Paul Kelley spent a large part of the
day at a friends house, but he disap-
peared from that place before the
police arrived to arrest him.
Statements were issued by the e1e
waited railway company to the effect
that the switchman under arrest has
had clean record ever since he en-
tered the company'S employment ten
years ago. and that Motorman Kelley
had several years experience as a
motorman in st. Louis prior to be-
ginning work in this capacity on the
New York elevated road six months
ago.
man who went suddenly raving
mad in a subway train few hours
after the wreck was identifed : as
Leopold Neugus, father of "a young
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