New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-21
SECOND CRASH SLIGHT.
RE4R END COLLISION.
Testimony on Signals IN Park-d0e.
accident Investigation Vories.

Following the accident in Park-ave. at lo4th-st''
Tuesday evening, there was less serious eolhsIoi
In the Park-ave tunnel about l o'clock yesterday
morning as told in The Tribune. The Boston ex-
press train which ordinarily leaves the Grand
Central Station II o'clock pulled out AFTER MO
night and crawled slowly up through the tunnel
followed by a Central train on the same track.
After both trains had stopped and started again
several times in the tunnel the locomotive of the
Central train hit the last car of the New-Haven
train, damaging it a little.
Several Stamford people aboard the New
Haven train. Frederick H. Desc. newsdealer' OF
state-st. Stamford one OF them he said
yesterday:
When the crash came the smoker a9ned So
suddenly that the floor ripped out OF ine o Sa
IN fbToun ~ the floor Everybody seemed in
panic Several people in the sleepers we're q4 me
1 91ng of sleeper, and vas badly don't
know what caused the accdsnt, 1nr some reason
or other was because tr other wa gaf foi
lowing US out of the tunnel on the same track
ofcia1s of the Central would not admit yester-
day that anybody had been hurt in the accident.
and the police and hospitals had record Of In
juries in the second collision in the tunnel
TESTIMONY DIFFERS ON SIGNALS.
The State Railroad Commission heard conflicting
testimony yesterday about Tuesday evenings
cident at Park-ave and 1o4th-st. Several witnesses
were called at two sessions at the Murray Hill Ho-
tel in investigation Of the accident. and most
of them declared that John D. Horn, the engine
driver Of the Poughkeepeie train, ran past a dan
ger signal to crash into Stamford train at the
switch. Horn not at the hearing, being held
for ooroner's jury on the charge Of homicide. but
his fireman. William H. Kirk, testified that the
Poughkeepsie train had q. clear signal
when we came out Of the tunnel at 9Sth-st -
Kirk said at the morning session. 'the distance
signal was set green, meaning caution, but
neared it the signal was changed toa white. mean
ing to go ahead. When the signal was changed to
white ahead at good speed"
jeremiah Murphy. engineer of the Stamford
train and F. J. Coe his fireman, testified that as
they got out Of the tunnel at esth-st.. running
little ahead OF the Poughkeeps1e train, they saw
the distance signals for both outgoing tracks set
at danger The Stamford train was Track No.
l. and the Poughkeepsie train was on Track No 3.
ct got my train under control and was al ready
TO stop said Murphy, when the white lights
were set, showing a clear road. 7 then went
ahead and crossed over at the switch TO Track No.
8 We had hardly got on that track when felt
a jar. and found that my train had parted 1
stopped my engine at 10Sth-st
ct saw the signal change to WHITE said Coe,
land 7 called out to Murphy. telling him to 90
ahead
At the afternoon session Kirk was recalled and
questioned by Commissioner Dickey, Kirk in
sisted that the distance signal for Track No. 3
was at first set green. and later changed to white
He said he had been employed by the New-4ork
Central for the last two years, and had worked on
different branches Of the system. On Tuesday Of
last week he was detailed to the Poughkeepsie
local division. Until the night of the accident, he
said, he knew the signals TO be out of order
His train running at a rate Of twenty miles
an hour and 1t his duty. he said, to inform
the engineer whether not the signals were set
for a clear track. He knew it had been practice
to transfer trains from track to another
DO 1 understand you to say that trains cross
from Track No to No. frequently asked
Commissioner Baker
yes. they frequently do" replied Kirk.
DO YOU understand that signals are interlocked?
Yes
was there anything peculiar regarding the In
ter1ocked signals?"
IT don't care to state"
Superintendent Slater of the Centrars Harlem
division asked Kirk what signal was clear on the
westerly arm of the post. and Kirk replied that he
did not notice.
'I would like to ask you question. Mr.. Slater,
If YOU don't think I'm intruding," said Kirk. as