Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-16
CRASH OF THE TRAINS
Message Sent When Collision
Was Inevitable.
TERRA GOTTA WRECK TRIAL
Notice From Takoma Operator In
troduced in Evidence.
mo. 2120 BY MY RED LIGHT"
Hearing Resumed Before Justice
Stafford and Jury in Crimi-
nal Court No. l..
TERRA GOTTA WRECK TRIAL
mo. 2120 BY MY RED LIGHT

"2l20 by my red light. going like hell
The foregoing Geographic message. I'M
doubtedly one of the most important fea-
lures of the Terra Gotta wreck trial, was
placed before the jury today in Criminal
Court No /. in spite of strenuous OBJ
jections by the attorneys who are defend
ing Engineer Hildebrand. Conductor Hoff-
meier, Fireman McCleiland and Brakeman
Rutter from charge of manslaughter.
The message was the one sent by Operator
Phillips at Takoma Park to the operator
at University, the next signal station,
when 1t was realized that the fatal crash
between the deadhead extra and the Fred
erick local was inevitable.
Only two witnesses were heard at the
session this morning, they being Operator
Dutrow, who was in charge of the station
at Silver Springs. and Operator Phillips
from Takoma. Both testified on the
points most important to the prosecution
of the crew of the extra train-that is. the
time at which train 2l20 passed Silver
Springs and Takoma Park. The conten-
tion Of the defense is that at 6:31 pm,
the time the extra flashed past Takoma,
the crew of the train should have eX-
pected Takoma to be dead station.
Operator Phillips stated that the extra
was reported in the block at sos. and
he declared that he had never closed his
station while train was - the block.
Ordinarily Takoma station was kept open
from $50 am. until $50 pm.
Time Of Passing Silver Spring.
William Dutrow, telegraph and signal
operator at Silver Spring station Deem
Der 80. the night Of the accident. was the
first witness called when the trial was
resumed this morning. United States At
| torney Baker inquired of him only as to
| the time the respective trains passed Sill
YER Spring. Train No. SO passed at 6:21.
| Dutrow said and extra 212O at 6:2S and
| the operators record sheet was placed
| in evidence to show corresponding entries.
How many days had you been working
| at Silver Spring before the ACCIDENT" At
torney Davis queried in opening the cross
| examination of Dutrow.
About three or four days. / am not
| sure, witness answered.
| And when you made an entry on your
| sheet showing the train No 2120 to have
entered the block at Forest Glen how did
| you get the time?''
The operator at Forest Glen gave it to
| me-"
You mean it came over the wire"
| Yes"
You do not know that the time given
was the correct timer?
Il would not swear that it was right"
| Attorney Davis also devoted consider.
| or incorrectness of the time shown by the
clock in the signal tower at Silver. Spring
| Dutrow said he supposed the time to be
| correct. but his duties were performed
| solely at night and the clock was not
tested or regulated, so far as he knew,
| during his tour of duty.
Regarded as Important.
Milton w. Phillips, operator at Takoma,
and probably the most important witness
| in the case. was next called. He said
| train No. 66 was admitted to his block
under white light at 6:28 pm. Decem-
| Der 20, and the signal light was returned
| to red Asked whether another train had
| passed his station that night, the witness
| said he received report from Silver
| Spring that an extra was "by that sta
| ton" probably two or three minutes after
the departure of train No. 66 from Ia
| koma.
| so, at what time?" Assistant United
States Attorney Turner asked
About 6:31 p.m.," Phillips said.
What light was displayed?
Red
And how fast was the extra running?"
About fifty miles an hour"
Several conferences between tie court
and counsel occurred before Phillips was
permitted to testify that after 2l2o passed
his station he telegraphed to the operator
| at University:
"Sixty-six YETI" which he interpreted to
mean: Has train No. 66 passed yet?"
| University answered: IN. Y" meaning
'66 not yet and Immediately he wired
| to University:
"212O by my red target going like h--lr'
| Did you go out on the platform and see
what your target was showing" Mr. Tur-
ner queried
Yes. 1t showed red lights" the wit
ness replied.
| Questioned about the correctness of the
time shown by his clock. Phillips said
the flash came through on the wire
every day, except Sundays and legal holi-
days. at noon sharp. He was in the habit
of setting the clock.
On cross-examination Attorney Davis
questioned the witness about his duties
| as agent for the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
| road at Takoma, and Phillips said he was
| required to act as telegraph operator,
| blocking the trains bound in both direc-
tons. agent for the United States Express
| Company and agent for~the railroad COM
| pany Asked as to his state of mind,
Phillips said he was not at first alarmed.
and he went out to the station platform
to see whether train 2120 had stopped
and whether a flagman was coming back.
| moment or so later he wired to Univer-
| sity, and also notified the train dispatcher
| that 212O had passed his red target.
Operation Of Signals.
ASKED now ne I1dQ given Tic "LIte liz III
to train No. &C. Phillips answered: Il
held the lever over
How did the target return to red?'
queried Mr.. Davis.
II simply released the lever. and it
was so balanced that it automatically re-
turned to red
Witness quoted from the book of rules
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany. showing that it was his duty to
report to the next block station and to
the superintendent of the company when
train passes the red signal. Further
questioning by the attorney for the de-
Tense established the fact that Phillips
could have tiled down his target of
white by using long hook to hold the
levers.
Gould you not have attracted the at
tention of the rear brakeman on 2l20 by
waving red lantern as the train
passed." Mr.. Davis inquired
There was no such rule or practice,
Phillips answered.
did you notify Silver Spring tnat 2120
boI liph,