The Washington times., 1907-12-08
Members of Extra Train
Crew Charged With
Manslaughter.
Horrors of Accident Will
Be Given Thorough
Airing.

The horrors Of the Terra Gotta wreck
that startled the country the Sunday
night before New Year eve last year
will be told in the Criminal Court this
week. Justice Stafford will preside. Dis
trict Attorney Baker and his corps Of
assistants will represent the Govern
ment as prosecutors, and Henry +.
Davis, former District Attorney ana
one Of the ablest criminal lawyers at
the District bar, will represent the de-
fendants.
The men to be tried are Harry u. Hill
derbrand, Frank +. Hofmeier, Ira c.
Mcclellan and Ralph Rutter, IneIni,ers
OF the crew Of the extra train that
crashed into the rear end Of local pas
senger train No. 66 at Terra Gotta sta
tion, resulting in the death and maim-
ing Of so many people.
Charged With Manslaughter.
These defendants were indicted by the
grand jury and charged with man
slaughter, Il being alleged. that by GRIM
lnal negligence they were responsible
for the accident and the fearful loss Of
life.
District Attorney Baker and his as
sistants and office force have given
much time in the preparation of the
case, and they are now ready to take
1t up. The prosecution will have a
dozen or more witnesses that will be
called. The case for the defense has
been carefully prepared by Mr.. Davis,
wno will have twenty-five or more wit
nesses in defense Of his clients
This hue hanro
time TO time. II was the intention OF
the district attorney 90 have tried IT
long ago, but the Bradley murder trial
intervenUd and il was set aside 70 be
heard at the conclusion of that trial.
Tomorrow had been agreed upon to
start the case, but another postpone
ment until the coming Wednesday was
allowed to accommodate Mr.. Davis.
counsel for defendants in the case OF
Richardson * Burgess and others yer
sus w. H Maghan ind others OF the
Bricklayers' Union. which will be re-
sumed in Equity Court No. 2 tomor-
row morning. and which Will consume
all Of tomorrow. and possibly Tuesday.
Should the case in Equity Court No.
require Mr.. Davis presence there
Wednesday, this caEe viii have TO
be postponed again
The defense will contend that because
of the failure Of the telegraph oper-
ators at Silver Springs, Nd, and Ia
koma Park, d. c, to display signals
for a closed block, indicating that local
No. 66 had not cleared the block and
was at Terra Gotta. and for the rea-
son that the crew of local No. 66 failed
70 protect its rear while at Terra Gotta
station by the usual danger signals and
safety appliances. as required by the
rules of the road. the respc Utility
for the wreck and loss Of llfe with
the telegraph operators and la, crew
OF the train wrecked
Obeyed Signals.
It will also be contended by the de-
Tense that the defendents obeyod all
the block or danger signals displayed
at the block stations; that there was
a clear track shown at Silver Springs
and that the Office at Takoma Park
was dark. closed and no lights shown
20 Indicate that the local passenger
train was at Terra Gotta station.
In view Of these conditions. the de-
fense VIII claim that the crew OF The
extra freight pulled by engine No. 2l2O.
knowing the schedule time Of the local
passenger train. thought that it was
in Washington, where Il should have
been The fact that the local was late
was not known to the crew OF the fol-
lowing train. and as there were no
block signals to indicate that q train
was on the block ahead of thep1, they
were running the extra, feeling as
sured that the track was clear.
The Government will undertake to
show that danger signals were shown.
indicating the tracks ahead were oc-