The Washington herald., 1907-01-08

Bafled by the contradictory character
of the evidence of the most important
witnesses in the case, the District in
vestigators Of the disaster at Terra Gotta
were forced TO admit when the coroner
inquest adjourned yesterday afternoon
that they were practically no nearer the
solution Of the direct cause Of the wreck
than they were at the beginning OF the in
quiry.
we have learned a great deal about
railroading." said one Of the prominent
officials connected with the investigation
yesterday. Almost any one Of Us could
handle block signals if We could use Fhe
telegraph key It might even be stated
that We know what should have been
done by the operators and JraiEmen con
cerned in the wreck. But with each ana
every one OF these operators and trainmen
giving their sworn testimony that their
duties were perfectly complied with aud
the officials Of the railroad equally hrm
in their stand that the system is flaw
less, where are we 90 look for proper
solution Of the problem
At the conclusion Of yesterdays hear
ing al the important Witnesses had been
heard. At the beginning Of to-day's ses-
sion d re-examination Of the most prom
inent Of the witnesses Will be opened.
Whether or not any facts viii be brought
out that viii throw new light on the
situation is a matter Of conjecture
Points of Contradiction.
As matters now stand, the principal
deadlock Is occasioued by the directly
contradictory testimony Of the crews Of
the two trains, &c and 2120, as compared
with that of Operator Dutrow, of Silver
Spring. and his one witness. The train
men have practically all sworn that the
double green signal was given them at
Silver Spring by Operator Dutrow. The
operator cannot be shaken in his state
ment that he gave both trains the white
or clear block signal
As the case stands, it IS the corrobora-
tive testimony Of nine men against the
practically unsupported word Of Dutrow,
whose only witness is an aged man of
seventy-two years, who frankly admitted
on the stand that his eyesight is very
poor and the general trend of whose teS-
timony was SO jumbled and confused as
10 MAKE II ~ dltAltlls WI tlAicro IA t4AN
eyes of the jury.
Unless tO-day's proceedings develop
some new fact tending 20 cast an entirely
different light on the affair. IL is likely
that the case Will have 10 60 10 the
jury to-day or tomorrow, where The
comparative value Of the testimony viii
be weighed and a verdict rendered
Hinges on silver Spring.
It is now generally acknowledged by
the officials conducting the inquiry that
the au-importaut point is the question Oi
the character of the signals displayed at
Silver Spring for the guidance of En-
gineer Hildebrand and extra 2120 Yester-
days testimony brought into still greater
prominence the apparent fact that Hide
brand ran by Takoma Park because he
thought that station closed for the night
and consequently did not expect to re-
ceive any signals at that point
The Importance of the kind of signal
displayed at Silver Spring was empha-
sized when Hildebrand. after being close
ly questioned, admitted that had he re-
Ceived a white. or clear. signal at Silver
Sprink before ESQ and on reaching Ia
koma found the Office closed. even though
il We're after $50 he would have stopped