Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-08
MORE WITNESSES
EXAMINED TODAY
Progress of Inquiry Regarding
Railroad Wreck.
QUERIES BY THE CORONER
Facts Being Gradually Developed by
the Investigation.
ANALYZING THE EVIDENCE
Trying to Determine Why Locomotive
212O Dashed Into Train Sc at
Terra Gotta.

The truth as to why the big To-
connective 2I2o dashed into passen-
ger train 90 at Terra Gotta in the
fog and smoke the evening of De-
cember 80 is being gradually devel-
oped under the steady and per-
sistent fire of queries that are be-
ing directed at the witnesses be-
fore the inquest by Coroner hewitt,
Assistant United States Attorney
Turner and other representatives
of the government. To the minds
of those who have been analyzing
the evidence as it was presented
the testimony of Operator w. F.
Matthews of the Randolph station,
given this afternoon, has the most
important bearing on the cause
which led to the disaster. Ran
dolph station is nine and a half
miles beyond Terra Gotta, being
the third station east of Rockville.
Like Terra Gotta, it is what is
known as day station. That is, it
is closed at 0:3o o'clock pm. 1t
was given in testimony today that
Matthews closed the Randolph sta
ton at 6:I2 O'Clock the evening of
December 3o-eighteen minutes
ahead of the schedule time; also
that engine 2I2o, with it's deadhead
train, probably dashed past Ran
dolph as Engineer Hildebrand at
tempted to do at Terra Gotta. He
had found Randolph dead and
naturally expected to find Terra
Gotta, nearly ten miles ahead, in
the same condition.
When asked why he had closed his sta
ton before the schedule time Operator
Matthews said he did not believe 2l2O
would reach Randolph in his time. He
also testified that the "deadhead' equip
ment train was running at the rate of be-
tween thrty-fve and forty miles an hour
when it passed him down the railroad. He
$50 clock and found no signals there it
was the duty of the engineer to have
stopped to investigate.
There was testimony today to CON
fusion of orders and other things regard
ed as Indicative of the elasticity and eng-
matte condition of the block system There
was also some confusion as To the right
time, and witness testified that he did
not know what is a standard clock"
Sixth Day of Inquiry.
Beginning the sixth day of the inquiry
into the cause or causes of the wreck on
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad at Terra
Gotta, d. G., December -, Coroner hewitt
this morning directed further interroga-
tories into the action of Operator Dutrow
at Silver Spring the night of the accident
1t Is expected, also, that the stories of
eyewitness who were on the platform at
Terra Gotta, and others who were aboard
the Inflated train, will be heard before to-
days sessions are concluded
In answer To a question asked by a Juror
yesterday, Deputy Coroner Gazebrook read
a statement submitted by Superintendent
or transportation Galloway showing that
engine 212O, from the engineers seat to the
front Of the boiler, is II feet in length.
from the cylinders, a feet long; from the
engineer seat To the point of the pilot. II
feet l inch. and over all, tank to pilot
point. "A feet l inch.
Another statement was to the effect that
within the two weeks previous to Decem-
Der 80. Engineer Hi!debrand made only
one trip over the Metropolitan branch on
an extra. That December ~. when
he ran engine 2l2O between Washington
and Cumberland.
The first witness called today was John
"A Feeney OF kensinSton, a telegraph OPP
orator.
when was the Arst time you saw Opera
tor Dutruw December 3O?'' he was asked.
About $40 or $50 o'clock in the sta
tlon at Silver Spring.
What was his demeanor?"
''He was calm
Ibid he seem to be excited?"
mo. sir; not al all"
did you receive any messages at all
over the wire2'
''Yes-one.
Receipt of a Message.
"Why was that-was il because Dutrow
was SO confused and excited he did not
seem able TO take the message?"
NO; the blanks Just happened TO be near
me and ! copied it and pushed it over to
Dutrow and told him to repeat it,
What the purport of the message?"
1T only from the dispatcber's office
and contained an order TO let extra 1865
60"
Feeney said he was ordered to go from
his home to the scene of the wreck-and he
boarded the first train passing Kensington
the extra. 1865. Witness was asked whether
he had talked with Dutrow about the tes-
timony he was to offer today. Feeney said
he met the Silver Spring operator on the
train last night. and Feeney asked Dutrow
about the testmony-but he could not re-
member the details of the conversation.
Rev. DIR. w. w. Davis superintendent of
Mountain Lake Park. Nd. and an uncle of
Operator Dutrow, appeared at the inquest
today TO further, as far possible, his
nephew's interests. He said Dutrow had
always been careful and reliable. and he
had confidence in the young operators
veracitY.
L. w Ross of Baltimore an extra condue-
tor on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and
in charge of extra 1885 the night of the
accident, was placed on the stand. He