Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05
A7CORONER'S INQUEST
Continuation of the Examina-
ton of Witnesses.
TWO IMPORTANT MATTERS
Contradictory Statements as to Plac-
ing of Signals.
INTERROGATING AN ENGINEER
Part of Examination Conducted by
Assistant United States Attorney
Commissioners Present.
AN ENGINEER

The problems OF the railroad dis
aster at Terra Gotta station were
again subjected to the official probe
today before the coroner's jury, the
members sitting as inquisitors in the
home of the river-front fire COM
pany, foot of 9TH street. District
Commissioners Macfarland and
West sat alongside Coroner hewitt,
and rendered material assistance in
the interrogation OF the witnesses.
To the minds OF some of the Of
fcialS who have attended the hear
ings and listened to the testimony
the two important matters to be de-
termined in the last analysis are:
Did not Engineer IIildebrand,
with locomotive 2I2o, have the I'M
disputed right to pass Takoma Park
without expecting signal there OF
any kind, as the hour for shutting
down that station as signal point,
6:3O o'clock, had passed?
Who was responsible for dead
head equipment train being allowed
to bowl along practically unheralded
upon the very heels of an accommo-
dation train, which was sixteen min
utes late, and which is required to
stop at al OF the stations, large and
small, for the reception OF passen-
gers, and at time OF the day when
the important change was being
made in the signal system which ne
cessitated the lengthening OF the
blocks for the night service
Engineer Nermillion testified to-
day that he expected to find Takoma
closed, or dead station, after
passing the double green at Silver
Spring.
A noticeable feature OF the inquiry
thus far has been the contradictory
testimony OF some OF the witnesses
as to the placing OF the signals and
the confused conditions which have
been shown to have resulted from
the present elastic block signal sys-
TEN.
At the beginning of the fourth day of the
inquest this morning Coroner hewitt called
TO the witness stand B. l.. Vermllion. en-
glneer of the local train. No &C. which was
wrecked at Terra Gotta last Sunday. Wit
ness said he has been employed as engineer
by the Baltimore and Ohio for about thirty
six years.
Have you ever had any trouble with your
eyesght?' the coroner began.
mo"
''Have you been examined recently as to
your sight?"
'Yes-about year ago"
Vermilion said he. with three other en-
gineers the road, have been running
train CO continuously for about five years
Asked when he first saw 2120 witness said
he passed the deadhead at Washington
Junction, but he did not know the extra was
20 follow him toward Washington.
when did you know 2l20 was behind
your the coroner asked
when he hit me-" witness replied
Asked how much sleep he had had before
taking his run Sunday Vermillion said
Plenty Another question brought from
him declaration that he does not use in
toxicants. Questioning the engineer regard
Ing his various stops between Washington
Junction and Terra Gotta, the coroner
brought out the gradual falling behind its
schedule of train CO. until II was sixteen
minutes late at Takoma Park.
was IL business find nj
Washington Junction whether the dead
head extra was to follow you down the
line?"
mo, sir; 1t was his place to look out for
U.S."
Did You have any trouble seeing the lights
at stations?"
"Yes-couldnt see them until we were