The Washington herald., 1907-02-18
SAD SCENE AT MORGUE
Relatives Recognize Bodies by
Jewelry Worn.
Assistant District Attorney Smythe
Believes Disaster ON the New York
Central Due 10 Excessive Speed
and Concentrations of Weight of
Tive Heavy Motor Cars-Inquest
Begins To-day Before Coroner.

died to-day from injuries received in the
wreck of the Brewster local electric
train which was piled IN the ditch just
above Bedford Park station, the Bronx
at 6:13 Saturday night.
This brings the list of dead UP to
twenty, and to-day all of the victims
were identified. Eleven of the injured
still remain in the hospitals.
The New York Central Railroad to-day
announced that investigation made by
officials of the road placed the total num-
Der of injured al 147.
Assistant District Attorney Smythe. in
charge Of the investigation Of the wrecked
Suburban electric train. said tonight he
was of the opinion that the wreck WAS
caused by the trains high rate of speed
and the heavy weight of the two motor
ears. Acting on this theory he conferred
with General Manager a. X. Smith, Of
the New York Central Railroad.
MOtOrman to Testify To-day.
Mr.. smith promised to have every en-
ploye in any way connected with the
operating Of the train In court tomorrow.
The hearing viii be held before Coroner
Schwannecke, in the coroner's court, at
l77th street and Third avenue, the Bronx,
at / O'Clock IN the afternoon.
Edward Rogers, the motorman OF the
train, will again tell his story of the ac-
cident at this session. After being placed
under arrest Saturday night. Rogers made
a formal statement to Assistant District
Attorneys Smythe, Mcclure, and Manley
in the Bronx police station. Rogers
stated that he was going about forty
eight miles an hour at the time OF the
crash, His first iutmation of trouble was
q bright flash Of light Then the train
appeared to ride roughly. Rogers de-
clsred he did not know his car was
wrecked or even of the tracks until he
got 10 the ground.
Crowds Gather at station Morgue.
When the crowd OF the curious hur-
ried to the gully beneath the Wood
lawn road bridge in the early hours Of
the morning. they were surprised TO find
that nothing bat clear tracks and gangs OF
wreckors were there 10 satisfy curiosity
A squad Of police kept the crowds moving
ali day, and none was allowed TO get down
TO thc tracks
During the morning hours several police
men were detailed to make a thorough
search OF the ro7dbed the entire distance
that the train had been dragged. Some
money and valuablcs were found and
added to the collection that Inspector
Flood kept in his safe at the Bronx police
station
About the station tho interest Of the
Sunday crowds centerrd Here every
once in while a black wagon would
drive through the gate and hack 10 the
barn behind The people pressing against
the raillugs about the police station could
see the Uudertakers freight their wagon
with the black box and then drive away.
One by one the torn bodies that had filled
the big assembly room in the station
the night before were removed to- under
taking establishments as the work of
Identification progressed.
Identify Bodies ny Their Trinkets.
The scenes at the police station were
trying for the sIuacoats who had their
nerves on edge from the events OF the
night before. and who had not been al
lowed 20 get sleep between With the
first train from White Plains and the
upper suburban towns there began to
arrive auXious-faced folk, who hurried
around to the station and made inquiry
for those they had missed.
In many instances the sergeant AT the
desk would take the white-lipped husband
or son back into the stable where the
fragments of men and women lay. but
he would signal 10 one Of the roundsmen
10 take the one making inquiry into a
little room i'm the side. There a drawer
would be opened and from it the rounds
man would take envelopes marked with
numerals. Jewelry. tTinkets. Il handker-
'chief. commUtatiOn ticket-these were
the things that the envelopes contained
and il was by these that the ones who
came in quest were asked to identify
thei- dead. This was a kinder way in an
instances, and in many the only practical
ble one.
Death Message in Bracelet.
Mrs. Harriet Beals. who lives at Bed
ford Station. was one of those who was
asked 10 say that her daughter lay out
In the stable, just by the examination Of
these trinkets in the envelopes. She first
where the police had gathered all the
bUlkier scraps taken from the cars. The
coat was her daughter Mary's. but then
there We're many in hospital whose clothes
were there in the large ROOM The mother
was asked TO step into the little room and
look at some of the jewelry which had
been taken only from the bodies of the
dead.
They showed her many things. and as
each was put away the woman's eyes
kindled with the beginnings Of hope. But
at last the rOundsman brought out a sill
yer bracelet-a mere band with a CLASH.
on which swas marked the initial M.
Yes. said the mother Let me taka
her away soon. please"
Mrs. Beals did not show by the twftcb-
ing Of a muscle that the thin silver band
had spelled any message for her. It was
not until she had passed out of the gates
that she fell fainting in the snow
Diamonds Identify Mrs. NeVvcOmb.
The body of Mrs z. F. Newcomb was
the last to be Identified That came AZ
the close OF the long day when the police
had begun to believe that it would be i'm
possible for ane one 10 claim as their own
the mutilated body that had remained
simply No. i for twelve hours. The only
human thing about the torn fragments
was one hand. Two diamond rings were
on the fingers; the police had not been
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