The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-20


eember 30 last. was the chief witness in
his own defense, and that of the re-
mainder of the crew yesterday He was
subjected TO a long and searching cross
examination by District Attorney Baker
! Engineer HIldebrand when he took the
stand testified that the equipment train
left Washington Junction at SIS, fol-
/ lowing extra 1865, which they passed
at Tuscarora, and that it was then the
duty of 1865 to look out for 2l2o. his train.
What signal did you see at Randolph? -
asked Attorney Davis.
The smoke from the engine was drift
ing over my cab as We went over the
RISE the engineer replied. and l called
out to my fireman, McClelland. and he
said it was all right"
What signal was shown at Silver
SPRING.
"A double green"
What time did you reach there2'
At 6.3l."
What did the signal indicate to your"
That work train or extra was in the
block, with permission to use the cross
| over switches at Terra Gotta, and that
We We're 10 proceed with caution, ex-
]
/ his train. and that the Takoma Office, was
closed and the block open 10 University"
Did you look at your watch when you
arrived at Silver SPRING.
/ i did; IL was 6:31. and I called out
/ to McClelland, &c is overdue in Wash
/ ington six minutes and the people are
going down Pennsylvania avenue by this
/ time.
Train Was 'DriftInE."
| The engineer said that he shut of
steam just after leaving Silver Spring
and allowed the engine to drift" the
speed being at the time he shut of steam
about twenty miles an hour The train
was again slowed down. he said. at
Stotts. to about fifteen miles an hour.
and the down grade from there TO Terra
Gotta, where the wreck occurred, in
creased il 10 about twenty-three miles
an hour The train was going at this
rate, he said. when the Frederick local
Was struck StOtts is a half mile from
Terra Gotta.
| The engineer declared that he was not
aware OF any change in train 6S's schedule
on Sundays. At this point Justice Stat
/ ford questioned the witness. and il was
/ brought out, according 20 the engineer
| testimony, that the equipment train ran
from Silver Spring TO Terra Gotta, three
and one-fifth miles. at the rate OF twenty
seven and three-seVenths miles an hour.
Tells of signals.
/ District Attorney Baker put the wit
! ness through a long series OF questions.
/ developing many matters which will
/ probably be used as the basis for rebuttal
! by the government. The District Attor-
ney secured from the engineer the decla-
ration that il was the duty OF a passenger
train crew when running behind its
schedule 10 protect itself by sending flag
men back at every stop. In response 10 q
further question along this line. he said
that this duty existed even where the
block system prevailed.
You got a cautious signal at Silver
/ Spring did you not?" asked Mr.. Baker.
Yes, I did"
You testified that you were running at
the rate Of twenty miles at Silver Spring
and then passed Takoma at a speed Of
| about twenty-three miles. Do you call
! this Increased speed cautious running IN
/ der the circumstances?
] The witness replied that his train was
/ drifting, but admitted that he could have
controlled II. +
] Asked how far beyond Terra Gotta sta
/ ton ne stopped after the collision, the
| witness said he did not know. but he
denied that it was as far as a quarter Of
| q mile.
You testified three times before the
/ coroner's jury and also at the investiga-
/ ton held in Baltimore. Did you tell of
/ the conversation with your fireman at
| Silver Spring concerning train sc being
/ in Washington and the people going down
] Pennsylvania avenue ar that time-that
l is, 6:3l?"
The witness said he did not remember
mentioning this at any of the hearings.
"Red'' Mt Tuscarora.
What kind of a target did you get at
Tuscarora?''
Red"
rs it not a fact that you went by the
the red target at Tuscarora?"
NO. sir; it is not
track as far as that train was concern
ed?"
Yes"
At GAINESVILLE, did you get white
target and did net answer it?'
Yes"
Now. is it not a fact that you went
/ by a red signal at Barnesville2"
NO. sir; did not"
I The witness said that the night was
very foggy, and he could not see more
than thirty feet and at times not more
than ten feet and admitted that he testi-
| fed before the coroners jury that at
| times he could not see more than two
| feet ahead.
Others Are Heard.
Conductor Hoffmeier was recalled by
the defense and gave further testimony
concerning why he had not received a
clearance card at Boyds- The train was
, moving, he said. and Rutter. the brake
man, reached for it, but got a white
light instead.
Detective Patrick O'Brien was placed
on the stand and corroborated the state
Tr1ents of Operator Phillips as to the mes
sages the latter sent to the operator at
University station after the equipment
train passed.
To-days session was closed by William
Q. Stouffer. telegraph operator at Wash
ington Junction on December 30, and at
the present time, who testified that the
clock there at that date was correct
with the official time transmitted the day
before.
The trail viii be continued to-day.