The Washington herald., 1907-01-03
MAY SHIFT BLAME
ON THE RAILROAD
CONTINUED PROM FIRST PAGE.

Q
10 be made by the commission.
Deputy Coroner DIR. l.. II. Glazebrook
assisted Coroner hewitt, and Attorney W.
J. Colbert. resident counsel Of the Balu-
more and Ohio Railroad, was present 10
listen 10 the testimony In the interest OF
his clients. Assistant District Attorney
Turner was accompanied by James NJ.
Proctor and Harvey Given. of the dis
trict attorneys office. Corporation Coun-
sci +. r. Thomas sat beside Commits
sioner West, and aided him In suggest
II z questions to be put by the coroner
10 the witnesses. Attorney Harry +.
Davis. former district attorney, and
Charles Bendheim, retained by the
brotherhood Of railroad men TO defend
the crew of the extra, were also present.
Witnesses 10 lie Kept Apart.
During the examination only the wit
nesses on the stand were allowed in the
room. the other Witnesses and the guard
ed trainmen being kept in an ante-room
until called for.
Dr. Edgar Snowton, the physician that
performed the autopsy on the body OF
Prof T. j. King. of Kensington, was the
first witness called. lie described the
condition of the body. and ascribed death
10 fracture of the skull Coroner hewitt
explained to the jury that in cases wners
more than one person is Killed through
the same cause the inquest is held over
one body. and the verdict is understood TO
include all
Division Superintendent Hobbs was then
called. Mr. Hobbs made a splendid Wit
ness Gravely and with due deliberati)n,
he answered 10 the best of his ability all
the questions asked. evading direct re-
plies only when "a more direct answer
might tend 10 reflect upon the manner in
which jhe railroad is conducted
In answer 20 the question of the coro-
ner. Mr. Hobbs told of his first intimation
OF the wreck He was at supper in the
Hotel Joyce. I'm Baltimore, ne said, when
notified over the telephone that the dis
aster had occurred. His first action was
to go to the train dispatchers office AT
the Camden Station. where he found I, +.
Dent in charge.
Hobbs Hurried to Scene.
ION nay arrival continued Mr. Hobbs,
I was informed that extra East engine
2i2O. with "a train Of empty equipment, had
struck No 66 40 Terra Gotta. Mr.. Dent
had already ordered "a relief train and
doctors 10 proceed from Washington 20
the scene of the wreck / then took the
first train I could get from Baltimore and
went TO the wreck"
What investigation into the cause OF
and responsibility for the accident have
you made n your official capacity in
qUired Coroner hewitt
None replied Mr.. Hobbs
why u0tT' asked the coroner.
Because" MT. Hobbs rejoiHed. upon
nay arrival AT Takom1 I found that the
train crew Of 2l21 had been arrested and
removed"
Being still further pressed as 10 the rea-
son why the railroad company had not as
vet instituted an Investigation. Mr.. Hobbs
stated that as soon as the coroner.s in
quest is finished the company viii make
a thorough investigation. bat that up 10
this tiuae nothing has been done.
Were you not aware, asked the coro-
ner. that the crew was under arrest at
the Tenth precinct police station, where
they were accessible % sou II you wanted
TO interview them
Yes" was t4e more or less evasive re-
ply but I could not make a thorough In
vestigation under the circumstances.
Hobbs interviewed Conductor.
Through further questions it WAS
brought out that supt Hobbs had inter
viewed Conductor HonmeieF Of the extra
when at the scene Of the accident
Il did not see Conductor Hodmeier,"
admitted MI Hobbs He was ia custody.
and was Just being taken away from the
scene of the wreck by ;he police.
asked him what kind Of signals he saw ut
Takoma and he replied that none Were
visible on account of the fog"
Nj Hobbs was then questioned IN re-
gard to the rule o. the company touching
upon cases like that presented ~ Tak0ma.
He produced a rule showing that when
am engineer sees no signal lights at a
station or tower where such lights were
expected or should have been displayed he
should stop the train and investigate.
The coroner then questioned the witness
upon the conditions governing operator
Phillips time of duty at TakOma. il was
brought out that Philips is supposed 90
be OF duty from $50 I'm the morning until
$50 at night. In explaining the reasons
for the adoption of this "day-operatoI'
system, Mr.. Hobbs said IL was 10 facili-
tate the movement of the trains during
the hours when traffic IS most coHgested.
Takoma Block Only Open Days.
Then the Takoma block is not in use
after $500 queried Coroner hewitt.
NO. sir was the emphatic reply.
Further questions divulged the facts re-
garding the closing Of University block az
o'clock and the working of the Silver
Spring-Rhode Island avenue section as
one block during the rest Of the night
hours.
These blocks, then, are temporarily
eliminated" was asked.
Mr.. Hobbs replied affirmatively. He
was then asked as to the hours Of the
operator at TakOma, and said that Phil
lips was supposed TO be on duty twelve
hours. The block at Silver Spring, op-
Grating the fun twenty-fOur hours, said
Mr. Hobbs, was In charge OF three op-
orators, each working an eight-hour shift
This was done to comply with the laws
of Maryland, said the superintendent,
that compel the railroads to work their
employees only eight hours a day.
What signal does an operator of a day
block leave when he goes homer was
the next question
None at all" replied Mr. Hobbs. He
puts all his station lights cut and drops
his semOph0res."
Then followed mass Of questions on
technIcallues which led up 10 the ques-
ton As 10 what Engineer Hildebrand
should expect in the way Of signals at
Tekoma.
IF the engineer Of 2l2O received a white
light at Silver Springs at 6:2S and when
he arrived at Takoma he saw no signal
al an. what would he be supposed to I'M
dcrstand by thatg' was asked at the in
stigation of Assistant District Attorney
Turner.
Might Assume Block Clear.
IF the Takoma station appeared to be
closed ana the lights out. he might as
sumo that he had a clear block to Uni
versity.' was Mr.. Hobbs admission.
TO what do you ascribe the cause Of