Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-12
TERRA GOTTA WRECK
Hearing in Progress in Crimi-
nal Court No. l..
RAILROAD MAN ON STAND
Superintendent Of Transportation
Explains Rules and Signals.
EFFORT OF THE GOVERNMENT
Evidence introduced by Prosecution
Tending to Show Contradictory
Statements by Defendants.

CNlutNCe lSliulliS W SIio" tii'I vi CT
least one occasion members of the crew
Of train No. 212O, which crashed into
train Ne. 66 on the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, causing the wreck at Terra
Gotta, D. c., December 80 last, had con-
tradicted one another was introduced to-
day during the trial of Engineer Hide
brand, Conductor Hoffmeier, Fireman
McClelland and Brakeman Rutter in
Criminal Court No. 1. Charles r. Gallo
way, superintendent of transportation,
was again on the stand for most of the
day, and he declared that Hildebrand
and Hoffmeier had stated they passed
white target at Randolph, station sew
eral miles north of the scene of the acct
dent; that McClelland had denied Hide
brands statement that he had called out
the signal and, as a matter of fact that
there was no signal shown at all, the
agent having. violated orders by closing
the station ahead of time and putting out
the lights for the day before 212O even
appeared in sight
Again today there was comparatively
little interest in the proceedings. less
than fifty spectators being in the court
room at any one time. Many of them
were either prospective witnesses or rail-
road men, One of the conspicuous fig
ures In the room has been Engineer Yer
million, who was in charge of the local
train No. 66. on which 50 many persons
lost their lives.
Rules of Operation.
At the opening of the session this morn
ing United States Attorney Baker read
number of rules governing the oper-
alton of trains and the actions of train
men and enginemsn, in so doing, from the
book of rules of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company. MIR. Galloway, super
intendent of transportation of the rail-
road. who was summoned yesterday, re-
turned to the witness stand. He described
! he various grades along the company
metropolitan branch and gave the names
Of the block stations from Washington
Junction to Washington, with the hours
each is in service.
Randolph is a day block" witness ex-
planned, and is open from $50 o'clock
am. to $50 o'clock pm. daily Silver
Spring is day and night block. Takoma
is day block
Suppose a train enters the block at
Silver Spring one minute before the sta
ton at Takoma is due to close-what
should the crew expect to find at Ia
koma?" Mr.. Baker asked
The answer was prevented by objection
by the defense. but it was finally estab-
lished that the operators of day blocks
along the line are required to remain on
duty until the block on either side of
them is clear.
No special instructions to engineers or
trainmen were necessary, because they
would be governed by signals shown.
map of the Metropolitan branch had
been placed on the wall. and Mr.. Gallo
way used it to illustrate much of his testi-
mony before the jury.
Visited Scene of Wreck.
Mr.. Galloway testified that he reached
Terra Gotta about 10 o'clock the night of
December 80 and found there the two
wrecked trains. Engine 2120 was attached
to "deadhead' extra, witness stated,
composed of about eight coaches, and
about the only damage to it appeared to
be that the front of the car behind the
tender was broken. Mr.. Galloway saw
many dead and injured. He Identified
Hildebrand. Hoffmeier, McClelland and
Rutter they sat in the courtroom, and
said they were employees OF the Baltimore
ana Ohio railroad-Hildebrand as an en-
gineer, Hoffmeier as conductor. McClel-
land, fireman, and Rutter, brakeman.
Referring to the investigation by Cor
oner hewitt last January, Mr. Galloway
stated he heard Hildebrand admit he had
been at the throttle ON 2120 when the
crash occurred Concerning the signal at
| the station at Randolph, Mr.. Galloway
said that in the examination of the train
crew by the railroad company Hildebrand
| had declared a white light had been dis
played. saying he had not seen the signal
himself because 1t was obscured by a
|
| cab, but that his fireman CMcClelland)
| had called the signal
Light at Randolph.
In the same investigation. witness
| said. the fireman, McClelland, declared
he had neither seen nor called the Ran
dolph signal, because his train was past
the station before he realized it. Con-
| ductor Hoffmeier also said SO the witness
declared, that a white light had been
shown at Randolph.
| Mr.. Galloway testified that absolutely
no light had been displayed at Randolph
at the time train No. 2120 passed, the
| agent having closed and locked the sta
ton and tiled down" the signal arms
| several minutes before the time permitted
under the rules. The direct examina ton
| of the witness was concluded at 11:4l
| clock and Attorneys Davis and Bend.
helm undertook the cross-eSamination.
What would be indicated by the dis
| play of double green signal at Silve,
Spring after $3.50 o'clock in the evening"
| Mr.. Davis queried.
That another train was in the block
| with permission to use the crosS-over,
Mr.. Galloway answered. By close ques
tioning Mr.. Bendheim established by the