Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05
copy three or four Western Union mes
sages. Never touched his railroad work. "
Signal Usually is Red.

COpy tuES0 VI IOuT w cStcTu OnlOH IiICS.
sages. Never touched his railroad work"
Signal Usually is Red.
Another question brought out the state
ment from Page that the normal position of
the target at Takoma Park is red. and that
it shows white. or clear. only so long as it
is held back by the operator. He said the
lever, when released, automatically flies
back to show red on the signal post over
the tracks outside.
Samuel Queen, a teamster residing at Ia
koma, testified he was at the station Sun
day evening. He saw train &c go past, and
heard both Sc and 2120 blow their whistles
before reaching Takoma. He declared the
signal at Takoma carried red light when
the dead-head equipment train went
through.
Corroborated by Policeman. 500
Policeman J. T. Kennedy of the tenth pre-
cinct was also at Takoma Park station Sum-
day evening. and he corrooorated the pre-
vious statements made about a red target
being set at the block station against engine
2l20. Kennedy estimated the speed Of the
train of empty coaches at fifty miles an
hour, and said he felt sure there would be
collision down the line because he was
confident the rapidly moving dead-head
would overtake the slowly travelling local.
Five minutes later he called up the station
house through the patrol box and received
instructions to go to the scene of the wreck
at Terra Gotta Immediately. Later he was
ordered to return to TakOma and place
Operator Phillips under arrest. On that oc-
casion, Kennedy said which was about
o'clock. or half-past, he stepped off the dis
lance and could see the red target light
from the snow mark" exactly forty-two
PAGES away. He added. however, that the
fog was considerably less dense at that
hour than when the accident happened.
Testimony along the same general line
was given by Fred. Lempke, gateman at the
Takoma Park crossing from o'clock am.
to IL o'clock pm each day at a salary Of
SAL per month. Lempke said he was at his
post Sunday evening and he heard the en-
CINE Of the approaching extra blow for Ia
koma. Immediately, he said, he looked up
at the target to see II the engine was to
stop or go through, and he saw the target
set at red.
University Station Operator Testif1es.
Calvin q. Ramsburg, operator at Univer-
sity station, followed the gateman on the
stand. He said he had been employed at
the University station seven years; that
he worked daily from o'clock am. to z
o'clock pm. at a salary of $55 per month.
Answering the coroner's question, Rams
burg said he first heard Of extra 212O be-
ing on the line when the operator at Ia
koma called on the wire and asked If train
GO was coming. Il replied sc not yet
witness continued, land Takoma answered.
extra 213O by my red signal going like
hell"
What did you do then" DR.. hewitt asked
Il ran out to the platform to see II 66
was in sight. and when | didn't see it
ran back to the key and asked Takoma
the time on extra 212O. He replied '6.31.' "
Assistant United States Attorney Turner
then took up the questioning and said to
RamsburK:
Look at your train sheet and schedule
and tell US what is the regular running time
of train &c between Takoma and Univer-
sty;.'
From your seven years experience what
would you say the time Of train 66 would
be from Takoma to University on a Sunday
night when 1t Is doing local work?'
About seven minutes" Ramsburg re-
piled.
First knowledge of Collision.
The first actual knowledge he had Of
the collision. witness said. when
the conductor Of train 66 came to the Uni
versity station and asked for doctors and
relief. He placed that time at 6:45 pm.
T. Henry Lynn of Kensington, employed
as operator at the New York avenue block
station. was called as witness to corrob-
crate the messages carried on the wire
Sunday night with reference to trains Sc
and 212O. He said the messages were not
intended for him. but he heard Takoma
report train 66 past. and before University
reported train &C past that station he heard
Takoma again come In on the wire and
say. Zl.U Dy my req SiSudl gong
like hell.
J. G. Trumble. postmaster and station
man at Silver Spring. was the next witness.
do YOU know of a train numbered go
on the division?' the coroner asked. Wit
ness replied in the affirmative.
Did it stop at Silver Spring Sunday
night?'
Just for a moment"
What signal did it receive to pass Silver
SPRING."
Clear Block Target
"a white light. or clear block target"
Trumble answered
Did you see the extra known as 2120
pass your station?'
Eyes. short time after &C had gone"
What signal did 1t receiver
"a clear target"
How about the green. or double green
signal are you sure 2120 did not go by
under eitehr of those signals?''
Eyes, because 1 was standing out on the
platform and saw the white"
Did you light the lanterns at Silver
Spring that night?'
What became of the green hand lantern
which would be needed to make up the 'dou-
BILE green signal?"
1T stood inside the station Just alongside
the ticket window where I placed it." F-
ut was not out on the PLATFORM the
coroner asked, by request of Commissioner
Mcfarland.
mo. SIR 1t was not moved after l SET
1t down on the floor of the station"
Operator Dutrow Recalled.
Operator Dutrow was recalled for a mo-
ment and asked to repeat the message sent
to him by the Takoma operator about the
extra 212O passing Witness Page had
stated Phillips signed that message
with his personal signature. IS. M" but
Dutrow could not remember definitely
whether the wire had read 20. S., K. A.,
s. G., X 212O by 6:31. X. A. as he prev
iously stated in his testimony. or whether
the first message had simply given the in
formation that the extra was past Takoma
without the time being mentioned.
did you ask for report on extra 212O
or did Takoma send 1T vOluntarily?' asked
the coroner.
81 do not remember" witness replied.
At o'clock adjournment was taken until
1890 o'clock this morning.
DR.. Belts Will Filed.
Mrs Emily N. Belt is named sole bene-
fciary of the estate of her husband, DIR.
Edward Oliver Belt who was killed in the
wreck at Terra Gotta Sunday night. DR..
Belts WILL dated May %, 1902, was offered
for probate late yesterday afternoon by
Attorney w. M Levin. Mrs. Belt Is also
named as executrix.