Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-19
Cause Of n. Y. Central
Accident Still Unknown.
-Four Investigations Into the
Affair Being Made.
New York 81" Towerman Is Pun.
ished For Fatal Accident.

New York. Feb. 1S.-F'our distinct
Investigations into the wreck of the
Brewster Express on the New York
Central Saturday We're in progress to-
day. one was under the direction of
the coroner, a second was made by the
New York State Railroad Commission,
a third by the district attorneys office
of New York county and the fourth
by the railroad
Tonight police lists show u dead as
a result Of the wreck with Il possibility
that four or five others may die in hos
pitfalls or at their homes III this city or
White Plains. 1t is expected that the
final death list will not exceed 25
Most Of the injured are doing well,
about dozen remaining under treat
ment in the hospitals in the Bronx
Coroner Schwannecke today, after
taking the evidence of passengers and
one railroad official in his court, con-
Quoted his jury to the scene of the
disaster and there went over the
ground with them and with several
witnesses. The coroner produced parts
ol fails which We're torn up by the
train and explained to the iurymen
MS tneory-to the effect that the
motors, swaying from side to side
while running under heavy Speed. had
struck the curve and had bent ONT
ward one of the rails, but had passed
safely over. drawing the rest of the
traln over the break until the last ear
was reached.
lhls the coroner believed hit the
broken section, WAS thrown on its side
against the third rail which was snan-
ped in two. The impact, he thought
nad broken the coupling between tha
smoker and the three cars FOLLOWING
and thrown them off the track on their
sides. The coroner showed tho inv,
men the ties between the tracks in SIN
port of a theory that the motors and
smoker left the rails, hough they wera
not overturned and no one in tban,
was injured. The rails the coroner ex-
hibited showed that the top Of one was
Clipped off and that the heads of the
lish plates III a second We're cut off as
though with 9 knife. The coroner he
lleFe5 the motors and smoker ran over
an eighth of mile, part of the time on
the Ties. before they We're brought TO
Il stop.
After this inspection and some unin-
portant testimony the jury was excused
until tomorrow.
The railroad investigation is being
conducted with a view to determine the
cause OF the accident, but no results
nave Deen announced. A score of detec-
ives are running down every clue. one
rumor involving a theory of track
Wreckers. But little credence is placed
in any such theory.
The state Railroad Commission todav
went over the scene of the wreck. ac-
colnpanied by several railroad officials.
NO announcement was made, but it is
sad that the commission inclined to
the belief that the accident was due
TO defect in the motors of one of the
cars 1t was intimated. though not Off
clally, that the wreck was not due eth
er to defective rails or the great
speed of the train.
1t was also determined, il is said to-
night, that the motor cars also left the
track. The railroad engineers told the
commission that the curves where the
accident occurred was laid for 4 speed
Of 65 miles an hour and that the train
was not running ut this rate when the
cars We're derailed.
The hearings will be continued.
Trains We're running on schedule time
today on the Harlem division.