The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-06

Called Again to Explain.
After four days Of rigid inquiry, IN
coroner's inquest over the bodies of tn
victims of the railroad disaster at Terri
Gotta last Sunday was adjourned yester
day afternoon until tomorrow morning
with the following important facts estab
lished by the testimony:
That conflicting testimony has been
given by one or more of the wit
nesses.
That under the block system used
by the Metropolitan branch, Engineer
Hildebrand. Of the extra that crashed
into the passenger. train, did not eX-
pect any signals ut TakOma Park. as
that station is supposed TO be closed.
That no rule of the railroad company
has been produced to show that Hide
brand should have expected signals at
Takoma under such circumstances.
That the crew of neither train was
aware of the proximity of the two
trains: nor had they any means of
knowing under the present methods OF
train-dispatching,
That no special precautions are re-
quired of trainmen in foggy weather.
That no rule or regulation of the
railroad having any direct bearing on
the accident has been shown, as yet,
10 have been violated.
That Hndebrand, not knowing the
it safe in Washington. exercised no
special preesution in approaching
Terra Gotta.
That general laXity exists among
trainmen and their sUperiors in regard
To the regulation OF their watches and
the clocks in the stations along the
line
That according TO the sworn testi-
mony of several trainmen, it Is com
mon practice for two or more trains
to be running in the same block, on
the same track, and going in the same
direction.
That if Operator Dutrow. of Silver
Spring. gave the double green sig
nal to Engineer FiHdebrand. as Hide
brand has testified, the direct blame
for the wreck may he found 70 rest
upon DuJrow. and directly upon the
system under the operation of which
burrows error made the calamity
possible.
Marked contradictions in the testimony
the signals displayed at Silver
Spring for trains C. and 2l10 developed
early in yesterdays session OF the inquest
3. /. VermilIi0n, engineer Of the wrecked
train, was the Hrst witness, and his ties
timony was In direct variance with that
OF Operator DuroW OF Silver Spring
who had appeared earlier in the week
Operator Dutrow had testified that ht
had given the white OF clear signal tC
both trains-55 and g2a In support oil
this statement, De produced one witness
J. c. Tumble Of Silver Spring-Who ap-
peared Friday and eorr0borIted DutFow'.
testimony. Tumble IS employed by IN,
railroad 10 assist DutrOw at the Silver
Spring Station, but has nothing TO do
with the Geographic work
saw Double Green signal.
Engineer Vermuuon gave testimony
that the double green" sigma
was displayed at Silver Spring when q
arrived and left there Sunday evening
That the green signal was there was also
the sworn testimony of four other train
men called as succeeding witnesses. They
were NermHioHs fireman. John Craw-
ford, Conductor Maggie, of 66. II. c.
Crockett, 1914 Twelfth street northeast. a
fireman, who was of duty and rode in the
cab Of NeTmillions engine from Gathers
burg to Terra Gotta, and Harry Hide
brand, engineer OF 2l20 1t is understood
that the conductor, brakeman. and fire.
man Of 2l3o are prepared 10 testify that
they too, saw the double green signal at
Silver Spring. Thus the case stands-the
word Of seven men against two
1t appeared that the. double green" con-
sists of "A green hand lantern hung on the
target or signal pole. below the target
Itself. and the display Of the green light
1n the target proper. When thus displayed
At Silver Spring. at about $50 O'Clock in
The evening. it is construed by trainmen
passing east TO mean that the Takoma
Park station is closed for the night, and
hat the block extends TO University, and
hat they are to look out for work train
pr extra using the cross-over at Terra
Gotta or University. The cross-over Is a
switch connecting the east and west
bound tracks, by use of which a train
may pass from one main track TO the
other.
Thought TakOma Was Closed.
From Engineer VermilHon's testimony
{ appeared that when he saw the double
green at Silver Spring he thought that
Takoma must have been allowed 10 close
+ little earlier than usual by permission
IF the train dispatcher. and that he was
somewhat surprised 20 find
when he arrived at Takoma that the or
ice was still open. There he was given Il
white light, which meant under any cir
that the block to University
vas clear for him to proceed.
Engineer HIIdcbrand. who WAS called
ate in the afternoon, and whose hearing
viii be resumed when the inquest reopens
o-morrow morning. explained in his tes-
imony that the double green at Silver
spring meant positively To him that Ia
IONA was closed, and that he was to pro-
.eed to University. watching out for a
rain using the Terra Gotta cross-over
His statements were clear and concise.
He showed-and printed rules were pro-
iuced TO substantiate him-that the train
using the cross-oveT was compelled by
he rules 10 have a fagman out in both
directions To protect his train against the
approach of others. According 70 Hide
brand, Takoma was eliminated from cor
5ideratiOn, as ii was after G.30 when he
passed that station. and he had. besides
'eceived the double green at Silver Spring.
Is Rigidly Examined.
He was rigidly questioned as to his
speed. not only by the coroner. but by
Assistant District Attorney Turner. From
statements and the caloula-
ions made from the figures on the block