Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-21
RAILROAD ADJUSTING CLAIMS
Liberal Course Toward Victims
Meets Approval Of Taxpayers.
Another Fatal Accident.

Tho Jurors have been notified to be on
hand promptly. The coroner and Nicholas
II. Green. states attorney. are DESTROYS
Of concluding the hearing Monday.
Interest centers in the testimony OF
Edward Bernasco and George Wadsworth.
conductor and notorman, respectively. on
the extra. Frank Walraven, conductor
of the passenger coach, Is also expected
| to make a statement.
| While some predict that Wadsworth
| will be here to testify there Is no GER
to Washington the night of the wreck
1t Is reported he departed thence to
Cuyahago Falls. Ohio. two days later.
| States Attorney Davis and Justice OF
not been in direct communication with
| Wadsworth. although they had been adj
| vised he will probably be on hand at the
| hearing.
Bernasco Able to Appear.
| Edward Bernasco. under surveillance
at the Emergency Hospital for several
| days. will be able to appear. 1t was stated
| at the hospital tonight. He was able to
leave the hospital long enough today to
| visit a barber shop.
| His shoulder was fractured and he sus-
| tanned other injuries. There has been 50
great improvement, In his condition that
| hospital when he leaves there Monday to
attend the hearing.
There is only one other victim Of the
| wreck In the hospital here. She is Miss
Louise Van Meter OF Martnsburg. w.
Va. who sustained a broken leg and Sc
we're injuries about her body. She will
probably not be able to return home for
| a fortnight
Information has been received here from
Baltimore that William e. Slaughter. gem
who lost one eye and was otherwise
! seriously injured. Is improving. 1t is
| stated that he Is out of danger and that
his speedy recovery is expected.
| Justice Of the Peace Davis, the states
attorney and others who have watched
the case closely expect the jury will hold
! somebody responsible for the wreck. The
| magistrate says the testimony thus far
the crew Of the special car-Wadsworth
and Bernasco-although the testimony
given Monday may make a complete
change in the status OF the case.
! 1T is an extremely complicated case:
to say the least. Magistrate Davis told
a Star reporter tonight. 1T is difhcult
to surmise what the result will be. am
satisfied the road officials want the ao-
cident thoroughly investigated and feel
certain they will lend what assistance
| they can"
The justice said 1t is his intention to
bring the hearing to close Monday. II
possible There will be no effort made
to hurry the witnesses. however. he
stated, as the jurors are to have the bene-
At Of all possible testimony.
| He said he had heard nothing direct
from Wadsworth. but had been told the
motorman would probably be at the hear
Wadsworth because he went away from
hero. he said, knowing he was injured
be with his family in washington: He
did think he should have advised the
oficials Of the county and the railroad
company of his whereabouts after he left
Washington.
May Bring Wadsworth Back.
.If wadsworth is not on hand Monday"
said the magistrate. 1.-The hearing will
proceed without him. Should the jury
feel disposed to hold him accountable
| for the accident 1t will then be incumbent
upon the authorities to send and bring
him here
| torney Green said tonight that all wit
nesses who have given testimony will be
| on hand Monday. It will be necessary.
| they say. to recall some witnesses. es-
and have them repeat portions Of their
testimony and explain other testimony
| that has been given to the jury. Vice
President Shanahan. Train Dispatcher
Scott. Thomas NJ. Childs. master me-
| chanic. and ]. J. Doyle. assistant superin-
tendent of transportation. are among
| those who will probably be recalled.
A resident Of the county. who boarded
| the car from Baltimore at a way station.
AMI noticed the time he boarded it. it
| is stated, is expected to fix the time of
the accident more definitely than it has
| been fixed. The question of the exact
| time the accident occurred will have an
| important bearing on the case.
ho Aysof NJ "a is1rx
the testimony disclosed that the Baltimore
train was probably ahead Of time and
| that the accident would probably have
| been avoided had not such been the case.
The running Of the regular car, however.
it is said, had no bearing on the move
ments of the special train. SO far as the
| members of the crew were concerned,
| they knowing nothing Of the presence of
the extra car on the road.
Copies of the orders regulating the pas
| sage of car No u were produced at the
| inquest. 1t was said the orders were lost,
and Wadsworth is alleged to have said in
| an interview that the production of the
order was his only salvation.
| copy of the order. which belonged
either to Wadsworth or Conductor Ber-
nasco. was found among the wreckage.
from Academy Junction by Dispatcher
| Scott, and it ia thought the paper was
jostled from the pocket Of either the mo-
| tOrman or conductor.
| "A copy VI dnOtner OfQor pertaining TO
| the movements of the extra car earlier in
the day was also picked up in the debris.
The fact that no mention was given to
| the crew of the regular car from Balti-
| more by the train dispatcher at the juno
| ton. and that the crew did not know that
| the extra car was headed from Annapolis,
| has caused considerable discussion.
Railroad Adjusts Claims.
| Road officials have already settled many
claims for damages made by passengers
| on the Inflated car. 1t Is stated they
! have been liberal in their dealings with
| the victims.
They have already settled many claims
| and are showing liberality and a DISPOSE
| ton to do what is right" Attorney James
w. Owens. counsel for the county COM
missioners. told Star reporter tonight.
| Their only antagonism to some Of the
| claims is their objection to paying contin-
| gent fees. Their action In effecting set
Elements meets with commentator from
| the taxpayers"
| Discussing the testimony already given
| to the jury, Attorney Owens said 1t was
| shown that the regular was about five
! minutes ahead Of schedule time. He
| thought the accident could not have been
averted. however. even If the regular had
| been on time.
After ALL he said. 1.-The question Of
orders given to Motorman Wadsworth
and Conductor Bernasco will probably