The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-06-22
Regular Train Didn't Know
Special Was on
Track.
RUNNING FAST
TO MAKE UP TIME
Erasures on Orders and Oral In
structions Figure in Testimony.
Evidence of Motorman Needed.

ANNAPOLIS, Nd, June 22.-With a
maze OF conflicting testimony. and the
responsibility seemingly shifted from
one shoulder 70 another as the investi-
cation progresses. Coroner John j.
Davis today resumed the inquiry into
the causes Of the head-on collision on
the Washington, Baltimore and Annap-
oils Railway, June 5. which caused a
loss Of nine lives and injury 10 a score
OF passengers
Oral orders. interliued orders. and an
apparent general misunderstanding
among the employees as 10 what was
happening on the line. figure in the
naiX-up.
The jury retired shortly after l
o'clock to consider the evidence. and q
verdict is expected during the after
noon The inquest is being held. praC-
ucally speaking, over the body OF Mrs.
Mary A Green, OF Washington, one OF
the nine victims, although the same
testimony will be made TO apply TO all
cases.
Need Missing Motormap-
Adding to the difficulty in fixing r.
sponsibility for the catastrophe IS the
absence Of Motorman Wadsworth, who,
although expected to testify. is not
present, having gone. it is understood.
10 his former home in Ohio, beyond
the jurisdiction Of the Maryland au-
thorities. MotOrman Wadsworth was in
charge Of the extra car which collided
a short distance above Camp Parole
with the regular Baltimore train, No.
1SS, on the night of the wreck.
The inquiry today 80 lar shows from
the testimony Of witnesses the follow
ing:
That the regular train at the time OF
the collision was running at a speed
Of seventy miles an hour.
That the conductor and motorrnan OF
this train had no knowledge whatever
Of an extra being on the line.
That Conductor Burnasco and Motor
man Wadsworth. in charge OF the ex
ira, were running at a speed Of twenty
miles an hour. and endeavored to make
Best Gate in the belief that it was not
possible for the regular to make that
point within the time it did.
Changed Train Order.
Train Dispatcher Scott first sent the
following order to the extra: Car No.
Il will run extra from Annapolis 10
Academy Junction. Car No. z will
meet engine No. on car 1S3 at Best
Gate" A moment later. so Mr.. Scott
testified. he changed his mind about this
and instructed Operator Shoemaker. at
Annapolis. to scratch out" that Dor
tiOE Of the order relating to meeting
the other train at Best Gate. The re-
habtitated order read Gar No q will
run extra from Annapolis 10 Academy
Junction, and report at Best Gate
Conductor Burnasco says he construed
this order as meaning that the road
was clear 70 Best Cate. He admitted
that the order he received from the
Annapolis operator bore an erasure and
that II is against the rules of the com
papy to accept an erased or interlined
order. He would not have done SO in
this instance. he said, except that Oper-
ator Shoemaker assured him that every
thing was all right.
Operator Shoemaker. placed upon the
stand moment later, denied absolute
II that he had given the crew of the
extra d any assurances whatever, but
had merely handed them the written
order with the admonition 10 look out
for regular No 133.
Operators Disagree.
There is also a discrepancy in the
testimony Of Dispatcher Scott and Oper-
atOr Shoemaker as to the exact Ian
guage used by the former In telling the
Annapolis operator to kill the original
message. Dispatcher Scott says he told
him to destroy or bust the order.
which means 10 write a new order
Shoemaker says that he dictated the
original order over the phone and then
said.
Wait a minute; scratch It out" re-
ferring TO that clause authorizing the
meeting Of the regular train at Best
Gate
Conductor Isaac WaiTaVen said that
he left Academy Junction with the reg
ular train at rs p. m, making Water
bury at 1888. This IS a distance OF a III
tie over six miles. He figured that he
would have made Camp Parole at 40
IN this manner gaining ten Of the thir-
teen minutes he was behind had not
the collision occurred.
Continued on Second Page.)