Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-17

| What might have been a fnghtful
| wreck of train No. 23s. known the
Southwestern limited. which passed
through here early this morning on its
way from New Orleans to New York.
| was prevented by an inspector OF police
Of the Washington Terminal Company.
| The inspector discovered an iron shoe
about two feet long and six inches wide
securely wired to the track near the en-
trance to the tunnel at the Union station.
an obstruction which, in the opinion OF
the railway officials. would undoubtedly
have derailed the long line of Pullman
cars of the southern train. and piled
them in a heap in the. tunnel had IL
not been found. 1t was removed about
one hour before the train was due.
Dominic Falaco, twenty-four years old.
of q Es street northwest, track walker
In the employ of the terminal company,
is today in cell of the sixth precinct
station. charged with having attempted
to wreck the train. He confessed this
afternoon after having been "sweated"
for about an hour today by Chief Will
liam Tyser of the terminal police. Charles
German. inspector of police of the Penn
sylvania railroad. and Detective Sergt.
Burlingame and II. G.. Pratt of the local
police department At first he firmly
maintained his innocence and declared
that he knew nothing whatever about
how the shoe became fastened to the
rail.
Has Been Suspected.
Falaco. the terminal police say. has
been under suspicion. for more than a
week. He is alleged to have run into a
drug store on f street about a week ago
and declared that some one tried to shoot
him in the tunnel. He has been employed
as a track walker for the last two years.
As he walked through the tunnel this
morning he was followed by Inspector
German. who found the obstruction on
the track. and promptly arrested the Ital-
ian. Both ends Of the tunnel are carefully
guarded and an accurate account kept Of
those who pass through il. Just before
Falaco walked the track engine had
passed over 1t. and the police knew that
from that time until Inspector German
.patrolled the tunnel no one had been in
II but Falaco.
The officials of the Pennsylvania road
have been keeping close watch on the
tunnel since about two weeks ago. when
several distractions were found on the
tracks and an engine and truck going at
slow speed were derailed near the en-
trance to the tunnel as the result of a
deliberate attempt at train wrecking.
Seven detectives were called from outside
cities by the railroad officials. and dis
guised workmen were assigned to
watch the tunnel. Inspector German,
who found the obstruction this morn
ing, is one of these detectives and was
brought here from Wilmington. Del.
Falaco an italian Subject.
Falaco, who is an Italian and speaks
only broken English. has been I'm this
country two years. When arrested he had
$JO75 in his pocket. He is married and
has a wife in Italy.
The railroad officials say tina. he has
been a good workman. He will be brought
to the Police Court tomorrow. Section $40
of the District code, which provides d
penalty for those guilty of train wreck
ing. says:
"Whoever maliciously places an ob-
struction on or the track of any
steam or street railway. or displaces or
injuries anything appertaining to such
track, with intent TO endanger the pas
sage of any locomotive or car. shall be
imprisoned for not more than ten years
The railroad officials and police are at
q loss to discover motive for Falaco's
act. In his confession as interpreted by
Policeman Oriani he said he had been
drinking. The police suspect that he
attempted to cast discredit upon fell
low-trackwalker. whose duty IL was to
see that the rails were free from obstruc-
ton.
On several occasions Falaco claims to
have discovered obstacles the tracks.
and the police suspected that he was try
ing to discredit a colored man who works
with him. but who is on for fourteen
hours, while he II on for only ten.
Falaco is a fine looking fellow. and to-
day while having his picture taken at
the police station explained that he was
ssall dirty" from working.