New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-20
D. H. Cochran Killed Under
Tons of Concrete Which Crash
Down 20 Feet to Street
at NOStrand Avenue.
VICTIM AN ART CRITIC
Long Island Road Can't Account
for Sudden Crumbling of Big
Walls-Weather Changes
and Heavy Traffic May
Have Been Cause.

The upper section Of the stairWay
bound platform of the Long Island
Railroads NOstrand avenue station
gave way suddenly late yesterday
afternoon, and tons of concrete fell
to the ground. burying beneath it Da-
yid H. Cochran. we'll known art ex-
pert and son Of DR.. Cochran. once
| head of the Polytechnic Institute of
Brooklyn.
The cause Of the accident was not
known last night. but It was thought
that the weather changes had affected
the concrete. and 1t was in condition
to break when an unusually heavy
| train ran into the station.
The body Of Mr.. Cochran was in such
a condition when II was dug out of the
ruins that Identification was possible
| only through marks in the clothing
and through papers in the pockets. In
one of the pockets. by the way, was a
/ beautiful pearl necklace Mr.. Cochran
had bought an hour before as his
christmas present to his wife.
Mr. Cochran was representative Of
the Durand- Ruel Art Galleries. at No.
: West Both street Manhattan. lie
was an expert appraiser Of pictures
His father DR.. Cochran, who died
about three years ago. was one Of
Rrooklyn's hest known citizens and
about a decade ago was head of the
Polytechnic Institute.
Leaving his law Office late yesterday
afternoon. Mr.. Cochran did some
shopping for Christmas purchasing
among other things the pearl necklace,
which was found in his pocket. He
went to Brooklyn by subway. and took
n Long Island train al the FlatbuSh
avenue terminal intending 20 so TO his
home at No. 113 Macon street.
When he got off at the Nostrand ave-
me station there were about Two hun
dred people there waiting for trains
going east. Mr.. Cochran walked down
the short flight of steps. through the
waiting room and on 10 the top section
OF the stairs that lead to the corner of
New York and Atlantic avenues. There
was no one else on that part OIL the
stairs except himself
Jnbn Mikola, a labOrer who lives at
No 1447 Dean street was on the lower
section Of the stairs. and had almost
reached the sideWal Suddenly he
heard breaking and tearing, and then
turned TO see the huge masses OF con
crete breaking III chunks and pilhg up
on The street. A gaping hole above the
landing showed where the stairs had
been.
NIikola rushed over to the pile Of con-
crete. lie did not know that any one
had been injured until he saw two legs
sticking out from the great heap Of
concrete.
Workmen came with shovels and
picks. and after hard half hours
work the body was taken out.
The Long Island Railroad Company
would make no statement last night
about the accident. All sorts Of the
ories we're offered. one was that the
weather changes lately have affected
the concrete. and that the heavy trains
with the new steel cars now being used
had caused crystallization. The station
| is about twenty or thirty feet above
! the street level. The Coroner will make
| an investigation to-day.
Nr. Cochran was about forty years
old and lived with his wife and nine
ye3r-oId son at the home OF his father
! in law. Willard G. Merritt.