New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-05
Inquest Already Begun.

4 short inquest into the cause Of to-
days wreck was held in the courthouse
here at O'Clock this evening. After
three passengers on the trains told their
experiences an adjournment was taken
until o'clock Tuesday afternoon, when
the crews Of the freight. passenger and
express trains Will be called.
None Of the three witnesses saw n
fagman go back from the passenger
train. and one said he did not believe
the express train lessened its speed when
II rushed on the stalled train.
George REYNOLDS. a silk warper, OF No
211 Spencer street. Brooklyn. was sm1k-
ing on the rear platform of the rear
car when he saw the express train rush
ing on him. and jumped. He testified
that he had not seen a fiagman 60 back
to warn any oncoming trains, although
Il was fifteen minutes from the time his
train stopped on account Of the freight
ahead 10 the time he lett his seat and
went TO the rear platform, and he couid
have missed seeing brakeman leave
The arm Of the semaphore was at right
angles, however.
That the engineer on the express train
paid no attention to the semaphore was
obvious. Reynolds thought, from the fact
that the speed Of tho train did not lessen
in the least. He sal The flagman might
have been around the curve, one hundred
yards away No blast of warning from
a whistle or from torpedoes came from
the express train. Reynolds said there
was some mist but not so much that he
could not see distinctly.
Michael Fetoducati, of No. 1913 Baxter
street, New York City, an assistant ship
ping clerk, who lost his mother in the
wreck had been riding in the steel day
car next 10 the end Of the train. When
the train stopped, because Of the freight
block ahead, he got off and walked up
and down between the end Of the train
and his car.
Fifteen minutes passed between the
time his train stopped and the time he
got off the train, he said, but after he
left the train ne did not see any fagman
near the curve, neither did any trainman
90 through the car while he w"~ sitting
inside. He said he could not there
was no fiagman around The The
thickness of the mist did moi p.,,ent his
seeing far
Charles Lorenzo. cousin Of Fetodu-
cat, blacksmith, living al No. 222
Eighth avenue, Newark. was the only
other witness He knew nothing Of what
preceded the crash. he said, but he de-
scribed the after scenes, when escaping
himself, he discovered his aunt. Mrs.
Fetseducati, under a seat and some glass.
He lifted her out and she talked CO.
herently, but complained Of internal pain.
Forty-fiv minutes later she died.
Blames the Engineer.
A statement concerning the wreck was
given out by General Superintendent f,
NJ Rine of the Lackawanna tonight. in
which he SAYS:
believe that the cause Of the accident
was undoubtedly due to the fact that En-
gineman Schroeder. I'm charge Of the ex-
press train, ran through the block and past
4 fiagn9n who had been sent in tlle rear
of train No. 9, which was standing still
This fagman claims TO have gone behind
the train the required distance, according
10 the book Of rules of the Lackawanna
Railroad Company. This is the only cause
which ] can ascertain at the present time.
We are doing everything in our power 10
take care of the passengera VINO were eth
er seriously injured or merely suffered from
shock or bruises. The company stands
ready 10 make accommodations for any OF
ba f.ag WT0pkpd
train. The officials OF the compan viii
aid in every way TO have a con plete in
vestigation Of the facts Of the case made.
Superintendent Of Motive Power, II c.
Manchester, Of Scranton. and Superintend.
ent G. A. Poore OF Buffalo, are here IN
Corning and are aiding me in making this
investigation.
Mr.. Rine said he had the statement