New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-05
Coroner, After "Star Chamber"
Inquest Into New Haven
Crash, Takes Engineer
and FIagman to Cells.
MILLER GIVES $4,000 BAIL
Murray, in Statement to Trib-
une Correspondent, Gives
Lie to Officials About
Being Sent to Stop
Express.

being oent 10 stop
Express.
tFrom STAFF Correspondent OF The Tribune
New Haven, Conn. Sept. 4.-Coroner
Eli Mix tonight ordered the arrest Of
Augustus B. Miller. engineer Of the
White Mountain express, and Charles
H. Murray, flagman of the wrecked
Bar Harbor train. on the New Haven
railroad, on suspicion OF having caused
the death of Royal A. Hotchkiss by
criminal negligence. This action was
taken after a prolonged session Of the
Coroners star chamber proceeding.
Hotchkiss. who was a New Haven
youth, son Of local broker was one
of two brothers who met death when
Miller's engine tore through three Of
the Pullman coaches Of the Bar Harbor
train.
+. A. Howard. inspector for the In
terstate Commerce Commission, when
told over the telephone tonight OF the
arrest Of Murray and Miller said:
The action Of the Coroner was taken
on his own initiative. The federal Off
cials had no knowledge that such a
step was 10 be taken. | am talking
with Chief Inspector Belnap. who is
here with me. and you can say with
his approval that what the Coroner or
the States Attorney may do will have
no effect whatever upon our inquiry.
I'VE will start tomorrow morning,
as planned. We will have all the wit
nesses we want and we will go ahead
with our programme.
We have no concern with what
those fellows do or do not do"
Miller and Murray both were at the
inquest. when served with warrants by
Coroner Mix, who then formally placed
them under arrest, and took them TO
the police station. Both men were
served with subpenas TO appear at the
government hearing when they reached
the station house. The subppnas were
handed to them by H. W. Belnap. chief
inspector for the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Miller was bailed out by Francis B.
Gates, secretary of the local branch
of the Brotherhood OF Locomotive En-
gineers. Bail was fixed at $1,000 for
each man. Murray was placed in a.
cell.
Miller entered an automobile and
was driven to his home at Montowese.
a suburb of this city. Before his de-
parture. Miller, who looked worn and
haggard, said:
Il have no fear Of the outcome"
Brotherhood Chief to Aid.
One member of Miller's brotherhood.
who would not permit his name 10 be
used in fear that he would lose his
lob as engineer on the New Haven
road, said:
This is the first move in the game
which the New Haven hopes will shift
the criminal responsibility. They will
try to make a scapegoat Of Miller, but
the entire strength Of the Brotherhood
OF Locomotive Engineers will be be-
hind Miller in this fight He will be
supplied ith the best counsel obtain
able. We have already telegraphed to
Grand Chief Stone in regard to this
case"
This step of Coroner Mix will serve
merely to hold Miller and Murray un-
til after coroner's jury has passed
upon their Eases. There is no doubt
that the coroner's jury will uphold
Mix.
Murray, seen by The Tribune corre-
spondent in his cell here late tonight.
and after much persuasion, consented
10 give his version OF how the wreck
occurred. Murray's hesitancy TO speak
was due to the fact that Some one had
tcld him that the entire press was hos
tile to him and Miller and were trying
to fasten the responsibility for the
deaths Of twenty-one passengers upon
them.
Murray who is little more than a
boy, was almost in tears as he told
his story. His voice broke. and fire.
uuently he had TO pause until he recoy-
cred his composure. He said he did
not know where his train stopped
Gives Lie to Officials.
And then he made this startling
statement, in direct contradiction OF
the stories given out by the railroad
officials:
II was not sent back to flag the
White Mountain Express BY the con-
ductor or anybody else"
Then. too. he gave the lie 10 the
railroad officials who have declared
that Murray went back six or seven
telegraph poles to set torpedoes. Muir
ray said he did not know how far back
he went. But he said 1t was not far.
THE night was foggy." he went on,
and when the train stopped got off
with my lantern and three torpedoes
and one fuse. had not gone far when
I heard my engineer whistling for me
to come back. bent down at once and
fastened the tcrpedoes to the track. and
was about to strike light and stick IT
in nv fuse when | heard the whistle
OF the oncoming train ahead Of me in
the fog.