New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-10
TWO KILLED, 100 HURT
IN L ROAD COLLISION

their coats over their neads and ran
| through the flames OF the burning cars
I TO give aid. VIM helped get the pas
sengers out on the tracks, remaining
with them until the 10th ST. station
was reached.
Mcmahon, motorman of the local
train. was the last TO leave. He fought
the flames until he was badly burned
and exhausted, but remained until the
firemen arrived By that time the
flames. carried by the wind, had set
fire to the switch house. Deputy Chief
King and Battalion Chief Clark sent
their men to the station platform and
the roofs of houses on the east side Of
Eighth av. and directed streams on the
fire. 1t took three-quarters of an hour
TO drench down the blaze.
When fremen could get into the
wrecked cars they began exploring the
debris. In the wreckage between the
trains they found two bodies. One was
that of Joseph Collins, fagman on the
rear of the express. His burned body
was driven halfway into the motor
mans box of the local train and was
almost unacceptable. Near by was
the body of Gottlieb Minnich. IL was
identified half an hour later by his
VILE. Inc COuplt hdu DttH mar itu
only six months.
AS soon as the news Of the collision
reached Thomas Ryan, head of the in
spection district, he sent fifty men TO
the scene. Harlem, st. Luke's and
Knickerbocker hospitals furnished
ambulances, all Of which were ordered
to the 10th ST. station, where the 800
local passengers were collected. A big
percentage of them were suffering from
cuts, bruises and shock.
According to Mcmahon, the motor
man, the trouble was caused by de-
fective circuit control, which ham,
pered him all the way on the run up
town and made it impossible for him
TO get on his brakes effectively as he
came in sight of the express at the
10th st. station. Mcmahon was badly
burned fighting the flames after the
crash and went to his home after he
had been treated by an ambulance sur
geon.
Ii is probable that the motorman's
arrest would have occurred soon after
but for the non-appearance of Coroner
Reardon. Up to 2 o'clock this morn
ing he had not appeared on the scene,
and Murphy and Breckenridge, even
after they turned up evidence tending
TO incriminate Mcmahon, postponed
action in the hope that the coroner
would arrive.
Soon after the fire had been put out
Frank Hedley, vice-president and gen
eral manager of the road, and Chair
man Mccall of the Public Service Com
mission arrived.
Judge Mccall ordered an immediate
investigation. William A. Finn, as
sistant fire marshal, also began an in
Quiry.
Up to midnight the West 123d ST.
police station was jammed with hys
terical crowds seeking news of rela-
tives or friends. The bodies of Min
nick and Collins were removed there,
and Mrs. Minnick appeared to identify
her husband. She showed new we'd
ding ring and said that her husband
wore one like il.
DR.. +. 7. RAY, physician TO Coroner
Healy, took the ring and went to the
stable in the rear of the station. He
soon reappeared with blackened we'd
ding ring from Minnick's hand.
Colins's body was Identified by his
two sons.
Joseph Richards, an employee Of the
Interborough, found a charred foot in
Eighth av. under the tracks where the
wreck occurred and brought it to the
station house. 1t is believed that the
member dropped from the body of
Minnick or Collins when it was re-
moved from the burned cars
All elevated traffic north of 104th t.
was paralyzed last night and surface
cars in Eighth av. were tied up for two
hours. Cars ran north to 18th st. and
passengers there got transfers 70 cars
waiting at ll7th ST.
Firemen readily blamed the cid
wooden car for the extent of the