New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-19
CORONER RIORDAN
May FACE CHARGE
marlborough Lawyer De
nOunces His Conduct at
81" Accident Inquiry.

Charges Of incompetence IN all prob
ability will be preferred TO Governor
Whitman against Coroner Patrick d..
Riordan. according TO James l.. Quack-
enbush. attorney for the lnterborougn,
who denounced the CorOner's system A.
a meeting OF a subcommittee Of the
County Lawyer Association yester-
day.
The committee has been chosen to
draft a report on means OF lettering
the Coroners' office, or on the neces-
sity of doing away with II altogether.
Mr.. Quackenbush was harsh on the
Coroners in general and on Riordan in
particular.
"The demeanor Of this man" he said,
speaking Of his disagreement with
Riordan at the inquest into the respon-
sibility for the elevated wreck IN De-
cember. when two passengers lost their
lives; "the demeanor of this man was
utterly unbecoming and disgraceful. ]
was from the beginning suspicious that
he was deliberately trying 10 influence
, the jury to bring in verdict against
the officers and directors OF the road.
II is terrible thing that there should
he lodged in such a man of such weak
character and of no knowledge OF the
law the power TO bring against repu-
table citizens the charge Of manslaugn-
ter"
Making the Office appointive wouldn't
better things" said Coroner Flynn. OF
The Bronx, in an interview. ut would
merely dump the whole business into
tun
would see one group Of politicians
pushed out and another pushed in. As
10 having a special medical examiner
for Coroner. as has been suggested. ],
who am plumber. got 1900 more votes
than my competitor. who was doctor.
Coroner Riordan yesterday began
secret investigation into the subway
accident OF January g. in which Ellen
O'Grady was asphyxiated. II Is not
expected that the inquest. which under
the law must be public, will he held for
n fortnight.
81 have adopted this method" the
coroner said. Gin order 70 get at the
exact truth and get the facts from
witnesses who otherwise might he
inundated in one way or another, or
not feel as free to talk Il they were IN
the presence of lawyers and knew that
everything was being checked up.
Furthermore, under this system the
PETERBOROUGH won't know everything
that is going on and be m a position
10 check me-
In consequence of the trouble ar 53d
ST. Fire Commissioner Adamson has
arranged for the formation Of spe-
cial squad TO handle any such case as
may arise in the future. As outlined,
the squad will be on call at all times
and be Quilted with smoke helmets
and other devices the recent accident
showed TO be useful.
The men appointed by Commissioner
/ Adamson are John J. McElligott, cap
tain; Edwin A. Hotchkiss, lieutenant;
| Thomas Kilbride, Walter A. OLeary'
John f. Mooney. John P. Ryan. Frank
I G. Clark. Alfred kinsela, Alfred V.
/ Henretty and James Shaw.
/ Blood tests performed on those who
were taken to hospitals following the
/ subway tie-up two weeks ago have
proved that the gases inhaled contained
vaporized lead. copper and oil. Ger
/ tificates of the physicians who made
the tests we're introduced yesterday Al
/ the District Attorneys investigation.
The fact that the heat Of the short
circuited cables vas sufficient to va
porize the metal is considered impor-
tant in that It mas a bearing on the
question OF negligence in allowing the
power to STAY on after the trouble
started. A subway guard testified that
The power was on for at least half an
hour after the trains became stalled.
Several Of the witnesses testified
that the gas which filled the tube had
anesthetic qualities. which did great
deal toward averting panic. Accord,
| ing 10 them the gas was soothing and
not hard to breathe. They said that
it caused slight smarting Of the
throat and that it made its victims too
sleepy TO struggle with one another IN
| their efforts TO leave the trains.