The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-05

fore II had been a Brighton Beach. so
he put up the senaphore directing the
train up Fulton street. As the train
passed him German saw the Brighton
Beach sign on t.
II went downstairs" he added, land
heard the notorman say he had got the
wrong ball''-neanins the wrong sema-
phore signal -"
Tho witness then described the
fnanouvre whereby Lewis got his train
from the Fulton street to tho Brighton
Beach. tracks. where II belonged. Here
Mayor Hylan asked his first question:
HE didn't back up?' Mr. Hylan said.
mo, be changed ends"--.meaning that
Lewis walked through the train and. re-
tracing his course on Fulton street,
the rear end. s,.. ..s...
Train Markers Were Not LIT.
The towernan said that this was the
only train that took tho wrong course
At the Franklin avenue junction on FRI
day. Cross examined by Mr.. Caliaghan
he admitted that II train bore the
proper markers he would be blamed II
II was not set on the right tracks. Mayor
Hylan asked him II he was sure Lewis's
train did not have the markers lighted.
The witness said he was sure.
Both youths who followed the tower
man on the stand limped. The first one,
Joseph Doyle. 10, Of 1877 Fast Fifteenth
street. said he got a seat at Park Row,
but gave II to a woman at F1atbush ave-
nue and moved UP to the front of the
first car, where he could see the motor
man In the latter's box. He said the
train went faster than was usual and
at stations stopped very jerkily.
8 Everybody was thrown forward an6
sideways he said The train went all
right along Fulton street, but east
around tlre curve into Franklin avenue.
and 1T Park place ran car length be-
yond the regular stopping point"
80 What happened after you left Park
placer the District Attorney asked.
/, we went down grade. picking UP
speed until We hit Eastern Parkway,
which Is all undermined. They are build
ing a. subway there. We went flying
past. At the Consumers Park station all
could see was a flash Of light. Then
We went into the tunnel and there was
a crash. O.. .... ... .-.
I'm not a good Judge Of speed. but
We were going fifty miles an hour. in
my estima lion" w. -+
Faster or slower than other trains on
which you have ridden?'
Faster. Exceptionally. fast. I never
rode that fast on a Brighton Beach train
before" 80. .s F..f,t
Have you. ever ridden as fast On any
train - 40. 49,
yes. the Pennsylvania Railroad"
The boy said the train did not slow
down at the fatal curve. At the moment
OF the wreck all he heard was shouting
and screaming and glass broken" He
said he helped other persons out of the
tunnel. He knew that the first car, In
which he rode, left the rails. for he felt
II humping along the ties, some place
In the tunnel
Did you notice. what the motorn,an
was doins?' Mayor Hylan asked.
q Doyle said he didn't.
Some Passengers Frightened.
The next witness, Ceoree Nordptrom.
10. OF 1873 East Thirteenth street, Is 4
chunl OF Doyle's and was with him on the
train. He said the train took the Sands
street curve Eat pretty risky speed" and
passengers were thrown to the other side
OF the car. Some passengers got on at
Franklin avenue because they we're so
scared" he added, which remark was
struck from the record
But you did see people get OF at
Franklin avenueT' inquired the Mayor.
Sordstrom answered, Yes, SIR"
Going around the Franklin avenue
curve" he continued, people were
thrown Into each others laps. At
Dean street the stop was kinda jerky.
A. Park place We ran by the platform;
so that people In the FIRST and second
cars had TO go to the rear of the second
car to get of. He let his train out on
mr. ,oN r..
We were going SO fast thought I would
bounce cfr. 1t was much faster than I
had ever ridden down there before. Con.
sumers' Park station was only a fash
OF light, as my friend says said to
my friend, We are going TO hit that wall
surer-"
The Mayor ordered this struck out on
objection from Mr. Callaghan, but Nord-
strom solemnly finished his sentence:
and had no sooner said Il than
we did" He went on.
II picked myself 70 In the middle OF
the track in front OF the train. ! was
thrown right through the front door.
The doors had been opened by a man
who was afraid OF catching influenza.
We used newspapers for torchea ] went
to the next station to get help. then went
back TO the wreck to help get out the
injured"
Blamed Wreck on Afr Brakes.
Half an hour. after the wreck Nord-
strom said he talked with Afotorman
Lewis. who was Oh the front platform of
the first car. A big man who had Joined
Nordstrom asked the motorman: So
What. was, the matter. with your
braites?'
The rnotorman said." narrated Nord.
strom, d" somebody's been tampering
with them and that they wouldn't work
My friend said to the motorman:
Like hell they wouldn't! You never
touched the damned brakes"
The man who sent Lewis on the
Brighton Beach run testified next, He
ie William Brody OF I2 Sterling place.
trainmaster at the Culver depot and EN-.
ployed by the u. II. T. fourteen years
He had known Tony Lewis about a year
as crew dispatcher. and before that as
towerman and guard. He insisted that
Lewis had taken trains out as a motor
man. but didn't know whether he had
operated on the Brighton Beach line IN
assisted until last Friday.
II found out he wac motornoa,
about October T." said Brody. "He told
me himself that he vas qualified and had
operated trains before. He was broken
In by Motorman John Murray OF the
Brighton Beach line"
Did you ever seen him operate a train
alone on that i!neT' the District Attor-
ney inquired. The witness said mo"
He said he regarded Lewis as a qualified
motormsH. both Lewis and T. f. Blewitt
division superintendent, having said he
was.
Blewitt Called Lewis Qualtaea.