The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-03
HYLAN QUESTIONS TUNNEL
WRECK VICTIMS; 3 ARRESTS

takes immediate personal and political
advantage OF disaster that means
death and lifelong sadness TO others. He
fixes responsibility before he hears the
evidence as Magistrate"
AS everybody knows, Mayor Hylan
used to he Magistrate. His reversion
to that status yesterday, involving as II
did tour OF hospital bedsides and re-
sentiment on the part OF some OF the
Public Service Commissioners, was the
most interesting development of the day.
When his Honor reached the Snyder
avenue court his first question was
Has anybody been arrestedT' Informed
OF the arrest OF three members OF the
train crew he exclaimed:
Huh No complaint against the big
ones?"
When the Mayor assembled the bench
District Attorney Lewis presented the
information of Borough Inspector Sam
uel a. McElroy. charging John Doe and
! Richard Roe with manslaughter In the
second degree and asked the Mayor to
sit as Magistrate and issue subppnas.
| II want to say" Mayor Hylan replied,
that after giving serious consideration
TO the frightful catastrophe and after
comforting with the District Attorney
last night. | came to the conclusion that
public necessity required that I sit as
committing Magistrate to Investigate
| the circumstances surrounding the acci-
dent. / talked the matter over with Dis
trict Attorney Lewis and he and I are
going to the bottom of this matter and
endeavor 10 place the blame on those
who are gully of any wrongdoing"
! Three witnesses Are Questioned.
The hearing was adjourned until 9
T.. VI. tomorrow at the Kings county
court house after District Attorney
Lewis had said
II would like to make IL known to the
court that 7 sent out a request for three
| witnesses to appear at the District At
torney's offices. Their names are Web
ster Talbot and Brodick. They are here
In court with Judge Oeland as counsel.
He tells me they will decline TO answer
| any questions"
Until they know whether or not they
arc charged with some offence | shall
advise them not TO answer any ques-
! TONS" Mr.. Oeland said. The Mayor told
Mr.. Lewis to subpoena whatever wit
nesses he required for tomorrow.
Later the three witnesses gave their
| full stories to Mr.. Lewis
From the court house the Mayor and
! his secretary, Grover Whalen, with a
stenographer. went to~the Kings County
Hospital. Their visit to the morgue need
! not be described. Several bodies there
are not identiiable. After n moment or
two Mayor Hylan said II cannot stand
this and left the place. In the yard
| the visitors met a man who was crying
over and over she is dead; she is
dead"
"If you need any assistance call on
! me and you'll get it," the Mayor told
( him.
The hospitals medical superintendent.
| DIR. Fitzgerald. took the party through
the wards where lay those injured in the
wreck. The first one with whom the
Mayor talked was Kurt Almirin, The
| conversation ran:
You were injured In this ACCIDENT"
Yes. sir. and my Wife"
Have you heard from your wife,
NO. I have a lot OF friends that are
looking for her
srnin Going "TerrtbIy Fast"
Was the train going very FAST"
Yes, terribly fast. You know they
made a mistake. You read about that.
They went up the wrong way" Almrn
referred 10 the train running up Fulton
street past the Junction OF the Fulton
street and Brighton Beach lines and
! then backing in order to reach the
| Brighton Beach tracks. In which opera
| ton eleven minutes were lost. which Mo-
tormsn Lewis apparently was trying TO
make up when the wreck occurred.
| How many times did he stop after he
| got back on the right track" the Mayor
| asked.
II don't remember. Two or three
| times
, II sympathize with you very much. I
| hope that your wife is all right. II there
| is anything | can do l will do it,
| That is very kind of YOU, and l APP
| preciate 1t very much"
! How old are you?"
| Forty years old"
! In another bed lay Garr!ek c. Marten
Of 1901 Avenue L, Sheepshead Bay. He
| said he was in the second car. He
couldn't say how fast the train was
going, explaining. You know when you
are travelling you don't pay attention"
I The Mayor promised him; we are 60
I ing TO do everything we can TO bring
those who are guilty TO the bar OF jus
t!ce."
Mrs. Helen Harley Of Emmons avenue,
Sheepshead Bay. said she was in the
! third car from the last (the second car
from the 'front.'.
1T seemed to me something was
| wrong she said 10 the Mayor. I'VE
stopped with JERK. then we went fast
and then stopped again. Instead OF
turning he went down Fulton street He
came TO a stop. Everybody was up in
the air, you know. They backed down
and came down along the Franklin ave-
nue. loop again."
Were they going fast?"
We took on terrible speed at the very
! nigh mart