New-York tribune., 1919-03-06
State toOpen
Case Against
B. r. T. To-day
District Attorney Lewis VIII
Contend That Officials Arc
Responsible in Accidents
Staff Corrcanon6ence

Staff Correspondence
MINEOLA, Long Island, March s.
After three days sparring between at
torneys jury was completed this af-
ternoon to hear the case of Thomas F.
Blewitt, B. K. T. division superntend-
ent, on trial here for manslaughter as
result Of the Malbone Street tunnel
wreck OF last November
The case for the people will be out
lined by District Attorney Harry f.
Lewis, Of Kings, upon the opening of
court tomorrow.
Although Mr.. Lewis has announced
that each of the six B. r. T. men in
dicted on the manslaughter charge will
be tried on different basis, it is
known that the prosecution consider RS
the Blewitt case fundamental to the en-
tire series
In his opening tomorrow Mr.. Lewis
will contend that the high officials of
traction company are primarily re-
sponsible for the company's efficient
operation. He will hold that where
such officials do not take precautions
the officials, rather than the motorman,
are guilty in case of accident
Dispatcher Incompetent, Charge
Edward Luciano, the train dispatcher
who while acting as motorman drove
the train which crashed to destruction
IN the Brighton line tunnel, was me-
chanicallyS Sunft for the post, Mr. Lewis
will assert. He'll will sketch the labor
troubles in which the BROOKLYN RAND
transit was involved at the time.
The attitude of the B. r. T. on the
labor question and it's alleged disre-
gard of a War Labor Board rulinp
will, it has been intlmated, be further
elaborated when the case of Colonel
timothy S. Williams, former presi-
dent Of the B. r. r.. comes up. To-
morrow District Attorney Lewis will
contend that Blewitt put on motor
men without proper examination.
q. d.. Meneely, treasurer; J. II.
birmingham, secretary, and John f.
Egan. another division superintendent
all OF the B. r. T., are to be the first
witnesses for the state.
AS the end of the second panel of
talesmen was neared to-day attorneys
on both sides became more and more
wary.
Defence Eliminates Brooalynites
You realize the prosecution
asked, that if man takes the
stand here and says that he thought
So-and-so was competent to run a
train, and that he had investigated
that that does not necessarily mean
mat he had fulfilled his responsible
ties, do you not"
The defence continued to eliminate
az many Brooklyntes as possible and
nevoted scrupulous attention to the
ianor angle of the case.
AS finally made up the jury consist,
of Charles {. Boyd, a plumber. OF
"estbury; Edward F. Verify, an auto
mobile mechanic Of Seaford: Josiat
Dow. retired blacksmith. Of Glor
Head; Edward V. Dibble, farmer. OF
Lynbrook; James r. Coud. retired
Brooklyn policeman now Of Merrick
Carl Il. Spmks, farmer. Of Central
Park; John ~. Smith retired farmer
Of Port Washington; William b
Wooley, II farmer, of Baldwin; Chcste,
Carman, an engineer. Of Lawrence: All.
bert I. Moon. Il real estate agent. o,
fedarhurst; William +. Rhinchart ,
bank teller. Of Inwood, and Walter r
Smith. retired farmer, of Freeport.
Precautions unusual for man.
slaughter trial are being taken 10 kccr
these men lYolatrd