New-York tribune., 1921-02-14
Hampstead Express Hits
Local, Running Ahead
of Its Schedule, at the
Autumn Avenue Station
olice and Firenen
Rescue the Injured
Motorman Arrested; VIII
Be Arraigned ON Charge
Of Felonious Assault

Two all-steeI trains Of seven cars
each collided about 9:40 o'clock last
night at the Autumn Avenue station
of the Atlantic Avenue branch OF
the Long Island Railroad. 1t is es~
timated that at least 200 of the 900
or more passengers on the two trains
were hure though only about dozen
were taken to hospitals.
Among those, sent to hospitals
were:
Mrs. Henry Daunn, forty-six years
old, Of 204 First Avenue, Manhat~
tan; contusions of right thigh and
possible internal injuries; Beth
Moses Hospital.
Louisa Daut, twenty-six years old,
of $50 East Eighty-ninth Street,
Manhattan; internal injuries; swed-
ish Hospital
Mrs. Emma Trokenbrot, forty
years old, of COL Eagle Avenue, the
Bronx; possible fracture sof left
ankle; Beth Moses Hospital.
Mrs. Charles Purcell, thirty-six
yearssold, of 945 East Seventeenth
Street, Brooklyn, possible Internal
injuries; St. Mary's Hospital, Brook
lyn.
- Peters, address unknown,
forty years old; right arm ampu-
tated and is in critical condition.
Was taken from under the platform
of one Of the cars. Bradford Street
Hospital.
William Van Thurston, forty
years old, of 2053 Washington Ave
nue., the Bronx. Starter for the
New York Railways Company. Re-
moved to st. Mary's Hospital, Js-
maica. May lose right arm. Con-
dition serious.
Others Injured
Among those sent to their homes
after treatment were.
Mrs, William Duryea, twenty years
cid, of 1424 Seventy-second Street, Bay
ridge, Brooklyn. Laceratious Of the
right leg. 3
Anna Mcclure, ffty-fve years old,
of 912 Lincoln Road, Flatbush, Brook
lyn. Contusions of both knees.
Helen Bosch, fifty years old, Of rs
Saratoga Avenue. Brooklyn. Shock.
Harold Huoer. five years old, of lO98
Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn Dislocated
right hip.
Anna Frey, forty years old, Of 892
Montauk Avenue, Brooklyn Legs
bruised.
Mrs. Anna Daut, Of 337 Crescent
Street. Injured about the BODY.
Both trains were westbound. One
was an express from Hemps tead, the
other was u local, coming from Queens,
which left the Jamaica station about
$3.50. From Jamaica to Autumn Ave-
nue., formerly called Railroad Avenue.
the system is a foUr-track one. Al
Autumn Avenue the two westbouud
tracks converge into one, as do the two
eastbound tracks.
Edward Costello, motorman Of the
LEGAL train, was placed under arrest
early this morning after a long exami-
nation at the Miller Avenue Police Sta.
ten, Brooklyn. He will be arraigned il
New Jersey Avenue Police Station to-
day or charge Of felonious assault.
Assistant District Attorney Reuben
wilson said that the signal and the
condition Of the switch showed that the
express train had the right OF way,
Costello asserted that when he was 200
feet from the switch he got the signal
to go ahead.
Express trains have the right OF way
over locals in "crossing the ladder" az
it is called when a train takes tn.
switch where the two tracks converge.
An interlocking electric signal system
IS used, each signal consisting OF sew
.eral lights, so that it VIII be brilliant
ly visible even if one bulb Should burn
out at critical moment The signal
tower is within few hundred feet of.
where the collision occurred Il la
straight stretch Of track
Disaster Miraculously Averted
Nevertheless, the local pulled out OF
the Autumn Avenue station at the
very moment that the express, thunder
ing along at twenty m les an hour or
better in spite Of the brakes which
were set for the switch, vas overtai:-
ing it. When the first car of the ex-
press hit the apex the "V" where
the tracks meet the third car Of tho
local had just crossed the ladder"
II was that circum tance alone which
presented q disastrous wreck Instead
of striking a car of the local tram
broadside the motor car Of the express
hit it precisely between the rear vesti-
bule Of the third car and the forward
Tcstjbuie Of che foarta car, breaking
the couplings and suuderlag The local
train as neatly as Il q flying switch
mad been made
The fourth ear OF the local was
shuHted from the track By the onrush-
ing express and the three forward cars
were projected almost 4 block by the
impact. They kept to che rails. how
ever, until they almost had lost their
momentum and were not upset when,
they took to the ties.
The first ear of the expires was cruni-
pied and bent for almost one-third %
its length, despite its stout steel con~