The New York herald., 1922-01-10

day. was In substantial accord with Mr..
Turner. He, too, thought there would
be little to be gained by the substitution
of steel cars on the IL, even II the
cost were not prohibitive.
The detailed record Of Abraitis's dere-
terborough at the demand of Gen.
Organ. 1t was luminous. Among
the infractions reported by the Inter-
boroughs secret service and for which
the motorman lad been disciplined were
many instances of running by stations
and danger signals, gazing into the
street or house windows along the route
while operating his train. taking curves
at "a very high rate of speed" and OH
one occasion for looking back in the
car, apparently reading the headlines of
a paper passenger was reading"
Abraitis received a ten day suspension
for a collision at the Battery Place sta
ton in April, 1916 Just one year ago
he was censured and suspended for 'al-
lowing his train to cross junction at q
speed of thirty miles an hour
From the Interborough's secret service
reports Col. Howard Thayer Kingsbury,
the examiner. read a synopsis Of Off
cially reported derelictions on the part
of motormen for each month from last
July to December, inclusive. The July
report. which is typical, showed:
Taking curves too fast. elevated 81,
subway So; looking out Of window on
street. elevated 4: jolting and bad stops,
elevated 105. subway 2; general derelic-
tions. elevated 9. subway IA: destination
lights not lighted. elevated 6, SUBJ
way 90"
"Aberaitis's Record Fair"
After this documentary matter had
t,,t~ xI1 -
bury recalled to the stand George Kee-
gan. chief assistant to Frank Hedley.
president and general manager of the
Interborough. Gen. Organ took hand
in interrogating him. The General
asked If the company had In its employ
other motormen with records similar
to that of Aberaitis.
II suppose we have" said Mr.. Kee-
gan.
do you consider his a fair record?"
II consider 1t fair record, yes
''You would not consider It inadvis-
able for the company to continue in its
employ motormen with records like
that?"
IF we had considered it inadvisable
to have done it, we wouldn't have
done it,
Had that mans record at any time
come to your personal attention."
eS, IL ndO. Il recall one case where
he ran by a red signal and didn't re-
port it and he got fifteen days. sus-
pension"
well. do you consider this record of
Abraitis indicated that he was a safe
man?"
"Of course / naturally have got to
say that it does. I do believe that 1t
does. It does not indicate that he is an
unsafe man. think our men are under
closer supervision than in any other
railroad company in the world" The
witness said finally he thought Abraitis's
record was Considerably below our av-
erage. But. of course. the fact we had
kept him in the service showed that in
our opinion his record did not justify
dismissal"
Line Called Danger Spot.
Col. Kingsbury told the witness he had
received letter saying investigation
would disclose that on the run where
the Ninth avenue accident occurred and
also below Fourteenth street, particu-
iarly when trains are running light. the
train guards may be seen visiting" with
the motormen.
1--WE find that occasionally" admitted
Mr.. Keegan. Il know that ] reissued a
rule within the last three months call
ing attention again to the regulation
that conductors and guards must not
communicate with motormen when trains
are i'm motion. except in line of duty.
Arthur Peacock, attorney for the In
terborough. told the commission Mr..
Hedley had recovered from the severe
cold contracted at the scene of the ele-
waited wreck. The Interborough presi-
dent will be the first witness examined