Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-16
Admits Disregard
of Train Orders


Continued from PAGE OAs
wooden coaches were ripped to shrcds
and burst into flames.
Reads Train Order
The Jurors are william Moore, Jr.,
clerk, Lower Merton Lewis d. Spencer,
contractor, Lower Merton; James NJ.
NioSrison, machinist, Conshohocken /;
Margaret Y. Custer, Pottstown; Stella
Bechtel, Pottstown; William Il. Schuy.
| Ter. architect. Norristown; John Meyer,
constable, New Hanover; Samuel H.
Brend niger, farmer, New Haven; F. j.
Bloomhail, jeweler, Conshohocken /;
Welin ton GOdshall. carpenter, iowa :
mencin Marvin Springer, cutter, Tow
amcncin. and l.. II. DE Haas, machin.
list, Conshohockep.
District Attorney Renningcr opened
with an address outlining the Common =
wealth's case. For clearness he ex.
| planned that eastbound trains run from
! Philadelphia to NewtOwn. Ordinarily,
| he said, eastbound trains had the right
| Of way, but the general rule was modi-
fled by special conditions, to which
trains No. 151. No. 154 and No. 158
were subject.
lie then read the order which had
halted train No. 151 Mt Bryn Athyn,
where It was to remain until the west =
bound No. 156 passed with its load of
commuters, most of them bound for
Philadelphia.
mo. 151 will meet No. 1856 at Bryn
Athyn. No. 151 takes siding" Mr..
1tenninger read. lie said what tine jury
had to determine was whether Evans
and ieakle were reasonably careful md
hot has tta,, xhn ta., ALuA
ordinarily should be used.
The District Attorney then smoke Of
the gully where the trains crashed,
describing it as thirty feet deep and
200 feet long.
l.. >. liagerman, an undertaken Of
Jenkintown. the first witness. told of
burying the bodies of three persons who
had been killed in the wreck. This cs-
tablished the fatal consequences of the
crash. Mr.. Eckcrt then was called.
The division superintendent identi-
fed the railroads book Of rules and
read numerous extracts into the rec
ord. Train conductors. he said, are
obliged personally to deliver copies Of
orders to their enginemen, who must
read the orders aloud in the presence
of the conductor.
Mr.. Eckert then described the signal
system governing trains on the New
town line. From Philadelphia TO Bryn
Grated block system Is used, while from
manually operated block system.
Mr.. Eckcrt produced u timetable is.
sued to employees. This showed that.
according to schedule. train No. 151
was to meet No. 154 at Huntington
Valley and No. 1876 at Somerton. When
train movements were late. the meet
ing places were controlled by tcle-
graphic orders. he snid.
After Mr.. Eckcrt had identified a
blueprint of the single track where the
disaster occurred. Mr.. Renninger asked
if Ieakle had made any statement after
the wreck. The witness said he had but
that the engineer was in such an over
wrought state IN n hospital that he.
Eckcrt. placed 10 credence in 1t.
The District Attorney then asked il
Evans had made statement, where
upon Mr.. Eckert said Evans admitted
he forgot train No. 1876. Train No.
1j1 had been passed by No. 154 al
Bryn Allyn and then pulled out on thr
single track and moved east toward
Newtown. crashing into No. 1856 about
Il mile beyond Bryn Athyn.
hT. D"uH. III cTOSS-cNuIllHlnk MT
Eckert. forced the witness to admit that
movements had been altered, a fact de.
tected by examination under a micro
scope.
Mr.. Eckert. who is superintendent of
the New York division, explained that
the alteration had been necessary be =
cLuse Agent Clayton, in the excitement
of the moment, had put down the time
wrong.
Mr.. Beans line of questioning was
directed to show that the railroad S
rules were violated frequently and with
impunity. The witness admitted that
under certain circumstances it might
be necessary to violate rules, but af-
trmcd that train order was inviolable
under all circumstances.
The Judge. coming to the rescue of
the witness. reminded Mr.. Bean that
the railroad was not on trial. Mr..
Bean made the point. admitted BY Mr..
Eckert. that Train 15l passed Church
vile, proceeded to Bryn Athyn station
and discharged freight and passengers.
then backed past signal standard
again in the direction CT Churchville
and took siding.
The attorney for the defense then
got admissions from Mr.. Eckert that
while the train was on the siding Clay.
ton sent word TO the agent ut Church
vile to let train No. 1856 come ahead.
Were there not two trains on the
same block, and is not this violation
of the rules?" asked Mr.. Bean. The
witness admitted that this was true.
Mr.. Bean contended that train No. 154
was two minutes in the block. ON a
thirteen minute run.
II think there must be some mis-
take said Mr.. Eckert.
THE records prove it," said Mr..
Bean. Was not the time changed on
the papers?'
Mr.. Eckcrt then replied that the
change had been made because Agent
Clayton in his excitement had written
down wrong figures.
Docs it not frequently happen,
said Mr.. Bean, that trains pass red
signals?''
1T is impossible to cover everything
by rules said Mr.. Eckert. such
things sometimes happen and a conduc-
tor may flag his train through Il block /"
Isn't it true that train order
sometimes is violated in the same
wayi'
"No," said Mr.. Eckert, "a train
order Is at all times invio!ate."
Then the judge interviewed. 1.-THE
railroad is not on trial. a train order
is inviolable. This case does not con =
Germ what others did or did not do.
The question Is whether or not this
train crew violated train order