The Pleasantville press., 1924-02-27
|CARLSEN CASE
BEING PROBED
Undecided as to Whether or Not
Inquest Will be Held to De-
termine Responsibility.
FUNERAL IS HELD TUESDAY

Inc 1unerdl service Tor conrad Carl
sen, who was killed last Friday morn
ing by being struck by Reading ex
press train, was held this Tuesday
afternoon from the parlors of William
B. Parsels & Sons, with a Lutheran
minister in charge of the service. In
terment was made in Pleasantville
Cemetery.
Whether or not an inquest is to be
held is still question which the
County officials have not yet fully de.
termined. Coroner William B, Par
sells has been in communication with
County Physician Lewis R. Souder in
the matter, and both of these officials
rather incline to the belief that an in
quest would not bring out any facts
which are not already known regard
ing the case. 1t is the belief that ii
any official action is taken that it will
be by the Prosecutor taking the mat
ter directly to the Grand Jury upon
the evidence gathered by his force of
County detectives.
Incidentally, Coroner William B
Parsels is still serving in that capaci
ty and will continue to do so for the
balance of this year. 1t was errone-
ously stated that Coroner Harry H
Harrison, of Atlantic City, had sue
ceeded him, following the last General
Election. This is not the case, how
ever, as Coroner Harrison was elected
to succeed the late Coroner De Breer
and nouaparsels.
Several interesting facts are report
ed in connection with the Carlsen ac
cident, which show that the signal
lights are not always effective. 1t is
said that Carlsen did not deliberately
drive across the tracks without -obser
wing the caution necessary. There
was a work train on the tracks nearby
and Carlsen had slowed his automo
bile down to observe that train and
supposed the signals were being re
corded by that trains movements anc
he did not expect an express to rol
down on him. The frequent drilling
of freight and work trains near Frank
lin avenue often confuses drivers sc
that they do not know actually wher
to look for another train to pass by.
An automobilist who was following
Carlsen statedNhat if Carlsen had moi
been struck, that he would have me-
the fate which Carlsen did, as he was
about to keen saz1 ron :
tracks when he saw the train crash
into Carlsen's machine.
Local residents and officials are
wrought up oyehthe killing of Carlson,
but there is a diversity of opinion as
to what can be done. Some say that
an appeal to the railroad for safety
gates or a watchman, which hereto
fore has fallen on deaf ears, is the on
ly remedy which can be applied to
save human life at the dangerous
crossing, while others are sincere in
believing that proper action by the
Public Utilities Commission would
compel the railroad to place safety
gates at the crossing. 1t has beer
demonstrated that signal lights are moi
effective. 1t is true that occasionally
some foolish driver crashes into q
safety gate and demolishes it, but gen
orally every driver stops when the
saIety gates are down or the watch
man gives him signal to halt The
Public Utilities Commission holds the
key to the situation, under the law
and their action will ultimately be the
only remedy to save others from the
fate which overlook Carlsen and MARI
Blake.