The Bergen Collision
A Freight Train Run Into and Two Persons Killed -- Another Careless Switchman -- An Erie Train Runs Into Another at Penn Horn -- A Port Jervis Man Killed -- The Switchman Runs Away -- The Loss.
A collision, that resulted in the loss of two lives and endangered many others, occurred early Friday morning on the New York, Lake Erie & Western railroad at West End.
A train on the New York and New Jersey railroad, due in Jersey City at 6:20, was nearing Pen Horn, when the engineer discovered, a mile in advance of him, a slowly moving freight train on the same track.
He signalled to the train in advance, and the freight train was run off on a siding to allow the passenger train to enter the Bergen Tunnel. The first switchman neglected to replace the switch after the freight train had passed into the turnout, and, ignorant of the state of affairs, the engineer of the passenger train put on a full head of steam and dashed ahead, turned into the siding and collided with the caboose on the rear of the freight train.
David Quackenbush, engineer of the passenger train, was instantly killed, and James Debevoise of Port Jervis, brakeman, who was in the caboose attached to the freight train, at the time of the collision, was instantly killed. Garret Voorhis, fireman, was badly injured, and his recovery is doubtful. William Burleigh was cut on the head, but is not in a dangerous condition. The other passengers escaped with slight injuries.
Clark Bogart, the switchman, after opening the switch to allow the freight train to pass off from the main track, went to sleep and failed to replace the switch, so that the New York and New Jersey train could pass ahead. Immediately after the collision, Bogart disappeared, and all search for him has been fruitless. $1,200 will repair the damage to the railroad company.
The Runaway Switchman Surrenders
David C. Bogart, through whose carelessness the fatal accident happened at Penn Horn Creek, on the Erie, last week, gave himself up to coroner Higgins in Hoboken on Saturday evening and was admitted to bail in $3,000. His uncle, Siba M. Bogart of the New York Stock Exchange, became his surety. Young Bogart says he ran away after the accident because he believed his life was in danger from the angry men gathered around the wreck. He had taken refuge in his father's house in New York. His father, John Bogart, says his son was overworked.
Switchman Bogart Censured -- The Inquest in the Case of the Victims of the Pen Horn Collision
The inquest into the death of David Quackenbush and James Debevoise by the collision of a New York and New Jersey passenger train with a freight on the New York, Lake Erie & Western road, at Jersey City, on Friday last was concluded before coroner Wiggins Wednesday evening. David Clark Bogart, the switchman whose negligence caused the accident, was placed on the stand, but by the advice of his counsel, declined to make any statement beyond giving his age and occupation. The remaining evidence consisted of the medical testimony as to the causes of death.
The jury rendered a verdict to the effect that deceased came to their deaths through the criminal negligence of Bogart, and they also censured the New York and New Jersey for not using air-brakes, which in their opinion, would have prevented the accident.