New York, NY Train Engineer Drowns, Aug 1909

Engineer Wisker Drowned.

Man Accused of Responsibility for Park Avenue Wreck Falls Off Pier.

JOHN M. WISKER, 40 years old, of 314 East 157th Street, the engineer who was charged with being responsible for the New York Central Wreck in the Park Avenue Tunnel several years ago, when a number of people were killed, fell into the North River from a pier of the Curtis-Blaisdell Coal Company, at Fortieth Street, yesterday and was drowned. He had been employed on a coal-hoisting engine at the pier.

WISKER’S engine was near the end of the pier, and while a gang of laborers was busy at one of the docks he was seen to fall from the string piece. Several men jumped into the water after him, but when they finally got him out he was dead.

WISKER was indicted for manslaughter in the second degree on April 28, 1902, in connection with the wreck of the train of which he was the engineer, in the Park Avenue tunnel, just south of Fifty-Eighth Street. It was charged that he ran his train past signals at Sixty-Third and Fifty-Eighth Streets, and just below the latter point smashed into another train. Several persons were killed and many injured.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rand and the prisoner was defended by Frank Moss. He was acquitted.

The New York Times, New York, NY 11 Aug 1909
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!