The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-11
RECENT RAILROAD ACCIDENTS.
Engineer Killed and Two Men Badly Injured
on the New Haven Road.


->o>~---~,~~-~o~>~~
Eula Particulars Of the New Jersey Calamity.
YuE S0R0HER'S NvEsTlGATIoN,
&s.. &s., 10.
Accidents ON the Now Haven Railroad.
THE ENGINEER KILLED AND TIE FIREMAN SERIOUS.
: LY NJURED-PROvIDENTIALE ESCAPE OF THE PAS.
,SHNGERS.
We havs been favored with the following particulars Of
an accident that occurred the New Haven Railroad
On Wednesday night, by passenger of the train that
arrived this morning in New York -
: The night express train from New haven when
nearing Port Chester, met with an accident which
caused the death Of the engineer of the train Theodore
Humphrey, single man, and severely although It Is
hoped not fatally injured the fireman The dead body
VOL tho wounded man taken to Greenwich
tsa, where both were lying yesterday morning when the
New Haven cars along. The fireman received
bruises but had bones broken having escaped
deaaa by . miracle. nobody knows how. Tho time
when the accident occurred was between II and IL p M
And the train was proceeding at q very rapid rate.
Inc ocaly Of the disaster at that part OF the line
situated between the two bridges, about half mile
east from Porchester, where the engine, tender and
baggage oar lay, perfect wreck wheo the down train
came alssg this morning. The forward passenger
was ae badly Injured and stands the track the
wreck. It was nsthihg but providence that all the
passengers escaped without injury. The accident
caused in this On the north side of the road
large of rock had detached itself and slid beside
the ROAD fragment Of which, TIVE three feet square,
had been cast the down track The engine received
ths fragment In Its cowcstcher and carried 1t forward
IL 20 Ieds sdng 1t along the south inside
HA Of ths same track until at last the fragment rolled
of and buried itself in the middle Of the other track
ing up the ties and rails In it's Immediately after
this and before the t,an had proceeded beyond or
i've rods the fore truck of the engine off the track
at tho time swapping the bolt pivot pin, which
connected the truck with the engine This of course
plunged the engine headorsmost into the ground and
threw it its side and outside the track The
tenaer was pitched entirely the engine beyond
the track while the baggage car being to the
left was forced Its whole length for ~ard and upon the
other track bringing it side side with the disabled en-
giHs The forward passenger car coming in dashed
against the baggage car, smashing up the brake
platform, and giving the passengers violent olting
but Asisg them no further injury.
OF course blame attached to the engineer who was
killed. being very dark and the fragment of the rock on
the track being just around curve quite out of his
sight, until he close upon the danger. But the rail
road company cannot easily be let of. Their parsi
mooy and neglect to tbe rock which, It is said
has been than brought their notice IS one
likely to fall very culpable. We understand that
there many ether pieces of rock In similar immi-
neat position along this line Of road which should be at
removed before further accidents occar-ths being
tho second fatal accident that has happened within
Few weeks contequent upon this neglect their part
In addition to the foregoing give place to the follow
ing Of the accident together with the proceedings
Of the Coroners jury, furnished in extra issued
BY the Westchester Ne,cs yesterday afternoon
Rfteen minutes after elev0u O'cock nm Tuaadav
night Last the train which left New Haven at
fairfield and rssas
forty reds Of the Portchestsr station, the engine
thrown off the track In Of piece Of ros that
the spot and the brakeman injured, though not
vsre 1t is very fortunate that the loss of life is
tive iusSreds persons on board the train, which
was under way At the time, at about thirty miles an
GGesn~ich % and % It OK on wsdnesday @ W. 10th % inst, -
Ava. Mead Esq, acting Coroner empannelled and
in tho following M ses'lsmen as the jury : u
Funstsn, John Knapp John Omstead, WIN Elliott VIM.
Bulh, John saetett silas M. Mead Elijah Dent and
: The jury viewed the body. and went down and exam
ned the Of the ident and then heard the fol-
lowing
Burr Asllard, beng duly sworn, sad-I reside alter
p q NsI York and Haven mostly in New .Ss
express train, Of which the deceased engineer,
last night; left New Haven at $50 P NJ The train con-
ger cars nearly full should think about two hundred
passengers more the speed of the train was about
thirty miles hour. When about forty rods of the viii
bge Of Po1tcheser, the engine struck rock 1t
daik and couldn't dcover the rock until we struck
it. n: sngnssr before he arrived rive Wi wsao @ thirty rods Of
usually did, accoant Of the curve in the tra'ks at
that place. When the engine struck. the engineer
gave two whistles to brake up. At the first whis
lie I put on my brake as tight as l generally
DO Ths holders broke Immediately, which caused
by the train being thrown off the track. then made
an attempt to get of tho engine prevent my being
thrown Of, but fsed to do and was thrown the
tender sgsinst the WALL and remained there until
When saw the engineer last he had his hand on the
whistle. There much noise could not hear him
call out he attempted to do so. think the deceased
engineer for fourteen years He was man of very
good sober and steady character. and did all that was
could generally objects three four rods in 'front.'
but 1t then dark, and there curve line which
was Theodore Humphrey. about forty years Of age.
Carlos D. Peet, second witness. was next called, whs
being duly sworn, said:-I have been about four
months employed as brakeman on the New York
and New Haven Railroad; / was the train when
the accident occurred last night The engineer gave
the signal totbut of steam when he approacaed
the curve and shortly after he gave the signal to brake
up. We had time TO put one brake when heard the
smash. knew nothing the until the red
light from the baggage car, and the condition Of
affairs. The conductor Peter Dennis then said the eng
neer was killed that he could not find anything Of him.
then back around the aud stopped the freight
train, which was Immediately behind The conductor
told me to to Greenwich and fetch an engine to
bring the train 10 the city Humphrey the engineer
was then dead. knew of It until brought the
engine back. Humphrey was then in passenger car.
lying down the floor. l Understood they found him
under the nrst passenger don't know that any
thing YVES lying him. He entirely dead when
found believe that all done that could be done to
avert the disaster. identify the body lying dead Jas
that Of Theodore unphrcy, the engineer.
There being further testimony, DR.. Hoyt said there
was doubt at all to the OF DEATH and, after
IN absence of few minutes the jury returned the fol-
lowing
VERDICT.
The undersigned Jurors being duly pannellsd, and
into the and Of the doath of
Theodore Humphrey whose death sudden and untmcy
and the and Of which unknown, having
reviewed the body and considered the evidence given
OATH that the said Theodore Humphrey TO
his death from injuries received by being from an
engine the New York and New Haven railroad, OF
which he had charge tho night Of the 9th Of August
aia~ua