Litchfield enquirer., 1865-11-09
THE LATE ACCIDENTl0 ON THE Hous. 3. ATOMIC RAILROAD. . < 74775 7s
2 REPLY or THE DIRECTORS Td THE JURY OF
 INQUEST,

5
 REPLY or THE DIRECTORS THE JURY OF
 s INQUEST,
 Mir. Charles Hunt President and Superia
 tendent of this Road land Mir Henry L. Plumb Conductor, were severely censared by major l iity of the Jury of Inquest iE he case of the ] late sad and terrible aecidelti for a careless 3 and culpable violation Of Rules five and tweu. ity-six of it's regulations, and the Directors deem it due to truth and justice, now that sufficient l time has elapsed to consider caImly and dis
 passionately, tbe.facts and eifeamstances, that some reply shonld be made to the verdict q
 the Jury, so far certainly, as itinculpates these gentlemen and is calculated Ito impress the public with the idea that the road has not been lprudehtly and carefully managed. A The Directors have no disposition to evale responsibility. They admit that the accident
 was caused by a violation of the regulations, and that the road is legally audproperly liable,
 and should pay promptly such.damages as un- der the circumstances may bedeemed fair and
 reasonable. But while they aimit this, they
 nevertheless insist, notwithstanding the fright ful accident which has just ocsarred, that the road, so far as the principal officer and condu;- tor are concerned, has been mayaged with care and prudence, and with due regard to tha safety ofits passengers. Ifthey believed ether wise these officers would be dismissed at once.
 That Mr: Hunt has, for more than twelve years, devoted himself faithfully and entirely to the service of the road, and supervision of it's affairs; that old and worn-out ca,s aud engines and an unsafe track have been replaced by as safe a track, as reliable engines and as expen- sive, elegant and comfortable cars as can be found anywhere else iu New Esgland-the net earnings of the road having forgears been de voted to that purpose. instead of to the pay ment of dividends to it's stockholders; and that not the slightest injury to life or limb of any passenger has occurred till now in all that time from @ collision, or from any breakage or defectin engines, ears prItrack: will not be der nied by any candid man who knows the facts.
 The majority Ief the jury say :+-; We find that Regulation No 5. was violated by Mir. Charles Hunt, by emitting to send signals in each direction when sthen train was stopped on the roatsa *sJ*, ,lt*u Weqalsoa find lthat Rule No 2s was also violated l ' ita We tss,1sss. tss,ss fssssa our oaths do say that said collision oc- cured in consequence of cuIpable negligence and want of proper care and caution on the part of Charles Hunt. Henry L. Plumb. An drew Winslow and Edward Lyman ''',
 The minority verdict, which was signed by Messrs. seeley and Stevenson, dissents from that portion of the. majerity, verdict. which censures MT. Hunt and Mir, Plumb, and en- tirely exhonorates them from any culpability or fault in the matter, MT. Hunt was, in the majority report, censured specifically and only for a violation of printed rules Mo-. five and twehty-six. The only regula tons of the road which have any bearing on his case are the tolleWing xs ss 44j}a Esea tsyes .8a g.e
 Rule 5.94 If trains are stopped on the road, the conductor must always seudsignals in each direction, and the conductors O. trains delayed
 at stations on the time, of. anotler train, must send signals, to warn the approaching train.
 f'' Rule II! In case4a train, is lelayed beyond its time between two stations atnight, the con; ductor rill use every apreeautin, and notify
 such tralns as ars by theregulaions due at the place of delay delay fs,ssss.a,., .ai ,. .t-<r aa
 Rule l2. A red flag flag by day and red lan-
 tern by nigh, must always be exhibited upon an
 engine whenever an engine otter than that of
 a regular train is to follow. slj s3e,2 ,.r e
 @ Rule 2s d h all cases of dqdbttake the safe
 slue' 6aG 2gi!.ais4i IS ss .lo.f7dj 17at s' The only material facts developed by the
 Jury of Inquest which bear ipon the question of violation of rules are as foows 3. The passenger train from Bridgeport was stopped six miles out by disabled freight
 train, which it was decided to pull back to Bridgeport so as to get it oupf the way This
 was about eleven o'clock. AM. By the time
 tabas and ander Rals F, no iain or engine had
 any right t0 leare Bridgspei tM II 40 A. M. The passenger train at about Los commenced 1 to back down to Bridgeport plling after it the disabled freight train ,, and ending sndi no signal flags ahead; and about tree i miles from Bridgeport it, came into collion with the en- zine Fairfield, coming out o:a trial trip soitA- out haring notified taei engi;er q conductor cfthe passeage. ,traia, or r. Huat, of any
 intention to do so. F. These are ALL, the facts hichy are necessary to be known in order toHecide whether in
 backing down the train waout asgs Mr. Hunt violated Rule five. ssa In regard to the alleg violation of Rule | twenty-six we do not sethat any portion of |
 the evideneei ibearsiuporhat3 point. except that l lit was shown that Mir. Int had no knowledge
 of the alleged. d.custoas cunning ont these trial Iengines in. violation oeule twelve. 2 92' It was alleged bylalhs jury that Rule l2
 was violated in sendif out the Fairfield, and
 t yo1oUs aersfaom t MT: Hunt was correct l in his assumption thI neither that engine nor I any other could, witht violation of Rule twelve be upon theiack between Bridgeport | st tf S.sT s.,. k