Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-05-21
ooRoNER's INQUEST.
The Jury Find That the Railroad
Company We're Not at Fault.
Ihe Blame Laid ON Albert q. Ktl~.,. ~
gfn~er Of the Special.

vened in the City Marshars Office to inauir,
as to the cause of the death of the three me,
Killed in the collision at Browns Landing
'assaiboro, on Friday. Messrs. Orville d
Baker and G. c. vose appeared for the rail
road company.
Train dispatcher, Mr.. E. A. Hall. heinz
called testified: live in Portland. am
traln dispatcher on Maine Central Railroad
was in the Office in Portland yesterday. mos
OF the day, but not when the accident
occurred Despatching trains is done unde,
my direction. NV directions to Mr.. Kilpore
were to run wild from Portland to Brunswick
run from Brunswick to Waterville on red
signals worn BY Jewett's up train, No. /
Gave him no orders at Auuns,a
The order was given to Kilgore in
Portland at o'clock in the mernjnu
kilgore should have stopped in Augusta until
train No. 2s, the down freight which his en-.
g,ne collided with had passed. He nigh,
nave gone across the river. Engineers are
allowed to run on their own responsibility.
The order which he had gave him a right to
run from Augusta to Waterville, if he kent
out OF the way of the regular trains. Every
engineer is supposed to have a regular
time table. The time table contains
80" i"A ihahiS al CIdSstS OF trains,
Yesterday kilgore started from Augusta
on his own responsibility and in dis
obedience to the rules of the road. Kilgore
started from Augusta at IL 40, as we were in
formed by telegraph. The down freight was
due in Augusta at 1905. train or engine
cannot leave one station unless it can
arrive at the next station or siding
full ten minutes before any other train
Is due at such a station or siding Xii.
cores registered time of starting from
here was ll.50. From Portland to Augusta
Mr.. kilgore followed orders. We received
notice by telegraph that Kilgore had left the
station at Augusta. We received notice from
Vassalboro that the down freight had passed
VassalborO. Received none at Riverside
If KilgOre had reached Riverside without
collision he probably would have been dis
charged from work by the company upon
reaching Waterville. Kilgere had been con-
sidered a careful engineer and no complaints
were ever made against him. The engineer
had no bad habits and was a temperate man
so far as l know. There is no side
track between the east side of the
river and the scene of the collision
The conductor of the down freight had
perfect right to the track. The train from
Portland to Brunswick was a wild train.
From Brunswick to Waterville signal train.
All trains and engines are ordered to use two
minutes in crossing the bridge at Augusta.
The freight train was 20 minutes late at River
side; was late at the point of the collision.
The down freight should have left Riverside
at IL 80.
MIR. Walker testified; am station agent at
Augusta. l was at the station al Augusta Fri
day, when Mr.. Kilgore's engine arrived. He
left Augusta at 80. He came into the waiting
room, looked into my window ard asked if
the signal was all right l answered yes. Did
not here him say anything else.
had nothing to do with his starting
The signal is flag displayed at our station;
when a train passes wearing signals. 1t signi-
fies that a special is coming. Whe train
wears a signal it signifies that special fol-
lows. A signal was worn by Jewett's
train going up. Whom Kilgore left
calculated he was going to a
siding either at this side or the other side
of the river and stop. When he left | report
ed his engine to Portland. The next heard
was that the collision had occurred, news of
which was brought down by a section man
on hand car. When KilgOre left Augusta
and went on to Vassalboro, he must have
known that the train and engine would meet
though he, Klgore. had no orders. Kilgore
could have got across the river here and onto
the siding on the east side by encroaching on
the ten minutes which should intervene be-
tween the time he reached the east side and
the time the freight was due there. Never
heard any charges against Mr.. kilgore as an
engineer. There was no difference in his
appearance on Friday afternoon from that
ordinarily.
Mr.. w. n. Lawrence. fireman on the freight
engine. testified: | live in Albion. We
were late Friday; lost time at Waterville.
Were 30 minutes late out of Waterville. We
were trying TO make up time after coming out
of Watervile. Were running fifteen or twenty
miles an hour at time of collision. Knew OF
no engine coming. l discovered the engine
coming about ten cars off, first discovered
the engine. | spoke to the engineer. He
apparently tried to reverse his engine. He
did not speak word. | spoke, saying there
was an engine coming around a curve in
front of us. and then jumped. 1t hurt me
when jumped off. My injury seems to be
worse to-day. l saw the men
when they were taken out. Mr.,
Small was dead when taken out. Mr.
Kilgore talked. He complained at first OF his
shoulder. He said he didn't see what made
him come, and spoke of his family. He lived
an hour and half after the accident MIR
Small was engineer on the train: Mr.. Stan
dish. conductor: Messrs. Furlong and Bel
anger. brakemen. We had made up 10 or
20 minutes at Riverside. Small said it was
one minute of twelve just before the coils
ion. noticed the red flag signal on Jewett $
train at Waterville.
Mr. Geo Standish of Skowhegan, con
ductor on the freight. testified: Our regular
leaving time from waterville is 1918. Len
WaterviIle asll o'clock. We made up time
after leaving Watervile. Were % minutes
late az Riverside. Had no idea where
should meet Kilgore. The hrst khe"
of the collision | felt the shock
and jumping. set up my brake. All
heard Mr. kilgore say was ''get me out
lie WA. in the wate- in the ditch. Mr.. Nil
uore's reputation as a safe, careful man wa'
good. | think Kilgore forgot our train as ht
went along. Kilgore lett Augusta III
violation of the rules. His duty was to stay
At the passenger depot in Augusta. L hearf
along rue road that Kilgore and conductor
pb;lbrook had had some trouble. Last evening
7 made an examination of the engineers
watches which were in my possession ane
comnared them with mine. There was no
over a diff renee of one minute IN the time
of all the watches.
VIM Belanyer. brakeman on the freight
testified: saw the bodies after theS wer'
aiken out. Mr. Kilgore talked all the time
nearly before he died. l did not take an,
ro,;ce of what he said, as l was excited