Morning journal and courier., 1886-07-23
Friday, July 93, 1886.
THE CORoNER,s INQUEST.

The Accident at Bridgeport Testi. mODy of Train EmplOyes-Superin- tendent Stevenson Explains the Sig nals-Kng1neer Slaybaek Too HI to Approximation To-Day.
 BRIDGEPORT, July 22.-The inquest rela- tive to Tuesdays railroad accident here was
 held here to-day. It took place in the Court of Common Pleas room, Coroner Holt offici ating. Conductor Garfield of the gravel train gave his version of the accident. He
 said the signal was set right for his train. Engineer Tanning and Fireman Hoffman of l the same train testified that their train had | the right of way according to the signals. | Conductor Garfield said he thought there
 were about ninety men on the gravel train. | Coroner Holt, after witness had detailed the
 accident as he saw it, asked witness who, un-
 der such circumstances as stated, was to
 blame. Witness replied that he did not
 know, but that the signal was set against the express.
 | "Then it was the fault of the express, was ! it not?" said the coroner.
 Witness replied "They failed to stop" | MT. Cowan, residing at 321 East Forty
 ninth street, New York. conductor of the ex- press, of which Slayback was engineer, did | rot know much about the accident until it | occurred, having been at the time in the bag gage car The shock of the collision was not particularly severe. As soon as the train l stopped he sent fagman back He saw the l signal ball at masthead soon this was done. That indicated that the express was l to stop.
 John Raining, of New Haven, was engineer of the gravel train He left Stratford at 1928, arrived at Bridgeport at 12:32, and took water there, which probably consumed
 minute and half. He reached the point
 where the collision occurred at 12:34, he thought, and saw the locomotive of the ex-
 press approaching. The three signals at the depot and the one at the elevator were all
 right When he saw the express locomotive
 it was distant from the gravel train about
 two passenger car lengths. The moulding
 other tender. He noticed that the engine of
 the exress had been reversed and that an
 effort had been made to stop.
 c. A. Hoffman, of New Haven, fireman of
 the engine of the gravel train, saw that the
 signal was set all right, and jumped when
 the collision occurred.
 The switchman at the South avenue
 elevator switch both testified alike, that the
 switches and signals were all right and ac-
 cording to rule when the accident occurred.
 Dr. Godfrey testified to dressing Slayback's
 wounds. The patients upper lip was cut
 through to the gum, several of his teeth
 were loosened and his nose was badly lacerat- ed. Policeman Daniel Wooster, who placed Slayback under arrest, testified that Stay
 back said to him he could not tell how the accident occurred and seemed to be dag ed and stunned. William Cronch, John Grimes and Bookkeeper A. B. Conklin, en- ployed by William Terry and others, testi- fled that the signals were all right
 Super .ntendent Stevenson testified. He was first asked to explain the signals which govern the signal track between the depot and the elevator. He said: "At each end of the single track there is tall pole with have light in them at night that they may be seen by the engineers. These balls are placed there on purpose for the engineers and their guide. This piece of single track is operated entirely by the switchmen at the depot and the ball at the elevator is regu- if up, is danger signal for east bound trains and the engineer must stop. If the ball at the depot is up, the elevator ball must not be and never is lowered under any circumstances. Trains must wait below the switch until a train has passed down, even if ten or fifteen minutes are lost. The single track is oper- a ed regardless of any time table and the en- gineer must not attempt to pass toward the depot until he is allowed to do so according to the signal balls. When at the Main street crossing the engineer begins to look for the ball and if he sees it he stop by the time South avenue is reached and as a usual thing they approach slowly toward the elevator and stop near the switch. In this case he could see no reason why the engineer did not see the signal. The whole responsibility devolves entirely upon him. The duties of the fire man are to keep up the fire, and he is not obliged to look after the signals, although he NI0oh1 hot back was connected with the road when was made its superintendent, and Icaused him to l be promoted to the charge of this train about l a year Cr more ago. He has always been I faithful. There is no danger in running | trains over this single track if the signals are tracks it would be very convenient and great deal of time would be saved as well. This is the only section of single track on the route, and the only portion governed by such system of signals as des- cribed-the remainder being operated by telegraph service" Mr. Stevenson was asked by the coroner, ''Do you think these signals are perfectly safe," to which he replied, "I do!'' Dr. Downs testimony closed the inquest, which was at about half past il. A certi- fcate from Slayback's physician stated that he was unable to leave bis bed and was, therefore, not present. l He had been subpenaed by the coroner, but l is quite i'll at his sisters house in Fairfield, | and Dr. Donaldson, who is attending him, | sent certificate that he was not able to ap- ! pear in court. He is suffering severely from | the shock to his nervous system. His law | yers, Judge Lockwood and w. H. Comley, were at the proceedings. Court Stenograph- l CT Fowler of Fairfield county, who assisted Court Stenographer Coggswell at the boycott cases in New Haven last week took verbatim reports of the testimony.
 The fireman of the express is also confined 5o his bed, his legs having been injured at he accident. No further witnesses will be and the coroner's finding will be made known to- day.
 Nineteenth Army Corps.