The Newtown bee., 1889-06-07
AN INQUEST HELD.
TO FIX THE BLAME FOR THE HoUsAroNrc


 patcher J. J. Flynn of Bridgeport, who sent his orders on close time, or Operator Luke McGuinness at Stepney Depot, who, although he received and receipted for orders to stop the down freight, did not stop it; he claimed, however, that he had set his signal. Both Conductor Nathan Curtis and Engineer James Me Dermott of the down train were positive that no signals were displayed at Step ney.
 It was understood that Operator Smal- ley of Hawleyville had been instructed to notify the crew of the down train to look for orders at Stepney and both he and they came in for a share of popular con demnation. The result of the investiga- tion by the Housatonic officers, Wednes- day evening, was kept secret until the result of the coroner's inquest, held Sat urday afternoon, was announced.
 Some 25 or 30 railroad men. including the general officers of the Housatonic, gathered in the County Commissioners room, No. 20, of the Court House, to hear the evidence, as given before Coro- ner F. l.. Holt, Saturday.
 Supt w. K. Lyon, the first witness, said that, before sending out an extra, train dispatcher should be positive that the opposing train, which, in the absence of specific orders, had the right of way, was "blocked" and that the orders were fully understood. The accident, as near as he could determine, occurred about 4 15 Ill. If on time, the down freight should be between Trumbull Church and Bridgeport at 1 o'clock. Both Engi- neers Look and McDermott were regard ed as among the best on the road.
 Night Train Dispatcher J. J. Flynn, who has been dispatcher about nine months and was previously an assistant in the dispatcher's office, said that his in- structions for moving trains always came from Superintendent Lyon. A standing order, issued just after the Wilson Point fire, required that all freight from steam CTS should be moved as quickly as pos sible. At ? 2S a m, an extra, engine A., was sent to Hawleyville, which carried green signals for the second extra. At 3 50 a m, this second extra pulled out of stairs for orders. Flynn called McGuin- ness at Stepney, who answered that the freight had not passed and he could not hear it. Flynn then ordered red signals for the freight and, receiving the answer, gave Look orders to run to Stepney on 25 mile schedule and the train left at o'clock. Flynn hTd received word that McGuinness had placed red signals, but had heard nothing of the train and the wire was grounded shortly afterward. He notified the Western Union office of the trouble and more power was applied, but, as no station on the road could be reached, he decided to go to Stepney on the next train, thinking the fault was at that office. He was shortly apprised of the collision and ordered to see that the ambulance and physicians were in readiness at the depot, while Supt Lyon, after examining the train orders Flynn iistu lsSuCNls NthJ lO LllC WltCh Nlbll du engine to bring back the dead and wounded. He had also locked the office copy of the orders in Lyons desk. The wires were grounded some 15 or 20 min- and a train should cover the six miles between Stepneyand the scene of the accident in l5 minutes. To the best of his judgment, the train passed Stepney after McGuinness had said that his sig nal was set; therefore, he should say that it had been disregarded. He had told Smalley at Hawleyville to have the conductor of the down train "look out for signals at Stepney." Here the copy of the order to McGuinness was exhibit ed. It read "Hold train twenty (20) at Stepney until extra north engine No. thirteen G3) arrives. Signed, W. K. Lyon, Supt."l
 Luke McGuinness, night operator at Stepney, whose home is in Millerton, a station on the Hartford and Connecticut Western road, had been stationed at Stepney only since the fire at Wilson Point. He had worked for a short time in the Western Union office at Millerton, but had no other telegraph experience. Tuesday morning, after receiving orders to hold Train 20, he put a red light on the platform, but no train answered it, although it was left until 6 o'clock. About ], John T. Eastwood, who lives over the station, asked what the light was there for, saying that the freight had already gone down. Although full ly awake all night, McGuinness could not recall when he received Fiynn's or ders to hold the train, simply saying, "It was near 4." He did not hear the train pass at all. The doors and heavy wood- en shutters were tightly closed, the wa ter was roaring over the dam near by and, as safterward elicited by Col Steven son, the telegraph instrument was loose and ticking loudly; McGuinness could give no other reason for his failure to hear the train.
 James McDermott, who drove engine of train 20, southbound, the morning of the accident, said that the last orders he received, that morning, were at Hawley- vile, where he was instructed to pass A. at Newtown and did so. No signsls were visible at Stepney, which he passed about 4, running seven or eight miles an hour. He heard nothing about further orders at Stepney, although, since the accident, he had heard the conductor say that the Hawleyville operator said, 'Look out for signals at Stepney.r Me Dermott was afterward called up by Col Stevenson to state that, leaving Botsford at 45, he could run to Stepney in F minutes and must, therefore, have pass