The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-05-27
Witnesses OF the Collision Give Fur
thor Particulars In Court.
Men on the Locomotive Tell OF the
Run from Portland.
Agent Williams Explains the Rules
Governing Wild Trains.

az bno tlulo VI tno cOlllSlOn. Iuat mOEuiul
the train made Its regular stops. none o
them being Of unusual duration. The trail
had just arrived when the collision occurred
Charles Walker first called his attention q
the approaching train. Witness was then OF
the rear platform. He looked back and sas
the train coming He jumped of immedI
ately. Bonney's engine was then eominI
under the bridge. He got glance Of hel
before he jumped. AS soon az the collision
occurred he assisted passengers out Of tn
car: The forward car was considerabl
broken up. B0nney'5 engine was comm
fast. IL was l0wery dav. Did not motto
the smoke under the bridge. Saw Mr.. Bon
ney after the collision was over. Bonnel
was wringing his hands and crying, and
:"0h dear. what have done; what have
| donep i saw Mr.. Swazey after the coils.
Ion. He was wounded, and think that he
was unconscious. He was lying on the plat
form. Went back to Bonney's engine after
the accident. There was nothing hurt much
about II; l did not hear any whistle from
Bonney's engine.
Cross-examined-Dld not hear any whistle.
Don't know whether my attention was called
by the whistle. Couldn't Judge very we'll OF
the speed OF Bonney's engine. There was a
heavy fog and Il was raining hard. l have
seen the fog very thick on the ScarbOrO
marshes. Couldn't say whether there was
any smoke under the bridge with the fog.
There Is no shifting engine ever left at Scar
ooro, no danger OF cars being left and no
grade crossing. Trains do not usually slow
up much when passing that station IL they
don't intend to stop. Mr.. Bonney was un-
der great excitement after the accident. He
did not seem conscious OF what he was say
Ing. Have known Mr.. Bonney 10 years. He
has always been an engineer during that
time. He used to be on what Is called the
nun Rxrroa ha IL
o. and then on the Boston & Maine. He has
been on the Boston & Maine II years. His
general character as an engineer has always
been good, also the same as man. He has
been sober, careful and has always attended
to business.
Elbridge s. Oliver, station agent at Scar
boro Beach, was the next witness. II was
present at the time of the collision. Cous-
ens's train arrived about 1924. l was near
the door OF the station, inside. when that
train arrived. Cousens's train had been
there few seconds when the collision oc-
CURED. My attention was called to the ap-
preaching engine by the baggage master. /
looked out and saw the engine coming out OF
the smoke and fog under the bridge. IL was
coming at rate OF 80 or 80 miles an hour.
When l looked out OF the door there was
bank Of smoke under the bridge and the en-
gine was Just coming out Of 1t. The engine
ran Into the train. / went for physicians
and then telephoned to Portland. Cousons's
train stopped nearly opposite the station.
Mr.. Bonney usually followed train 70, and
he was from half a mile to mile behind it.
the rule Is that after the departure CT a train
a blue flag shall be put out and kept out five
minutes. Had no conversation with Bon
ney that morning.
dred feet from the station TO the over
head bridge. There was no wind that
morning and the foo ssccas " .Tt Os5fus.
When trains intend to pass our station with
out stopping they give long whistle. There
Is no post set up to whistle by, but Ii Is usu-
ally given about half mile off. The leaving
time OF Cousens's train Is 10 50.
CroSS-examined-There was no wind, II
II was a foggy morning and raining some
Heavy fogs came In there often. Could not
gine when first saw 1t. No shifting engine
or cars are ever left there, and IL Is not Gus
t0mary for trains TO slow their speed when
they do not Intend TO stop. Bonney was not
going at a higher rate OF speed than Is usual
when trains do not stop.
Mr.. BOnney usually came earlier than he
did that morning. This was the first time
as far as l recOllect that Bonney followed
train "a. The train he usually follows
passes there at 8 OF That train Is Boston
express train and only stops BY special sig
nal. 1t Is quite fast train. The fog was a
very heavy white mist that hung near the
ground on the lowland. Have known Mr..
BOnney twelve or FOURTEEN years. His char
acter and standing as an engineer and man
are as far as know good.
, Charles =. Walker, baggage master at
Scarboro Beach, was called. Was present at
the collision. just as Cousens's train stopped
| heard the whistle above the grade and
said, an engines coming. / couldn't see the
engine the fog was so thick. A few seconds
after the whistle the engine appeared. Tit.
whistle, but he hadn't gone far before the
engine came. Should think Bonney was
coming thirty miles an hour. 1t was the
same speed he was accustomed to use.
Cr0ss-examined-My attention was first
called by Bonney's long whistle Indicating
so thick and heavy could not see the engino
and could not see under the bridge. Could
not see the bridge very plainly; could see
the top Of 1t. The main tracks are kept
clear at the station, 1t Is not customary for
trains not intending to stop to slow their
speed. There was nothing unusual In the
rate Of speed at which Bonney was moving.
Redlrect-There was smoke mixed with
the fog. 1t was thicker under the bridge
than elsewhere.
William Tltcomb, baggage master on
Coussns's train, was the next witness.
On the trip January I'D they made the
usual stops and the usual time. The train
bad stopped not over half minute when
the collision occurred. Heard the long whis-
tie, got my flag and started to stop IL. Ran
~
that could not see the engine when start
ed back. 1t was very foggy, and light rain
was falling. Heard Mr.. Bonney say he was
to blame. Think he said he thought he was
following the other train.
Cross-examlned-My attention was first
called by the long whistle from Bonney's en-
gine. DO not have confidence In my estimate
as to the rate Of speed Of Bonney's engine.
He cOrroborated the other witnesses as to
the state Of the weather.
khtav
ness. Was standing at the station at the
time OF the collision. Did not hear the
whistle. Attention was first called by some
one saying, "Bonney Is coming. Saw the
engine under the bridge. Could see her
when first looked ed. up Am Am positive I she
Bonney said to me, "rhis Is horrible; terri
ble." He said that he was all to blame for
the accident.
Cross-eAamined- was fog, smoke
and steam between the station and bridge.
When saw the engine she was under the
bridge. Couldn't see the engine until II was
coming out from under the bridge. Couldn't
Judge very accurately the rate Of speed Of
the engine. BOnney said that he forgot that
he was not on his usual time.
William Leatherbarr0w was on Cousens's
train, and at the time OF the accident was In
the smoking car. First that called his atten-
ti0n was that two gentlemen ran out OF the
car. After the collision helped get Mr.. Tut
tie and Mr.. Fisher out. Mr.. B0nney was
very much excited.
Cross-examined-Mr Bonney was saving
"My God, my Grd, what shall do" He re-
peated over and over again the same. He
did not appear to be conscious OF what he
was saying. He was wEinging his hands and
crying.
Fred A. Miller of Scarboro, a Boston 4,
Maine section man, was working clearing a
ditch between Portland and the overhead
bridge when Cousens's train went by. Got
out OF the ditch when COusens's train came
along After 1t went by went toward the
ditch. In few seconds Bonney's wild
maln came along. Should say it was going
tnlrty or tnirty-hve miles an hour. Couldn't
see through the bridge after COusenss train
went Dy. When the collision occurred went
DOWN 10 the station, Think BOnney was gO-
ing at his ordinary rate Of speed. Should
say the engine was working steam, but
wouldn't say sure. Did not hear the engine
whistle. Think Bonney was going faster
than Cousens.
Cross-examined- Don't remember hearing
the long whistle SO far a. / recOlleet did
not hear any whistle. First heard the noise
of the wheels. When l heard the engine
looked toward Portland but could not see
the engine on account Of the fog. lt took
the engine but few seconds to reach the
place where / stood.
Haswell N. Skillings, a section hand on
the Boston & Maine, was called. lie was
at work with Miller In the ditch on the day