The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-07-31
Engineer Munson Discharged.

Shepaug engineer charged with man
slaughter due to criminal negligence, re-
sulting in the death of Thomas Meehan
at Hawleyville, July 6, came before JUS
tice M. j. Cavanaugh at the Town hall,
Friday and was continued to Saturday,
when the charge was dismissed on the
ground that the evidence was insufficient
to bind Mr. Munson over to the Superior
court. Mr. Munson has been regarded as
a careful, conscientious engineer and Su-
rerintendent Mcneil was present on both
days, as we'll as employees Oft the Shepaug
road and Mr. Munson's discharge was JOY
fully received by his friends. Treasurer
c. Iii. Northrop of the Newtown savings
bank was assisted in the defense by Law
yer Hubbard of Litchfeld, Judge W. j.
Beecher conducting the prosecution sim
gle-handed.
DR. Vile was the first witness put on
the stand, to prove Mr. Meehan's death
due to railroad accident, his death occur
ring 20 minutes after he reached the Dan
bury hospital.
James A. Donovan, who is % and has
been in the Shepaug's employ for IA
months, went to Litchfield with a freight
train, July 6, returning to Hawleyville at
so p m. Frank Munson was engineer of
the train, William Beebe fireman, Lyman
A. Bristol conductor, James A. Donovan,
Michael Kelly, Joseph Coles brakemen.
Returning to Hawleyville, part of the
train was left north of the New England
tracks, where the caboose and any cars
for the New England are left each day.
The engine then proceeded with the rest
of the train, leaving it on a side track of
the Housatonic's Danbury and Norwalk
division, south of Hawleyville toward
Bethel. The engine then backed up tow
ard the Hawleyville station, with Engin-
eer Munson at his post, Mr. Donovan in
the fireman's place, Conductor Bristol
and Michael Kelly riding back on the en-
CINE. Judge Beecher found Mr. Donovan
a refractory witness, a corkscrew witness
he called him, but he could neither bulge
nor bamboozle him. The side track where
the cars were left for the Danbury and
Norwalk division was about 100 yards
from S. A. Blackman's house toward
Bethel and, as the engine backed up tow
ard the crossing, Mr. Donovan was GER
tain that the whistle was not blown, but
could not say whether the bell was rung.
= Neither could he say how much freight
switching was done about Hawleyville.
He was looking at the signal ball north
of the New England track as the engine
backed up and, as the engine was about
2 to stop between Samuel Barnum's house
and the crossing to hotel, Mr. Garrison
shouted that they had run over some one.
This was the first he knew that they had
run over any one. lie was excited, so
was Engineer Munson, of whom the last
that he remembers before the accident
was that Mr. Munson stood with his hand
!, on the lever. Mr. Donovan was question
, ed quite at length in regard to whom he
, had talked with about the case since the
coroner's inquest, Judge Beecher assum-
ing that he was telling a different story
than that told to the coroner, the She
paug road having ''hoodooed" him, as
the judge put it. Mr. Donovan admitted
talking with Lawyers Northrop and Hub
bard, though he did not know which side
q of the case they were on. He also talked
= with Superintendent Mcneil, but coule
not remember what was said. Had asked
= Mr. Munson if he rang the bell for the no
= tel crossing.
q Charles III. Pierce, a Danbury hattie
II who happened to be standing ON thu
= south platform of the Hawleyville stat
!. ion, July 6, saw Mr. Meehan walking
" down beside the track toward the station
: When the engine, moving slowly, got al
q most to him, within Is or 20 feet, Mr. Nee
. han started af if to cross the track; seem
o. ed to have but one foot on the track whe
a struck. No whistle was blown, but h
l. couldn't say whether the bell was rune
, as there was number of engines about
Il Didn't consider Mr. Meehan in DANCE
! when he first saw him. Was abou
a 10 or Is rods from hotel crossing whe
z struck.
James A. Donovan was recalled to tes
tify that there were three main and 81
IN switch tracks about Hawleyville static
" that he could recall and footpath sout
/ of the track on which Mr. Meehan VIZ
10 struck.
wv Henry S. Blackman was called to test
i fy that there is considerable travel on th
,e footpath. The crossing to the hotel L
o considered private crossing, though |
was not positive.
Michael Kelly has been in the Sh
m paug's employ for seven weeks as brak
av man; had previously been in the road
10. employ. He was put through much tt
a. same inquisition as Mr. Donovan, as
~, what he had testified before the corone
by as to the ringing of the engine bell al
Nv. as to whom he had talked with. He W
sid on the engine, backing up, as it was pa
,ur of his duty to go and help put it in t
VI round house. Neither he nor Mr. Dor
ro- van saw Mr. Meehan until after the &C
led dent and then Mr. Kelly found him lyi
led Just outside the track, probably abo
three feet from it.
Conductor Lyman A. Bristol has be
be- on the Shepaug for five years, duri
the which time he has not lost day.
Try boards at Hawleyville, but has a fam
an at Litchfield. His train usually consi
ind of nine cars. Coming into Hawleyyil
lrts first stopped for New England crossir
so then hauled caboose up to station pl
form to unload freight for Housaton
then kicked back caboose and cars,
lew any, for New England, after which p
lrai ceeded with rest of cars to Danbury 9
With Norwalk siding on the hill. Did not
the Mr. Meehan as engine backed up, thoe
give looking up the track. Engine proba
of ran four or five rods after striking