Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-08-09
INQUEST INTO HORROR
Coroner's jury nears Witnesses OF
Bridgeport Disaster.
PECKS TELL THEIR STORIES
Testimony Adduced to Show rh"'
the Car Was Going mt High Kate
of Speed When the Acci-
dent Happened.

cial probing into the cause OF anu lesPo
sibility for the appalling calamity winch
overlook a trolley ear on the Sheitoh
extension at Stratford on Sunday began
when the coroner's jury opened the M
quest in the commissioners room al tne
county building. There were no specta-
tors present. the proceedings being "atcn'
ed only by interested lawyers ana the
newspaper reporters. n.,,
The first witness was William N. FecK
of Stratford, whose house is located at
point so feet, perhaps, from the tres.le
where the horrifying affair occurred. Mi.
Peck was allowed to tell his story IN MS
own way. He said that on Sunday AFTER
noon lust before the disaster he was slt-
ting in the bed Of the pond over which
the bridge passes. From his position ne
was unable to see approaching cars ou,
he could hear the noise OF the tpaVel
over the rails. Thus he was unable TO
know the speed Of the Ill fated car rs ~
rushed along toward the trestle. Ills ar
tention. however, was soon attracted NY
peculiar grating and humping, propaoi,y
occasioned when the car left the rails
and began to bob along the ties. "A 1e"
seconds later the car came into his range
of vision. In another instant it was al
over.
Juror Gable asked the witness if ne mad
noticed the end of the bridge and the APP
proach on Sunday previous to the fatal
hour Mr.. Peck said he had and that
the approach seemed to be tout of true.
| The witness was then excused without
heing questioned in regard to the awful
| details of the moments Immediately FOL
lowing the plunge of the car.
Miss Peck's Evidence.
Frances Il. Peck, cousin of the pre-
yious witness was next examined. ehe
was in her room in the Peck house, and
az was her custom, she watched the cal
approach. In her opinion, the car was
running faster than any she had seer
since the opening of the line, FEW days
previously. The car. however. dld no.
sway as it rushed toward the bridge. IL
fact. it ran steadily until after it was
we'll on the bridge. At this point barr
interviewed, and the car was temporary
hidden from her view.
She felt herself constrained to water
for the car to reappear and, running u
the window dropped to her knees an'
looked out through the trees. She seemed
to feel that something was about to nap
pep As the car came on once more II
sight it was swaying violently from sld
TO side, still running at high rate o
speed. She noticed three or four men OF
the running board. They appeared to b.
clinpinq to the car with difficulty. Sh
saw no one jump and did not notice tn
motorman. From this point she remem
bered nothing, as she tainted away.
The Jurors piled Miss Peck with quer
tons concerning the speed OF the ca
with reference to the rate at which Tn
car was running as compared with TN
usual speed of cars at this point. In
witness replied that she was unable t
compare the speed of the car with tina
of others. She thought she had riddle
lust as rapidly on several occasions, gu
she remarked the rapid rate at whlc
this car was going because she had neve
seen cars sway on the bridge before.
a rule. they ran slowly across the bridge
South bound cars always rocked nor
than those going in the other direction
and the rocking varied with the speed c
1 the car.
Another Woman's Testimony.
Miss Kittie Taylor Of Bridgeport Wa
, the third witness. Miss Taylor we
spending SuHudS at lhS e''i".A'. 1890
of Mrs. Webb, her sister. This hous
is located about 500 feet from tt
, trestle.
The young woman had taken her pos
tion in the doorway on Sunday afternoc
for the express purpose of seeing tro
ley car pass over the bridge The doom
ed car came down the incline, approach
ing the bridge at high rate of speed.
1t was rocking violently-in fact,
, was rushing along so rapidly that clor
of dust followed. She was surprised
see that the speed did not slacken, ar
4 the rocking became more pronounce
until she actually turned back into tt
house to avoid witnessing what SCENE
to her inevitable. AS she turned awe
she heard the crash and rushed to b.
sister with the information that an acc
dent had happened.
DR.. William B. Cogswell medical q
aminer of Stratford, was next calle
u This inquest, in conformity with the r
auirements of Connecticut law, dea
with one victim instead of all, and II
killing of William Osborn Of Stratford
the technical subject before the jur
Accordingly DR.. Cogswell described tee
b nically the injuries which resulted in Il
+ death of this particular victim.
, With the conclusion of the examin
. ton of the medical examiner the inque
! was adjourned.