The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-09
THE CORONER'S INQUEST
PROBING INTO THE CAUSE or THE
SHELTON TROLLEY ACCIDENT.

medical Examiner and witnesses of thu
Terrible Disaster Called on the Wit
ness stand and Tell what They Know
Some Moro Interesting Facts-Wha'
Engineer Starr Says.
The coroner's inquest and examina-
ton of witnesses of the trolley accident
Sunday was officially begun yesterday
morning in the commissioners room in
the county court house, Bridgeport.
There were no spectators present, the
proceedings being watched only by in
terested lawyers and the newspaper re-
porters.
OF the several witnesses summoned
by the coroner but two were present,
and while they were being examined
deputy sheriffs We're out on hunt for
the absent ones.
WILLIAM e. PECK.
The first witness was William e..
Peck of Stratford, whose house is To-
Gated at a point fifty feet, perhaps, from
the trestle where the horrifying affair
occurred. Mr.. Peck was allowed to tell
his story in his own way.
He said that on Sunday afternoon
just before the disaster be was sitting
in the bed Of the pond over which the
bridge passes. From his position he
was unable to see approaching cars
but he could hear the noise of travel
over the rails. Thus he was unable to
know of the speed of the fated car as
it rushed along toward the tresle. His
attention, however, was soon attracted
by peculiar grating and humping,
probably ocasioned when the car left
the rails and began to bob along the
ties A few seconds later the car
came into his range of vision. In an
other instant it was all over.
Juror Sable asked the witness if he
had noticed the condition of the bridge
and the approach 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 being questioned in
regard to the awful details of the mo-
ments Immediately following the plunge
of the car.
FRANCES E. PECK.
Frances E. Peck, a cousin of the pre-
vious witness, was next examined. She
was in her room in the Peck house,
and, as was her custom, she watched
the car approach. In her opinion the
car was running faster than any she
had seen since the opening of the line
few days previously. The car, how
ever, did not sway as it rushed toward
the bridge. In fact, it ran steadily I'M
til after it was we'll on the bridge. At
this point a barn interviewed and the
vii \; 11ap
view. She felt herself constrained to
watch the car re-appear and run
ming to the window dropped to her
knees and looked out through the
trees She seemed to feel that some
thing was about to happen. AS the
car came once more into sight it was
swaying violently from side to side
still running at high rate OF speed.
She noticed three or four men on the
running board. They appeared to be
clinging to the car with difficulty She
saw no one jump and did not notfce
the motorman. From this point she |
remembered nothing as she tainted |
away.
The jurors piled Miss Peck with ques
tions concerning the speed of the car |
with reference to the rate at which the |
car was running as compared with the |
usual speed of cars at this point. The |
witness replied that she was unable to
compare the speed of the car with that
of others. She thought she had ridden
lust as rapidly on several OCCASIONS but
she remarked the rapid gate at which
this car was going because she had
never seen cars sway on the bridge be-
fore. AS a rule they ran slowly across
the bridge. South-bound cars always
rocked more than those going in the
other direction, and the racking varied
with the speed of the car.
The trolley company was represented
by Attorneys Morris W. Seymour and
Allan w. Paige.
KITTIE TAYLOR.
Miss Kittie Taylor of 161 East Main
street, Bridgeport was the third wit
ness. Miss Taylor was spending Sun
day at the Stratford home of Mrs.
Webb, her sister. This house is located
about 500 feet from the trestle.
The young woman had taken her
position in the doorway on Sunday af-
-ernoon for the express purpose of see
ng trolley car pass over the bridge
The doomed car came down the incline
approaching the bridge at high rate of
speed 1t was rocking ciolently; in fact,
t was rushing along so rapidly that a
cloud of dust followed.
She was surprised to see that the
speed did not slacken, and the rocking
became more pronounced, until she ac
ually turned back into the house to
.yoid witnessing what seemed to her
Inevitable. AS she turned away she
leard the crash and rushed to her sister
With the information that an accident
lad happened. The members of the
household Immediately seized sheets,
owels and pieces of linen and hurried
O the scene where they assisted in car
ng for the injured.
DR.. WILLIAM B. COGGSWELL.
DR.. William B. Coggswell medical ex-
miner of Stratford, was next called.
his inquest, in conformity with the re-
uirements of Connecticut law, deals
18th one victim instead of all, and the :
illing of William Osborn of Stratford =
; the technical subject before the jury.
ccordingly, Dir. Coggswell described q
echnically the injuries which resulted
! the death of this particular victim. a
With the conclusion of the examina- II
4l..N.,r