Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-21
HIS COMPANION TALKS.

Says Kennerney Was Obliged to Jump AZ. From Car or Be Burned.
 Deputy Sheriff Charles B. Stagg is still further Investigating the case of ] fMatthew Kennerney, who was found ! in a dying condition beside the trolley ffrack in Milford last Thursday, and iIwho died at the Bridgeport hospital the Following morning.
 , Samuel Jack the companion of Ken 4nerney, was the only witness before r Coroner Doten yesterday.
 F Jack said that he and Kennerney ,slept Wednesday night on Merwin's oyster boat at dock in Milford. He says they arose at o'clock last Thurs day morning and caught the first car < that came along for Bridgeport the ob- C feet being to get a train for Norwalk, v where they were going to secure work. { Tbey-took the first car that came along, ! which was one of the big Jumbo cars run on that line After taking the car Jack describes the journey and what happened as follows:
 E "We were smoking and so We got on the front end of the car. 1t was very early and we, with the motorman. were the only ones in front. I noticed i. that the switch over the motorman's y head kept flying back and he kept re- . placing it. Kennerney asked him what the trouble was and he said, oh, this ; car is on the bum and they gave it to : me to find out what the matter was Kennerney asked him if there wasn't some danger, and the motorman said no one could get hurt from the switch
 ssThe car was running pretty fast, and were right by Washington sbridge. on the Milford side, when all of 491o i1.oI,3 3,r, I,r < sbfg flames began to come from the !. Switch box just over the motorman's . head, and from the controller The : current was turned on in the controller and the flames jumped out so quickly that the motorman had to let go of the handle and he could not turn off the --4-eurrent. The car was going very fast, and the whole front of the vestibule was all jumping flames. I got a spark on my coat and I brushed it off so it would not burn. There is a mark on my coat. Kennerney got burned some and the motorman had his arms seorched a little.
 s~ When the flames began I tried to get the door of the car open. but I couldn't do it. Kennerney, I remem- Der. went for the side door of the. vesti- = Dule and tried to get that open. He @E Tried for time and then succeeded. I saw him throw open the door. step to the lower step and then get off. The car was going very fast, and I just saw hennerney leave the car I never saw him after that. I got the doors onen 'C after a while; and ran into the car So did the motorman The flames gsdyere still in the vestibule and tbe mo- torman called to the conductor to pur 5-thes trolley off. The conductor did that. The car must have run 100 yards 5hefore 1t stopped, should think.
 The car was about half full of neo ple. When the car stepped the people <. got off. The car stopped about five 1S minutes and then went on. I did not notice Kennerney. The motorman saif 1e to me, I guess your friend was afraid 70 go on with us.' I laughed and dif not think any more about 1t. I got of ~the ear at White street in Stratford and then I thought that perhaps Ken afy nerney may have been hurt. did no
 go back because there was no car ant didn't know how soon there would
 be one. I went to Norwalk and di( not get back until Friday. Then
 heard that Kennerney was dead I no
 tified his relatives. He was not drunk
 We were together that morning and h,
 had nothing to drink It was neces sary for Kennerney to get off the ca
 at once or he burned to death"
 William T Hjncks appeared hnfor,
 tlse coroner for the railroad and Franl
 J Rhelan of Waterbury for the tamil,
 of the deceased.