The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-07-06

In order TO determine the responsibility
for the death OF Paul b. Monroe motor
into which the heavy Taunton box car
crashed with such terrible effect In
Watchemoket square. East Providence,
Medical Examiner william H. Magill
performed the autopsy upon the dead
man yesterday afternoon. afterward no.
tifying Coroner Eugene III. Lincoln of the
death so that the latter might arrange
10 begin the inquest. DIR. Magill declined
TO make a statement as 10 the nature and
extent OF Monroe's injuries.
Investigation into the cause Of the ac-
cident was begun yesterday by officials
OF the Rhode Island company. by which
Alexander Ganelle. motorman on the
Taunton car. was EMPLOYED. as well as
Railway company. by which the car is
owned.
John c. Field. a pressman on the
Taunton Gazette was a passenger on the
box car Field says that Gtnelle. upon
finding that the air brakes would not
work. opened the vesubule OF the car to
apprise the conductor OF the fact, and
John Gallagher. resident OF Taunton,
went into the vestibule and wound up the
hand brake TO the last notch on the dog.
II is unofficially stated that, when the
car was examined yesterday the chain
attached to the brake rod was found
wound tightly about the brake rod. but
that neither rod nor chain was attached
10 anything which would tend TO impede
the progress OF tne car.
GANELLE IS BETTER.
Ganelle the injured motorman, who is
at the Rhode Island hospital. where the
mutilated stumps OF his lower limbs were
amputated Thursday afternoon, was re-
ported as being In more favorable con-
~dition. with improving chances OF recov-
cry.
The condition OF Henry A. Sturgs. OF
liS Copeland street. Brockton. was con-
sidered alarming. When he was removed
-. -
be suffering from confusion OF the left
knee only, but soon after reaching home,
Thursday afternoon, he complained OF his
chest. and during the night ard ali day
yesterday he suffered Intensely, his
symptoms being indicative OF internal In
jury OF o serious character
Arthur Goulard, the conductor on Gan
elle's car. and who lives at 46 East Tran
sit street. this city. is able to be walking
about the city. He was sent To the Rhode
Island hospital Immediately after the ac-
cdent suffering with confusion OF the
chest. But according TO the opinion OF the
hospital physicians his injuries were of
so slight character that he was not adj
mitted. The officers OF the Rhode Island
company endeavored yesterday to locate
him. without success. When they last
heard OF him. he had left his home to
visit a Doctors office.
J. c. FIELDS STORY.
John C. Field, pressman on the Taun-
ton Gazette, told the following story:
II was a passenger on the box car, In
charge OF Motorman ,Ganelle. The car
was full and ! was standing In the aisle
near the door OF the forward vestibule
and hanging to a strap. Just after the
car began the descent OF the steep incline
on Taunton avenue. leading into Watche-
maket square. / noticed tha GaneUe was
In trouble He had applied the air brake,
but the mechanism apparently did not re-
spond. as the momentum of the car In
creased rapidly.
"Ganelle appeared to be confused, let go
OF the controller handle. and, turning
made an attempt to open the vestibule
door. 1t was some time before he sue
ceeded In doing this. When he had done
so he cried out 20 his conductor that the
air brake was not working. Then he turn
ed about so as TO face the front of the
car and again attempted to operate the
air brake. with apparently no better sue
cess.
..By this time the passengers in the car
were panic stricken and the car was
swaying violently as II rushed madly
down the hill.
''At this juncture John Gallagher. who
lives In Taunton. jumped through the
open vestibule door and, seizing the
crank of tho hand brake, rapidly wound
the chain In his efforts to check the car
Gallagher did not receive any assistance
from Ganelle. who continued In his en-
deavors to set the air brake.
"All this consumed but very few sec
onds, during which the swiftly moving
car was rapidly approaching the base OF
the hill Gallagher. having applied the
hand brake with all the strength that he
was capable. and seeing that collision
was inevitable, jumped back into the car;
otherwise he would have been seriously
II not fatally injured. Then came the
crash. The rest has already been told
by the newspapers"
MR.. POTTER PROBING.
General Manager A. T.. Potter. when
asked for a definite statement concerning
the accident, said:
"Vice President Buckland Is In Maine
and may not return for a day or two.
In the meantime / am conducting an in
yestigation for him. Whatever / ascer-
tain as to the cause of this accident and
the conduct of the crew OF the box car
I shall report to him direct Under the
circumstances l do not believe that IL
would be proper for me to make public
In the newspapers any OF the facts which
have secured That would be an act
OF discourtesy. At the proper time i have
no doubt that Mr.. Buckland will make