The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-01-18
ACCIDENT TO
BRAKEMAN
Investigated by Railroad
Commissioners.
THE DEATH OF CLOUGH
Subject of Hearing in the Brooks
House Wednesday Afternoon-Was
Not Uncoupling According to Rules
Conditions on West River Road

Conditions on West River Road.
Railroad Commissioners, John W.
Redmond of Newport, 5. Hollister
Jackson Of Barre and Eli II. Porter Of
Wilmington were in town Wednesday,
conducting an investigation of the cause
of the death of Frank =. Clough, the
brakeman who was crushed to death
early in the morning OF Dec. %, 1910,
between the draw bars Of an engine ten
der and freight ear which he was at
tempting to uncouple. The hearing De-
gan in the Brooks House shortly after
8 o clock and was not completed until
evening. All the train crew were put
through rigid examination by the
commissioners as well as by the law
yers on both sides, The gist of the tes'
timony was that Clough was not an
coupling the ears according to rules,
that no one saw Clough at the time OF
the accident, and that Horace Meach-
am was careful engineer ana goou
man TO work under.
The first witness called was Engineer
Meacham who was questioned by john
| W. Redmond for the commission, r. W.
Gibson for the Boston Maine railroad,
Robert c. Bacon for the state, and oI-
hert Davis Of Windsor for George u.
Clough. the father of Frank ClOugh. Mr..
Meacham testified that Clough came
down the track from tagging tram
and entered the cab of the engine. As
| he wished to get water and had only
/ five minutes 10 do so, he told ClougA
to uncouple the engine from the
ears and Clough started to OBEY
The last he saw Of Clough was when
Ciough stood Just by the corner OF the
box ear on the east side of the track
making the signal to reverse and saying
son the pin Mr.. Meacham turned
10 reverse his engine and heard the cars
bump. After this he felt his engine
sliding back and started to send 1t
ahead lust as the ears and engine bump
ed second time. He then heard Clough
cry out and groan. lie immediately
started his engine ahead and got down
| in time TO see his fireman, Frank T.
/ Waters, dragging Clough from IN front
4 of the box ear. He also testified that
/ Clouph should have cut the AIR hose ne
/ fore uncoupling the engine according 70
regulations. although they frequently
nncoupled the draw bars and pulled the
/ hose apart with the engine.
Frank r. Waters of Springfield, Mass
was the next witness called. lie tesu'
fed that he was spare fireman on the
Boston and Maine railroad and that at
tho time of the accident he was nrlng
! 4 N.
His testimony conceded in the man
with that given by Mr.. Meacham but ne
heard no secoud meeting OF the engine
with the ears. He saw Meacham pull
the throttle out little to send the en-
zine back and then close it again. lie
iumped from the engine as soon as ne
heard the cry and pulled Clough from
in front of the car. He testified thal
Clouth in compliance with the rules OF
the road should have uncoupled the an
hose first. and that he got down on the
right hand side of the engine instead
of the left as be should have done
to uneouple the air hose first. II nc
had tried to uneouple the air hose IRON
the right hand side of the train nc
would either have had to crawl under
the draw bar or else to climb over.
The next witness called was DIR. +
II OConnor. who attended Clough a,
lthe time of his accident. He testified
that the bones of both legs and tht
three pelvic bones were crushed. h'
said that he accompanied Clough to the
hospital and did all that was possibl,
for him. and that he died at about
clock.
Thomas O'Connor the middle brake
man of the train, was called next. h'
was on the spot soon after the acciden'
but saw nothing of the accident. III
was asked by Mr.. Davis if he had eve
been approached by the claim agent oi
the Boston & Maine railroad and re
plied that he had never been introduc
ed TO him and consequently did no
know the gentleman.
j. +. Harrington was called as I'M
next witness and stated that he wen
TO tell Raw Clough, who was in the ca
boose getting breakfast, of the acciden
TO his brother He stayed in the ca
boose and did not go to the scene OF tn
accident. n
The next witness called was II. I
Loveley, another brakeman of the tram
He testified as to the proper way to un
connie ears. He stated that whel
Clough was carried into the baggag
, room he said ~ was cutting the engin
off when it backed up and caught me.
, Raw E. Clough was called next AM
testified that he was called to the acei
, dent by Harrington. His testimony co
incided with that given by the pre-
, vious witnesses. James Riley, whe
called, stated that he was on the seen
of the accident shortly after it occurre
and that he heard Clough murmu
. something about "cutting the hose.
J. H. Burke, the station agent, was call
) ed last and stated that in making hi
report to the railroad commissioners h
questioned several of the men who wer
present at the time of the accident bu
that he himself was not present at tn
time. The hearing was then adJourne
, for supper and continued later IN tn
/ evening. Mr. Burke produced cop
of the report which he had made
!, George T. Howard, former member
the board of railroad commissioner
= The commissioners will report the fine
ings to the states attorney, Robert /.
Bacon, and to the Boston q Maine raj
: road. -,
/ Following the Investigation of II
J. Clough case the commission held an II
formal hearing relative to the accideI
which occurred on the West river RAJ
r. urban Rohert Lincoln Su