Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-06
CORONER'S REPORT
Says Conductor and Gateman
 Were Negligent in Duly.

Deputy Coroner Walter D. Make ipeace has completed his investigation of the accident at West Main stree
 crossing last Friday morning and ir
 his reports states that John Dillon
 conductor on the ill fated car, anC
 John Flavin, gateman at the crossing
 were negligent in their duty and con- l. sequently responsible for the horror
 Although there was suspicion thai
 the officials of the New York, New
 Haven and Hartford road might be in
 part held responsible the coroner
 finds they were in no way to blame
 Since the investigation started last
 Friday immediately after the accident
 the coroner has been working on the
 case every day. In all about thirty five witnesses were examined. They
 included eye witnesses of the colli-
 sion, railroad men, officials of the
 Connecticut company, New York,
 New Haven and Hartford, and in fact
 about every one that could throw any
 light upon the case
 Although the inquest was made on
 the body of Walter Hayes, supple
 mentary reports in regard to the oth-
 CT victims have been made out, which
 correspond with the main report of
 the coroner as to Dillon and Flavin being negligent. Nevertheless the coroner is of the
 opinion that the crossing can be
 made better than it is at present. He
 recommends that all trains going and
 coming shall stop and see if the way
 is clear just as is done where rail-
 roads intersect Moreover he advises
 that two separate bells with different
 sounds, one for each track, should be ! installed.
 Coroner Nfakepeace's Report. Having been notified, on the 18th 1 day of November. 1907, by Medical
 Examiner A. A. Crane, that Walter Hayes, a white male, 19 years of age,
 late of the town of Waterbury, coun ty of New Haven, state of Connect;
 cut, had come to a violent and un- timely death in said town of Wato,- bury, 1 took charge of said dead body and made all proper inquiry concern ihS thC ihdhhVl iilu SouoC ol oniA death. After said inquiry, and hav~ ing reason to suspect that said deatE was caused by the criminal act, omission or carelessness of another
 or others, held an inquest as to the
 manner and cause of said death and examined the premises where said
 death occurred.
 Said inquest was commenced on the 29th day of November, 1907, It Waterbury, where said death oc- cured, was continued on the 30th day of November and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th days of December, 1907, and was concluded on the 9th day of December. 1907.
 Having considered all the testi
 mony taken at said inquest and the facts observed CT the examination of said premises, I, on the 9th day of December, 1907, made the fol- lowing findings:
 Walter Hayes was a white male, 19 years of age. living at No Sec ond avenue, Waterbury. On Novem- Der 29, 1907, he was passenger on trolley car No 24 of the Connecticut Co, which car left Exchange place, Waterbury. at G:30 a. m., and pro ceeded west along West Main street, bound for Oakville. The crew of said car were John Dillon, conductor, and Charles Learned, motorman. At about 6:37 a. m. said car, carrying about twenty-nine passengers, 1 reached point on West Main street | a short distance east of the point where the railroad tracks of the | Highland and Naugatuck divisions of the New York, New Haven and Hart ] ford Railroad Co cross the trolley l tracks. Said car was immediately in i the rear of two other trolley cars, ali | three cars being blocked by the pass age of the south bound passenger | train from Watertown across said 1 street crossing. It was then full day light, but the sky was cloudy. After | said Watertown train had cleared ttIe | crossing, John Flavin, the railroad | gateman. whose duty it was to op- crate the gates at said crossing, | raised the gates which had been low cred prior to the passage of said Wa Ntl NONh Nl lHO NlbllCg cars ahead of said car No 24 pro ceeded safely across the railroad tracks. During the passage of these cars across the railroad tracks said car No 24 came to a full stop about twenty feet east of the easterly rail of said railroad tracks. and John Dill lon, conductor of said car. jumped on the rear step of the car ahead of said car and rode thereon to the easterly rail of the east railroad track. There he alighted and pro- ceeded west along the line of the trolley track to a point midway be- tween the east and west railroad tracks. From the time when he first upon the track to the time of the subsequent collision he swung and continued to swing a red Ian tern in a direction parallel to the trolley track and at right angles to fhe railroad tracks. The swinging of said lantern was a customary sig nal by a conductor to a motormaT. indicating that the tracks was clear and that the mOtorman could pro- ceed with safety. and said mOtorman. Charles Learne l. thereupOn did pro ceed. after ringing his bell in ae- CoTianre with The rules of said Con necticut Co. and brought his car upon the east track of the railroad.
 Meanwhile. said Watertovn Das- sengeT train, consisting of three tender and engine. had come to a stop opposite the West Main street station and at a point where .A- -.-s- .x sh. -,4a- ,s.- -.--- ,4s..z,-. I