Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-11

a requisite OF electric locomotives that
they have double pairs of shoes, and
because thu locomotive which Rogers
ran had only one pair of shoes another
locomotive was coupled to it. The con-
sequence with a heavy load was unusual
speed. which Rogers could not guess
or control because Of his lack OF expert
ence in running such trains
I'VE will prove to your satisfaction,
concluded Mr.. Smyth that it was excess
sive speed which caused the displacement
of the rails and thereby brought about
the frightful accident and loss of life.
1t remains with you to decide who was
responsible for the state of affairs that
permitted or brought about this Excess
sive speed. If you decide that it was
this irresponsible motorman. who, as the
defendant will claim, violated instruc-
tons, then our case is ended.
But we hope to prove to you that
the responsibility for putting such an
inexperienced man as Rogers, who had
no real idea, and could have none, OF
the speed at which his train was travel
ing. rests on the shoulders of the man.
aging officials of the company, chief
among whom was this defendant, Alfred
H. Smith.
I'VE expect to satisfy you that it was
a physical impossibility that Rogers in
four days could attain the proficiency in
running such train as should be re-
quired of any motorman by RESPONSE
BILE corporation. The sending out of such
a man constituted criminal negligence,
and it is on that theory that we ex-
pect you to convict the defendant"
Graduate of Correspondence School
Samuel Bickford, road foreman, in
charge of the electric train equipment,
testified that he had advised rogers to
couple another locomotive in order to
make up the deficiency in "shoes."
Where did you study electric engineer
ing?" he was asked
Mostly by practice, but partly, as to
the theoretical part especially, through
correspondence school,
You mean you studied the running of
these trains by mail?'
mo. I studied the art of electric
engineering by mail or correspondence.
but the running of trains was all a mat
ter of practice
Bickford said that in 1905 he went to
Schenectady and had run electric en-
gines there on the special testing tracks
and in the shops. After he returned he
instructed the men under him on a spe-
cial track between Highbridge and Kings
bridge. If at the end of twenty days he
thought the pupil proficient he gave him a
certificate which was recognized by the
New York Central management
Rogers testified that he began rail-
reading fifteen years ago as brake
HAIL. lie ndQ ABOUT thirteen years eX-
perience as a steam locomotive engi
neer. He joined the instruction class
on the electric system of the New York
Central October 8, 1906. and put in four
days actual schoolwork. Then he wait
ed until he was required for train.
He took the Brewster express out for
the first time February 13. He said
he had never timed, or learned to time,
motor train under his charge. He
thought his train was running between
forty-five and fifty miles an hour at the
time of the accident. He felt a jar
in going under Woodlawn bridge and
shut off the current and applied the air
brake. When the train stopped he went
back and found only one car still at
tached to the two engines and the rest
off 40 track.
What rules did you have as to speed?'
Rogers was asked
Just the ordinary train schedules"
he answered. Until he took out the
Brewster express he said he had never
run a train at full speed. He is still
employed by the New York Central, and
according to the officials is a competent
man.