Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-04
FISHERS TRIAL
Conductor Eaton and Baggage
 master Fitzsim0DS on Stand.

VIII EuWdTu rlSHeT TOT mduSlduSH- ter of William Norton in railroad collision on March 2, was resumed in | the superior court to-day before the jury and Judge Curtis. As the case progresses it becomes more interest ing. Fisher is the engineer on the special train that took, or was to take, rather, Governor Woodruff and party and the New Haven Grays to New Haven on the morning of March 2. The party had been to a dinner at The Elton. Fishers wife and It. tie boy and girl accompany him to court, and yesterday afternoon, while Mrs Fisher and the boy paid close attention to the evidence, the little girl was made drowsy by the heat of the room and reclining in big chair she fell asleep.
 George F. Eaton, who was conduc- tor on Fishers train, was on the stand yesterday when court ad- journed. He told how the train had left New Haven and how he was marking on paper how many pas sengers there were on his train when he looked out the window and thought the train had passed Hills siding, on which it was to go to allow the regular passenger train from New Haven to go by. He handed his paper to some one nearby, remark ing that he had something important to attend to ahead. Then he pulled ho ptv fo stop, and the next moment there was a grating sound and he was thrown against seat and that was all he knew until he was taken, out of the wreck by one of the militiamen. There was what is known as an en- glneer's valve near the end of the car which when operated has the same effect as when the air brakes are applied from the engine. The effect would be to stop the car. lie tried, he said, to get at this valve, but he was thrown aside and ren- dered unconscious. His injuries were broken ribs and an injured arm and ankle. It was his opinion that when he reached for the bell rope the train was going at thirty-five miles an hour.
 It was his duty, he said, to see that the switches were right. The night was dark and damp and the tracks slippery.
 MT Eaton said his train did not leave at 12:30, as the Grays were not ready to 50, but 1t left soon after that hour. He did not hurry up the men and there was no hustle at all. John F. Fitzsimons, who has been thirteen years in the service of thc New Haven road, stated he was brakeman on Fishers train and is | now train baggagemaster. It was his duty on the night of the accident to see that the signals and the switches were right, and he rode in | the engine cab in order to jump when the train would reach Hills siding, where they were to stop for the other train to go by on the main | line. He did not know where the switch was, but he had an idea. He said the train from New Haven would have to stay on the main track twelve hours, unless otherwise or dered to proceed, if the special did not show up. When the train was passing under the railroad bridge near the Meriden junction, it was going at thirty or thirty-five miles an hour. He looked for Hills siding, thinking 1t was somewhere near the vicinity of the overhead bridge. He knows where the switch is located now and when ;he train had passed the north end of it he asked the en- gineer where 1t was and he said it was little further on. Fisher then threw the lever over and the train went on at increased speed which would make its rate thirty to forty miles an hour Almost direct. ly after he had said the switch is q little further on, Fisher threw on the emergency brakes. FiZsimmons looked ahead and saw the head light of the approaching train from New Haven. Then he knew they were or the main track, had passed the switch. and he jumped. It did not take him second to size up the situation. So far as he could recall
 he left Fisher standing in the cab
 He did not recall seeing the fireman there.
 Then the engines came together and when the wreck was cleared III it was found that three men were
 killed, William Norton, fireman O.
 Fishers train, Engineer Charles Car penter and Fireman E. G. Erickson of the regular from New Haven.
 FitzsimmOns said that If he passed signal at Hills siding he did no
 recognize 1t, not knowing where tht switch was located. He thought i
 took about four or five minutes tC run from the depot to where the ae cident occurred. He saw a sigma
 that the switch at Hills siding Wal open. Before the train left New Ha
 ven all the brakes were tested ana seeing that all was right he took |: nap for himself. He had had a tall
 with Conductor Eaton on their wa. to New Haven the day after the dc
 cident and Eaton told him that he
 Eaton, had done all he could to aver
 the accident and that he was not re
 sponsible for 1t.
 What the defense will be is a mat
 ter of speculation. It is said that i