The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-08
CORONER MIX REPORTS
 ENGINEER FISHER GUILTY
EXONERATES CONDUCTOR IN WRECK THAT CAUSED DEATH
 OF THREE PERSONS.

Train Pass on Morning of January
 s, 19O7-Had Made Forty-nine Trips
 Through Siding Since Alterations
 Train Orders ExpIicit-Eaton Tried
 to Pull Conductors VaIve-Eleven
 Persons Examined.
 Coroner Eli Mix made public last evening his finding into the causes of the Grays' special accident near Water bury on the morning of March 9 The report was delayed somewhat because the coroner was unable for day or tcw to get the statement of Conductor George F. Eaton of the special train who was injured in the wreck.
 The coronf states that he examined eleven witness Y. Fisher has made no statement to the coroner and so noth- ing from him is incorporated in the report.
 One of the most interesting findings and one that makes it look bad for Engineer Fisher, who is now out on $25O0 bonds, is that he has made forty nine trips through Hill siding since the
 
 The coroner's report in full follows:
 Having been notified on the 2d day of March, 1907, that William H. Nor ton, a white male, late of the town and county of New Haven, state of Con necticut, has come to 9 violent death in the town of Waterbury, in said coun- ty and state and that his dead body was then lying in said town of Water bury, took charge of said dead body and made all proper inquiry concerning the manner and cause of said death. After said inquiry and having reason to suspect that said death was caused by the criminal act omission or care- lessness of another or others, held an inquest as to the manner and cause of said death. Said inquest was com menced on the Ed day of March, 190, at said town of Waterbury and con- tinued at said town. of New Haven. The following named persons were ex- amined at said inquest:
 John F. Fitzsimmons, New Haven; George w. Elkins, jr., New Haven; William Flynn, Bridgeport; Burton Blatchley, Nek Haven; George F. Eat on, New Haven; Vernon M Hodges, New Haven Robert B. Mckay, New Haven Harry E. Jones. New Haven; Cornelius M. Hull, New Haven; Joseph H. Dunn, New Haven; John w. Carr, New Haven.
 Having considered all the testimony taken at said inquest, on the 7th day of March, 19O7 made the following find ing:
 William IT. Norton was an engineer in the employ of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad company. On the night of March 1, 1907, he was running a regular passenger train from New Haven to Waterbury, and was on engine No. 1422 train No 1928, to which was attached a baggage car, smoking car and one passenger coach. Said train left New Haven station at l1:40 p. m. and was due to arrive at Waterbury at 12:49 a. m. Upon arrival of his said train at LAnsonia at 12:08 a. m. March 2 @ stop signal was given him and he, to- gether with the conductor, there ob- tained orders notifying them that they were to meet extra engine No. 1764 at Hill siding Ga railroad siding near Wa 
 been given to the engineer and con- ductor of said extra train, No. 1764, to run extra from Waterbury to West River function, meeting regular pass enger train, No 122S and passing same while said extra was upon Hill siding. These orders clearly indicated that ex- tra train No. 1764 was to meet regular passenger train No. 1928 while it (the extra) was upon Hill siding, and to take the north end of said Hill siding, and that 1t was not to go beyond the siding until said train had arrived and that regular passenger train, No. 122S was to proceed upon the main line to the north end of said Hill siding, and, not passing extra No. 1764, was to come to a stop until said extra train had arrived. Said passenger train left Ansonia where it had obtained orders, at 12:11 a. m and left Union City (the last station stop before reaching Wa terbury) at 12:42 a. m. At about 12:45 a. m, and when said passenger train MO. 1928 was upon the main line, and at q. distance of 3207 feet from the north entrance of said Hill siding, ex- tram IrdlH NO. Iiut NOIAltCu NiuI octlu messenger train, throwing both en- zines from the track and wrecking the same, telescoping the baggage car of said passenger train, by it's tender, and badly wrecking the passenger coach of said extr atrain, upon which there were between sixty and seventy five pass engers. The engineer of said passenger train. together with his fireman, and the fireman of the extra train were al- most instantly killed and a number of the passengers severely injured.
 I find that Conductor George F. Eaton and Engineer will Edward Fisher of the extra train, before leaving Water bury, which place they left about 12:42 a. m., March 2, were each ordered by duplicate written orders, the receipt of which they receipted for at the tele- graph office in Waterbury, to run extra train from Waterbury to West River junction, and to meet the regular pass enger train at Hill siding, and to take Hill siding, so that said passenger train could pass
 find that said Conductor George F. Eaton of said extra train, said to En- gineer Will Edward Fisher, as he was