Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-18
ARGUMENTS IN LYONS TRIAL
Continued from Page One.)
\ breeze Of excitement nervaded The

\ breeze of excitement pervaded the
| court room when the respondent was
called u the stand. He testified that
his name is Percy W. Lyons, aged %
years, and residence is Waterville.
! Was night operator at Tomah, later
going ID Mattawamkeas and thence
! to Basin Mills as station agent. Lat
e. llo was employed by the {. Z. Il. r.
! and Bangor x Aroostook.
Afterwards Lyons went to Fitchburs,
| Mass, where he was employed at the
| Western Union office. From there he
| went to the Boston Il Maine and en-
tered the Office of the assistant dis
| patcher. Later he returned 10 the
| Maine Central and for the last two
years has been employed IS dispatcher
| at Naterviilc. About 100 trains day
are handled at that Office. Mr. Lyons
| testified siiut the dispatchcr, depend
| upon The operators for information.
In dispatctlng orders the dispatch
ers call operators and give the order.
II thcy repeat It correctly the dis
patrher gives the O. Is. Operators re-
spond by wiring |. !. Q. *.
Mr.. Lyons identified the dispatch
book and train sheet in use the night
of the accident.
Lyons stated that the first order is
sued was that trair should run from
Watervilie to Newport Junction. Later
issued another order that train should
proceed 10 Northern Maine Junction
Tho order was made complete ut So
ana the train could proceed. which
was done ut $50 T. NJ. Al S.4; Bangor
all lt'nt.rIilln ,n1 lSlp,1 IL M 9E
could leave ahead of time. Lyons is
sued orders allowing the two trains
to cross at Etna. This was o. k'd. and
made complete. At $40 the operator
at i.tna reported freight &c passed
westward, also extra cast passing. Ly-
ols called Northern Maine Junction,
and asked if &c was there. Operator
said: Just coming" Lyons sent or
ders that trains should meet 1T Her
mon. Called Hermon Pond and told
of crossing to be made there. Then
started on reports and thought it was
time that train reports should be conf
ing IL. Called Northern Maine june
ton and Roy said it was Il shiftcr in
stead of No. Sc. Called HermOn Pond
to stop SO and Etna to stop train.
The Etna operator replied that he
could not stop the train as it WAS
passing around the curve Witness la
ter issued order for train wreckers.
Finished his work and was relieved by
Mr.. McGrath. He later vas summoned
to appear before the railroad commits
sioners. Operator Roy was not pres
cnt.
AR. Lyons in response 10 query by
4 81, L. 1
he understood them.
Mr. Lyons said that he never knew
of middle orders being issued as testi-
fled to by a. a. White.
The cross-eXamination was then
commenced:
@. Did you know that Asst. Supt
Priest had issued orders forbidding
freight trains to leave ahead Of time
unless for the benefit Of the COM
rany?" asked County Attorney
Patten.
A. Il did"
@. Did you allow No. rs to leave
Bangor ahead of time because tram
crew desired to do -o?''
y. Il did
on cross examination it was admit
ohcyed several orders. but in disobey-
ing them, he said, he had simply fol-
lowed the custom.
The witness stated that he should
expect Operator Roy u know the train
from 4 shlftcr before he let him know.
Harry l.. Jewctt. the next witness,
was head brakeman on shiftcr and
saw 40. Sc 60 by at o1S or go =. NJ.
He saw 4 red light displayed at station
and asked Roy what light was ont for.
Roy said for No. IS and witness toll
him that No. So had gone by. Roy APP
pearcd to be excited ana Jcwctt tried
70 cheer him UP. Tie curtains OF tho
office We're open at time Jewett went
TO the office to ask about the red light
Edward r. Sullivan, station agent
and operator, was next called.
What are the duties Of n train dis
patcher" asked the attorney.
The duties Of 4 dispatcher IS to re-
port all trains
What do the letters I. I. O. X.
mean"
They mean the operator has the
train"
70 a question from the county at
torney lie replied:
An operator should under no condi-
tons give the |. !. Q. X. unless he has
the trains
Operator Roy sent the 7. I. O. Z. to
Operator Lyons after order 4S on this
night of tho accident
Editor Chapman, son OF the station
agent Mt Ilermon Pond. was called. He
had seen Sc 20 by on night Of accident
and later had heard the order from Op-
orator Lyons. lie tried to stop the train
but It was past the station going west.
j. j. Mcfrath Of Crono. an operator for
the Maine Central. was the next witness.
He corroborated the testimony Of Supt.