The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-08-05
Claims Crew of Car Which Met Disaster Are Not Charged With Statutory Offense
Accident at Baird'S Corner Said to Have Been Due to Turning Wrong Switch Which Cut Power From Air Brakes

In these days of electric power and may mean a great accident Because, as it now seems, the motorman of a trolley car turned the wrong switch, the power was shut off from the cars air pump. A little later, as the car rounded the Jonah curve'' at Baird s corner, in Milford, it's speed was so great that four people were thrown from it by centrifugal force, and all were severely injured, while two had to be taken to the hospital.
 Conductor James Whalen and Motor man Peter Daley are now held in custody of the Milford officers, having been unable to obtain bail of $500
 The Connecticut Company has refus- ed to furnish a bond for the men, for reason which Supt c. H. Chap man explained this morning as fol- lows:
 eve do not know what our em- ployes are charged with. The accusation entered in the warrant is not recognized by the statutes of the state. There is no such offense as that with which they are charged"
 MT. Chapman further said that the refusal of the company to furnish bail does not mean necessarily that the company believes Whalen and Daley were negligent.
 AS for Motorman Daley, he insists that he endeavored to put on the brakes and that the brakes refused to work.
 But the crew who afterward took the car declared that the brakes were in first class order.
 There is not necessarily an incon- sistency in these facts. For it is pos sible, and it is believed to be the fact, that Motorman Daley, intend ing to use the switch operating the electric lights on the car, did in fact, at the critical moment, turn the switch connected with the flow of current to the air pumps, so that the power was no longer supplied to the brakes.
 The accident happened in this wise. The car due in this city at 7:45 last evening swung up to Baird's corner at -'peeE E~1tat must. have been at fleasts50 fSiTes an hour.
 Batrd's corner is on the Milford turnpike, about a quarter of a mile beyond Washington Bridge, and at this point the railway turns sharply, the tracks proceeding to Walnut Beach.
 The car lurched heavily onto the curve. with the result that four pas sengers were thrown bodily outward and away from the car. The injured were Mrs. John Phelan of 1884 Sea view avenue, this city; Rebecca Park CT, colored, 225 Beardsley street; Mrs. winfield Scott Talmadge 20 Stratford avenue and the three year old son of Alison D. Clinton, Stratford.
 Mrs. Phelan sustained three scalp wounds and was otherwise much bruised.
 Mrs. Parker sustained a broken knee cap and fracture of the right hip with minor injuries.
 Both were taken to Bridgeport hos- pital. where they were reported dn excellent condition today.
 Mrs. Talmadge and the little boy were severely bruised. They were taken to their homes.
 Constable Harvey Hammond arrest ed Conductor Whafen and Motorman Daley, charging them with racing a trolley car on the public highway, and they were arraigned before Judge Hepburn of Milford, who fixed bail at $500. The ambulance from this city went to the scene of the accident and returned with Mrs. Phelan and Re becca Parker.