Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-24
DEAD CONDUCTOR
GAVE WRONG ORDER.
Kept F!agman from Going Back With
sisnals-coroner's Finding in Bolton
Disaster.

Rockville, Oct. 29.-Coroner Robert
II Fisk of Stafford, who investigated
the railroad wreck at Bolton, Witch
occurred on October C, has filed his
finding with Judge TiEgier clerk of the
superior court for Tolland county. ~
Thomas w. Howarth, the engineer.
was the only railroad man killed at the
time of the wreck although Michael
keegan, Bolton. woodshopper, and
Conductor William A Sexton of Wa
terbury and Car Repairer John F4an-
nigan were so badly injured that they
died later. The coroner discusses the
case of Engineer Howarth in his find
ing, and the testimony of witnesses a.
the inquest at great length, and then
finds as follows:
4 find that said death -(Howarth)
was not caused by tie criminal act,
son or persons except as responsible
ity may attach as found by the fol-
lowing conclusions:
TT was the duty of William J.
Cullen, the fiagman on train 10. 122,
under ordinary circumstances. to go
back with the signals and protect the
rear of the train when delayed be-
yond the usual time at the station
but he was under the conductor. who
ordered him to do something else be-
fore he had an opportunity to go gacll
with the signals, had he so intended.
The conductor. Sexton. who unfor-
tunately was killed. undoubtedly ex-
pected only momentary delay, but
he should not have given Cullen this
order, which he did, until he knew
Cullen had performed his important
duties relative to protecting. the rear
of the train. AZ
"It may appear from the imperative
language of rule 7SS, which explicitly
provides that flagman must go back
with signals instantly without waiting
for the conductors orders. that Cullen
should have gone back regardless of
the order of his conductor to do some
thing else.
81 find an apparent conflict between
this rule and rule I'll. before quoted
which is contained in the same sub
division of the book of rules, which
rule reads that tratllnen, while on the
road, will obey the orders of the con-
ductor, and also between rule III and
rule 602, which provides that conduc-
tors shall have general charge of all
men employed on the train while on
the road, and 1 find practical trainmen
differ as to what the flagman should
have done under the circumstances.
where the rules clearly direct his spe-
ciic duty, but he was ordered " the
conductor to do something else before
he had a chance to act as he ordina1
lily would have acted and there is an
other rule which directs him to obey
to which is the paramount and con-
trolling rule.
ut was the duty of HarrysT. Dixon
the. operator at the block signal sta
ton at Club House, to hold No. 223
at his station until he received word
from Steeles that the block was clear
Of train 122. but [ find from his own
testimony, which is uncontradicted,
taken with the proven fact that the
block signal wire was in general use
by numerous persons, making it possi-
person to cut in and give clear. that
he had or thought he had, a clear for
train 122 before he admitted No. 223
into the block. although L do not. find
that the operator at Steelets sent the
message.
Il find the wire used for block sig
nal purposes was also used for gen
eral railroad business by large mum
ber of stations and that it Was pos
gain access to il. thus rendering it
possible for serious mistakes to occur
in the blocking of trains, especially
with a new operator inexperienced at
this particular station.
TN the opinion OF the coroner ,the
dangerous conditions existing on this
section of the road. it being single
track. with bad curves and scuts, de-
mands that tha utmost preca ution be
taken t. protect human life that only
iTisd and ekpsftencsu opsFar3fs be
employed at the block signal statfons
and that only the most improved and
efficient block signals system be main
Iained SO that the chance Of confusion
and mistake be reduced t".atfe mini
mum and accidents OF this Kind pre-
vented