Norwich bulletin., 1911-08-29
Middletown Police Allege Valley Division
 Smash Due to Track Weakness
NOT THE WORK OF TRAIN WRECKERS
A. P Brown of Hartford Died Monday of His Injuries --Coroner's Inquest to Follow-Rumor That Passen- a.r Found Stick of Dynamite-Passengers Say Rails Spread-Company Offers $25OO Reward

Middl stown, Conn.,, Aug. 2S.-The theory advanced by the officials of tho New York, New Haven and Hartford railroai Il that the wreck of the express train Sunday night on the Valley di- vision., three and half miles south of here, fn which Abraham P. Brown of Hartfo I'd was so severely hurt that he died to day. and 50 others were injured. was the work of someone who pulled out this spikes that held the rails and reT,iov' d the angle bars is secuted by passen gers who were on the train and by Chi ef of Police Archibald Ingals of this ciii iy and Sheriff Bert Thompson of Middle sex county.
 All Day Spent Investigating.
 Chief Ingals and Sheriff Thompson spent the entire day at the scene of the WI eek and were unable to find the slighe lst clue that would lead them to think that the wreck was caused in- tentio nally. Every house anywhere near he tracks was visited and their occups ants interviewed in each case the inform nation received being that they had &, zen no one near the scene of the wreck or walking on the tracks during the d, " or before dark in the evening. Wstel ,man Saw No One Near Tracks.
 A gatchman at the Connecticut fel- spar luarries who lives at the top of a hill . , feet above and almost directly over the scene of the accident stated that he was at home all day and that he ga W no one near the tracks at tn 1t point. and that if there had been any ono working on the tracks removing the bikes he would have seen them.
 No Tools Found Anywhere.
 Cir ief Ingals pointed out that to re- move the spikes and unbolt the bolts holdi ng tho angle bars would require speci al. tools, and that the nearest point. unless they we're hidden near the wreck. would hav's been in the work house here. A careful examins- ton and search of the surroundings did fnot disclose anything that would show that such tools had been secretcd In il Ie peighborhood. Sheriff Thomp- son , ,orroborated Chief IngaIs as to the belts.
 Tra7k on Sandy Curve.
 It seemed to be the opinion of the chiei. and sheriff that the engine whi< h was a large ene, necessitated by ti hs length of the train, was heavier fhanA the rails. under the conditions a.s 5.a Ts' n srouna ade by StAting into the side of the bank that leads down from the hill above to he Connecticut river. It is a gand y scil, and after prolonged and feaJ y rains there has lalways been mor5s or loss trouble with the tracks The, wreck followed a hard rain of seva ral days. and 1t is the opinion of those who made the investigation to- day that the heavy engine, going at a hit yh rate of speed struck the slight errv,s at that point and that the rails srres d, throwing the engine into the tsnls on the right and tffe baggage and smoA ing cars down the enbankment.
 Spikes Lying Around.
 Thle fact that there were spikes ly- ing around on the ground near the <vrecAi is accounted for by the position in wi nch the rails were found, having been thrown in all directions and torn from the ties, taking the spikes with &heml