Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-28
Coroner PheIan Requests the Presence of New Ha-
 ven Roads President Next Tuesday
MESSAGE SENT BY THE RAILROADS ATTORNEY
Officials of Road Decline Testify Regarding Their Duties and Responsibilities, Acting Upon Advice of Counsel Inventors Submit Devices Which They Claim Would Have Prevented Stamford Wreck-Expert Aids Coroner

Bridgeport, Conn, June 27.-Coroner John J. Phelan at his inquest this af ternoon into the recent Stamford wreck requested the presence of Presl- dent Charles S. Mellen of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Rail- road company at the resumption of the inquest next Tuesday. The coroner's request, which was lodged with the roads attorneys, came after ne had vainly endeayored to learn the duties, powers and responsibilities of several high officials of the company. These officials declined to testify as to their duties on the constitutional grounds that, as they were already under 1n- dictment for manslaughter for the Westport wreck, their answers might be used against them when the Vest port cases came to trial
 Unwise for Officials to Testify.
 The question was threshed out last Monday, when the road attorneys made temporary objections" to the officials testifying. It was agreed to leave the matter for final decision until today. As soon as the inquest opened Attor- ney Spock. for the road, said he was very sorry but it had been deemed unwise to have the officials testify. MT. Spock explained that from the roads standpoint everything of impor- tance to fix the blame for the disaster had already been brought out. He thought the matter of duties of the officials was irrelevant
 Heard Coroner Was Unfair to Road.
 Mir Spock said he felt that the road was at a disadvantage in the present inquiry. He understood that the cor oner had been associated with the states attorney in prosecuting the other case. which remark caused the coroner to interrupt. saying that he had only been called into consultation Continuing, Mir. Spock said he had heard that the coroner was unfair to the road, but he did not believe this to be so. Under the circumstances however, he felt obliged to advise the officials to decline to answer questions.
 Requests MeIIsn's Presence.
 The coroner called Vice President A. R. Whaley and H. 4. Fabian, manager of purchases and supplies, to the stand. Each declined to testify as to their duties and responsibilities.
 Coroner Phedan then asked Of Mir Spock to give my compliments to MT. MelIen and request him to be here next Tuesday if 1t Is convenient" He also asked that the road give him copy of the bylaws, and all agreements and contracts relative to the purchase of engines, rolling stock and the hiring of employees since Jan. 1. 1912.
 Automatic Train Stops.
 The remainder of the inquest was then taken up in a field day for in ventors of so-caIled automatic train stops.
 Among the various devices explained was one which if was testified had been submitted to the New Haven road after a series of trYouts on the Staten Island railroad Incidental to this ex- planation records of the block signal and train control board of the inter- Etate commission were submitted as tending to show that the device worked satisfactorily.
 The New Haven road turned the matter over to it's signal engineer,