The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-04
BROTHERHOOD COMES TO AID
 OF ENGINEER
E. c. Terry Engaged As Counsel To Miller
 And Murray
Mix IBquireS In Star Chamber, But M'ChOrd Will Probe
 In Public

New Haven, Sept. 4-The formal in- quest into the wreck, Tuesday morn ing. of the Bar Harbor Express, which cost the lives of 21 passengers, began behind closed doors, this morning, in the offices of Coroner Eli Mix. The facts adduced will be turned over to the States Attorney, Arnon A. filling, as a base for criminal prosecution should they warrant such action.
 That premature publication of these facts might prejudice the States case and the interest of justice was the reason given by the coroner, this morning, for holding the inquest in secret. He reiterated that such pro- cedure had been his practice in crirn- ina1 cases during his IS years tenure of office and that the law upheld him.
 'I feel that I am doing my duty,'' he said, despite the criticism to which I have been subjected
 H. W. Belnap, chief inspector of the interstate commerce commission, which will begin a public inquiry here into the causes Of the wreck, tomor- row. and c. c. E1weI1, chief engineer of the Connecticut Public Utilities Commission, were the only persons, other than the witnesses and the States Attorney and necessary assis- tants, present when the coroners in qutry began.
 A. B. Miller, engineer of the White Mountain Express, which crashed in to the Bar Harbor train, and Flagman Charles H. Murray, of the doomed ex- press, the most important witnesses. were among the first called. Both had been locked up since Tuesday night without bail, chiefly for the reason, iE was said, that the coroner wished to make certain that neither talked about the case for publica ton until af- ter testifying. The coroner, it was un- derstood, this morning, was ready to accept bail for them as soon they had told their stories.
 It was reported, today. that Miller, in the preliminary hearing at the of Hartford railroad directly after the wreck had proved a reca1cftrant wit ness. His sworn testimony as well as that of other witnesses at this hearing g was still guarded, today, by the rail road officials and the coroner, the for mer with the explanation that the de- ference to the county officials alone prevented them from making the tes- timony public.
 Fireman Robertson, of the White Mountain train, Conductor Adams of the Bar Harbor and 8 score Or more of survivors of the wreck were among other witnesses under subpoena for mum Der of the New Haven's officials
 Commissioner McChord, of the In teretate Commerce Commission, who will preside at the inquiry by that body, was expected to reach here to- night. Inspector Belnap and his corps of assistants planned to continue, to- day, their examination of the data furnished them by the railroad show ing the operations of trains on the morning of the catastrophe.
 After Coroner Mix had made ready to begin his hearing he found accom-
  that he decided to go to the superior court room in the county building, a block away This was done. The witnesses trooped over to that build ing where there was plenty of room for them in the offices connected with the courtroom of the criminal side Of the superior court
 MT Mix'e offices are quite small, To- cated on the second floor of the build ing corner of Church and Crown Sts. As he desired privacy, he could not have had it there.
 During the forenoon E. c. Terry, an attorney who has been many times defend members in court proceedings and who served as legislative agent at the Capitol during two sessions and of the General Assembly, was engaged by the Brotherhood of Locomotive En- gineers to look after the interests of Engineer Miller during the coroners s probe MT. Terry stated that he would endeavor to take steps which would permit Engineer Miller to be represent ed by counsel during the coroner's in quest He did not state what pro- cesses he would resort to. Many times in the past lawyers who have represented persons whose criminal acts have been under scrutiny by the coroner have tried all sorts of ways to get into the inquest to look after their clients interests but none succeeded
 Coroner Mix was asked just before he opened his probe if he would per init counsel for Engineer Miller to at tend and he replied, Counsel will not be admitted