The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-07-23

Carroll, at New Haven on the day of accident to Look out for yourself" to 'Commence braking far enough back to be sure to stop at stations, although causing him anxiety as to the quality and effect of his work on the days named that such conditions having passed away, they in no way affected his ability to manage his train on the day of accident, I, how ever, assume it to be reasonably true, nevertheless, that he must be con structed along unusual lines if the in cident of the slow operation of his airbrakes while slowing down and stopping his train at South Norwalk to save a. toddHng child from being run over by that train less than ten min utes before the disaster at Stamford, did not in a measure renew his neT- vous anxiety of the previous days, and whether or not it caused him to lose, in part, the mastery of his engine as it flew past Glenbrook to the place of accident.
 While conceding the competency and faithfu1ness of the engineman in question, regard must be given to all gernane evidence submitted and its probability in reference to the place where air applications for the train to stop at Stamford were made. In this connection the data obtained in the air-brake train test of End 53.
  showing the air-brake to be in good working condition, also showed the necessity, when using engine 1888, for earlier air application in the train line being made to produce train stop than on other engines of differ ent type and size, without regard to the distance or the location of signal posts.
 Tn view of this data and the uncer- tain results in point of accuracy of train stops experienced by engineman Doherty at Bridgeport and South Nor walk two days before and on the day of accident, I am persuaded by it, and as by the evidence of conductor Dunn, fireman Smith and baggageman Will son, that Doherty did not apply his air to the train line early enough to stop his train at the appointed place or at the times and places he thought he did. but at points too near the home signals to prevent collision.
 In this conclusion am not un- mindful of the earnestness or sheer ity of the 1atter's statements or of his belief in their accuracy. It is with in range of possibility. I assune, that something, beyond human vision at the moment, may have been wrong with the air activities of the engine, and that Doferty's story of it's defects and of the places and points of failure is correct, and he thereby stands Jus tif1ed. But however that may be, I must, on the evidence before me, con- c1ude he inadvertently but scrupulous- 1y erred in -niiajudging the distance re- quired in which to stop the train; that longer experience on that engine or on the road would have taught him (this same being also true of older men) and that so nisjudging caused the accident I do not find, however, that such error of Judgment in the a1t- uation and circun1stance then exist ing to be vioIative of any legal rufe imposing liability
 fully assume the conduct of the enginenan in the situation shown to be equal in all things, other than ripe experience. to that of any in his call- ing.
 ! I find that Ada Pearl Kelley came to her death at Stamford, Connecticut, from injuries sustained fin the Pullman car 'tSkylark,'' ,'' when the same was tel escaped by engine 1888, at the time and in the manner above set forth, and that her death was acrid ental; and further find neither engineman Doherty nor the New Haven Com pany, its servants or agents are guilty of criminal negligence therefor.
 JOHN J. PHELAN,
 Coroner.