Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-14
SOBS AS HE TELLSSTORy
OF FATAL TRAIN WRECK
Engineer Declares, at SIAM
ford Inquest, the Brakes
Would Not Work.

STANFORD, Conn, June 14.-Declarine
emphatically that the brakes had failed
to respond properly. that he had tried te
take precautions and had done all he
could to avert the accident, Engineer
Charles ]. Doherty of New Haven told a
dramatic story yesterday at the inquest
into the wreck in this city Thursday
evening. of the ramming of the first sec
ton of the Springfield express, by his en-
CINE, of the second section. on the New
York, New Haven and Hartford rail-
road, which resulted in six deaths be-
sides injury to many others.
He described his trip in detail from
Bridgeport to Stamford. He first discov-
cred that his airbrakes were in trouble
at Norwalk and because of that fact
had applied them sooner than ordinarily
and before seeing the distant signal at
Stamford. When he found this was set
against him he gave the brakes more
air" and when that did not work he
let her have the whole thing
Breaks Down and Sobs.
That failing to stop the train he threw
on the emergency brake and applied sand
to the rails. but could not stop the train.
THAT was all / could do he cried. and,
breaking down completely, sobbed for
several minutes.
When asked If he had tried to reverse
his engine he replied that he did. but
the heavy lever was stiff and because OF
an injury to his back, received Tues
day, he could move the lever only a few
uotches He thought if he could have
gotten it over it might have made things
better. but did not think 1t would have
averted the collision.
In the midst of the examination of wit
nesses, Coroner John j. Phelan turned
suddenly to Attorney Benjamin l. Spoch
Of the New Haven road, who was seated
in the audience. with this question:
rs it true, Mr.. Spock, that the
wrecked parlor car the skylark, was
Mr. Spock replied that it was true The
car had been ordered burned by officials
of the New Haven road. This was the
regular procedure. he added.
is it the regular procedure before an
inquest has been held?" asked the coro-
ner.
1T is" replied Mr.. Spock. when the
car in question is not directly responsible
for the accident
Mass of Wreckage.
In response to further questions. Mr..
Spock explained that the car belonged to
the Pullman Company and was a wooden
car, but it was SO badly damaged that
when wreckers came to remove 1t they
had to tear the superstructure apart to
get it off the engine. 1t was simply a
mass of wreckage and the company Of
fcials ordered IL burned up, he said This
was simply following the regular proce-
dure Of all companies. 1t vas not neces-
| sary to wait for permission from the
Pullman Company. The railroad COM
pany, he said. had to bear the expense
incurred
The taking of testimony was then re-
sumed.
Among the witnesses called were
| Fireman Barry Smith of the colliding en-
| CINE, Thomas Dunn of New York city
conductor of the second section, and Will
| liam A. Wilson of New York, baggage
| master on the second train. The testi-
mony OF Smith was corroborative of that
OF Doherty as to the airbrakes and the
efforts made by the engineer to avoid the
collision. Conductor Dunn told briefly of
| the trip from New Haven, and while he
was unwilling to say definitely whether
the brakes were working properly, be-
cause he had not sufficient technical
knowledge on that point he said 1t seem
| ed that they were not responding as they
| should.