New-York tribune., 1913-06-17
RECORD UPH0LDS STORY
OF NEW HAVEN ENGINEER
Entry "BrakeS No Good
Written in Pencil, Produced
at Coroner'S Inquest.
MECHANIC NOT THOROUGH
Practically Ignored Doherty's S
Report, He Testifies-Road
Foreman's Version of Trip
on Engine Contradicted.


From a Stan Correspondent Of The Trihune1
Stamford. Conn, June l6-The conten-
tion of Charie, J. Doherty engineer ot
engine 1895. which caused the wreck OF
the Boston express here last THURSDAY,
that he had duly entered a complaint m
the Stamford roundhouSe book in regard
10 the working Of the air brakes Of his
engine. was substantiated at the Cor
oner's inquest to-day. when the book was
produced in evidence. showing the entrV'
Brakes no good" written in pencil, OPP
posite the heading, Other works need
ed"
The record book also showed why Ben
iamin Spock. attorney for the New Haven
road. specified so particularly TO the Cor
oner at the hearing last Saturday that
the entry was not opposite the heading
Air brakes" as an inspection Of he
book to-day showed that space was left
blank This act on Srock's part led Do
herty's brother-ln-law. John II. Dillon.
Who has taken Dohertys case in charse,
10 assert that the company was getting
ready TO make the point that since the
entry was not under Air brakes ii hat
been overlooked Coroner Phelan laid
particular stress on this feature of the
entry to-day in his examination Of Do
herty.
Why did you make the entry in regard
TO your brakes under Other work in
stead of Air brakes he asked Doherty.
Doherty Explains Entry.
Because 1 thought it would cover the
whole thing." replied Doherty. Il thought
there might be something more than Just
the air, and ! put down there so that
they would look into the valves. and so
forth"
Did YOU think there was any reason
why it might be overlooked?' the Coro-
ner asked.
NO particular reason said Donerty,
but I put il under Other work needed
so as TO be sure they would look into
everything
Further emphasis on this precauuon Of
Doherty's was brought out a few mo-
ments later in the testimony Of Joseph j.
Cash. the mechanic in the Stamford
roundhouse who went over engine No.
1893 after Doherty had turned it in on the
Tuesday before the wreck, the day he
made his complaint
asked the Coroner.
Il didn't fix her" Cash replied. Il
looked the brakes over. They appeared
10 be all right
WAS there any one else TO carry out
the suggestion on the book except you?'
said the Coroner, as if to pin the respon-
sibinty down 10 as narrow field as pos
sible.
NO, sir; no one else" responded Cash.
Did not the entry that the brakes were
no good call your attention to doing
something to the air SYSTEM said the
Coroner.
NO sir" he replied. Il saw that the
piston 10 the air pump was all right. and
therefore thought he must be wrong.
"Oh, you thought Doherty might have
been mistaken, although he had travelled
on the train and used the brakes the
Coroner said. well. just what did you
think he meant when he wrote that the
brakes were no good?'
Well" said Cash, twisting uneasily
under the Coroner's searching questions,
Il thought he might want the piston
taken up, but it seemed to travel all right
so I thought he must be mistaken. l
'Oh, you just thought from appear
ances he must be wrong" the Coroner
persisted in bearing down on the point.
And you let him take the engine away
again and you never said anything or
asked him about what ought to be done
10 the brakes"
NO. sir. l never said anything" the
witness replied, and the Coroner allowed
him to leave the stand
contradcts Road Foreman.
While he was on the stand, Doherty
took direct issue with c. + Carroll, road
foreman Of engines, who testified Satur-
day ne had ridden on engine 1888 last
Tuesday when Doherty ran by a block
signal at Bridgeport. Carroll declared
during his examination that neither he
nor Doherty had said anything at that
time in regard 10 the faulty operation Of
the air brakes.
Doherty SAID that IN making the
Bridgeport stop it took him $50 feet TO
stop with his emergency brake on, and
he thought that was too long
did YOU have conversation with the
travelling engineer. Mr.. Carroll, who was
in the cab with you, about that stop?"
the Coroner asked.
Yes | did" Doherty replied. He in
structed me about the engine. and l want
10 tell YOU how he instructed me. lie
said: For sake. what are you doing?
You know the brakes on these new en-
gines amt holdin'. He said also the
waterglass was out of order
DO you remember your conversation
with Carroll on Tuesday," asked the
Coroner.
Yes" replied Doherty when came
in from the run the engine inspector
asked me how ! made out on the run. and
told him I went BY Bridgeport. and
that Carroll had told me 10 look out for
the brakes"
Did YOU make a report about the
brakes after this?" asked the Coroner.
Il had already made it at Stamford"
replied Doherty.
At this point Mr.. Spock, the roads at
tolney. offered a transcript of the round
house book in evidence. but the Coroner
insisted on having the original. This was
produced and Doherty identified it and
the entries he had made The fur record
showed that opposite Piston rods and
valve stems" he had written IN. Pack
end runs warm" while opposite "Eccen-
tries" ne had written "Ex." indicating
they should be examined.
Opposite Water glass was the entry,