The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-28

Before Coroner John J. Phelan in the court of Common pleas room at the County court house the inquiry into the responsibility for the wreck at Stamford took an important and some what surprising turn, yesterday when it developed that under Q most cor dial exterior the railroad officers en- tertatned the strongest feslAng against testifying as to individual responstbiI- ity Of any officials of the road which might tend to fneriminate them in the Westport accident
 It was 8 tense moment when Attor- ney Benjamin l. Spock, representing the railroad interests took the floor at the beginning of the proceedings and stated that a conference between officials and counsel of the read had resulted in the decision that mo off cial would be permitted to testify as to his exact duties and responsibilities
 With what almost seemed to be al personal feeling that the finding of the coroner would be such would place the responsi bflfty of the Stamford wreck upon. the road, as 1t was alleged had been done by the same 3nqu1ring official in the case of the Westport affair. Attorney Spock delivered a statement tending to show the ana Iogy between the two events.
 He further remarked tha44 as the pcoroner had been thought tofabe closely
 allied with the prosecuting authori- | | Justified in believing that any evil dence they gave in this inquiry might | be utilized against them and tend to | fncriIndnate in the pending indictments.
 It was for this reason, stated the rail- road counsel, that it had been. deemed wise to instruct each official to refrain
 from giving such testimony Athough
 in every other way the road would aid | in the coroner's Investigation
 Even more tense was the situation when before the gathering which in | cluded two high officials Engineer | Charles Dolherty his bondsrnan, John | H Dillon, and counsel. a number or I railroad employees. and the usual quota | of newspapermen, the coroner in his l easy but impressive manner turned to | Attorney Spock and inQuiring who was | the secretary of the New Haven road requested that Arthur B. Clark be l Instructed to appear on Tuesday next and produce a. copy of the company s bylaws together with all agreements and contracts since January 1912, bear I ing on the purchase of engines, rolling stock, equipment and the hiring of em- ployes-
 The culminating sensation was pro l duced when he further called upon the I railroad attorney to notify President MelIen and all other officials of the road to appear at the same time and | offer such testimony as might be re- | 4~ L.
 whom the coroner knew to be very 'i busfly engaged, no definite time of day was set, that being left open so previous engagements might not con fict.
 The announcement came so suddenly
 that counsel seemed dunnbfounded, and no attempt was made to either
 prevent his appearing or asking for a
 continuance The attitude of the road
 towards this move later became ap-
 parent, however, when an attempt was , made to dispute the coroner's Jurisdic-
 ton in fixing responsibility for such
 accidents upon individual rather than upon the corporate body, should : it be determined the road were at fault in this case.
 A strong plea, of excuse for officials
 from testifying was made, and at- tentfon called to the close relation ship between the coroner and Assist ant States Attorney Huxford of Nor l walk, who has sat with the coroner during the entire proceedings, the tn-
 ference being that testimony adduced
 at this hearing would undoubtedly be
 used in the Westport trials.
 i Vice President A. K Wha1ey taking l the witness stand at the outset was
 asked as to his occupation and duties He said that he had general super
 vision and operation of the whole 1 road" He had been appointed vice president, February 1, 1913, though he
 had never in his lifetime been ar
 operating engineer. He had taken nc part in the engineers agreement !, and he had had nothing whatsoever to I do with the contract entered into be tween his company and the Pullman
 people. He was then asked to define his duties and responsibilities in de 5 tail which he refused to do upon ad- , vice of counse1.''
 ! Asked if a fear of discriminating 2 others influenced him he again said that it was done upon the adv.ce ; of counsel and although the coroner remarked that it was an individua.
 matter with himself and not for coun- sel to determine, he persisted in de pending upon instructions.
 The coroner then cleverly executed the coup of the occasion by reversing ! the line Of questioning and firing 2 . 1 volIey of questions as to those tC whom he had to report ending by ask
 ing him to outline the exact duties and
 responsibilities of others beneath him Il spOck WAS ra1pnn his feet in zan in