Evening star., 1913-06-15

FAILURE OF AIR BRAKES
ALLEGED BY ENGINEER
Officials of the Company Order Test
by Experts of Brakes on
the Engine.

STAMFORD, Conn. June l4-Much OF
the testimony at today's inquiry by
Coroner Phelan to fix the responsibility
for the fatal wreck here Thursday on
the New Haven road had TO do with the
condition of the coiiiding engine before
the accident
Several engineers who had run the i'll
fated engine on days preceding Thursday
testified that they had no trouble with
1t. Engineer Charles J. Doherty. who is
held In 5000 bonds under n technical
charge of manslaughter. claims that
was the failure Of the air brakes to work
which caused the collision
j. +. Carroll. roadmaster o. engines
and an instructor of engineers on tin
New Haven road. said Doherty was n
good fireman and a good engineer. and
no question was raised as to his eff
cheney when he took out his engine
Thursday. Doherty was warned Tues
day. as all engineers are at various
times. to be very careful and to make
safety the first consideration. Doherty
had told him of running by the station
at Bridgeport Monday. but had said
nothing about the brakes not working.
Claims Signals Were Mixed.
John Harmon Of New Haven. a vet
for running by signal while operat-
ing the engine In question several
days before the wreck, declared that
when he ran by the signal 1t was be-
cause the distant signal was set at
proceed" but the home signal when
he came to it was at stop" He in
sisted that this was true. despite
statement by General Superintendent
Clayton N. Woodward that the mecha-
nism of the signal would preclude any
such circumsta Harmon said the
brakes of the engine gave him no
trouble.
Mr. Woodward was interrogated
about the hiring and disciplining of
engineers. He explained that the men
were not hired as engineers. They
served an apprenticeship as firemen
and are required to pass examinations.
Selections From ''Spare Board"
The witness explained the operation
of choosing .enginemen from the extra
list. or spare board" He stated that
special efforts have been made within
the past few months to insure greater
care on the part of the engineers.
looking to the safety of the trains.
Engineers had been cautioned with
other things that they must not at
tempt to make up time except when
sure of a clear track ahead.
The witness referred to the recent
Westport wreck and then to the STAN
ford wreck, saying he could not under
stand how the accident happened.
There seemed to be an epidemic OF mis-
takes The general opinion was that all
the road was trying to do was to drive
the engineers and make time. This was
not SO. he declared. emphaticaily, but
the company constantly warned the men
against this.
I'VE don't care IL trains come I'm late,
but We do want them to observe the
rules
The hearing VIII be resumed Monday.
Impartial Test Proposed.
NEW YORK. June 1.-THE New York.
New Haven and Hartford Railroad Com
pany announced that a body Of air
brake experts had been asked to make
an impartial test OF the brakes of the
engine in the Stamford accident. Pend
ing this examination the road asked the
public to suspend judgment. The tests
probably will be made next Tuesday.
The men invited to act on the afr brake
board are: Chief Air Brake Inspector L. J.
Langan of the Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western; Inspector Cha arles w. Mar
tin o. the Pennsylvania railroad; I. L.
Burton, expert Of the Westingl ouse COM
pany, and Chief Inspector Charles n;
joy of the New York. New Raven anu
Hartford railroad.
There will also be present at the tests
Inspector Howard of the interstate COM
merce commission and Chlef inspector
Elweh Of the public utilities commission
of Connecticut.