New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-19
ROAD BLAMED BECAUSE
DOHERTY HAD EXPRESS
LaCkawanna Expert Tells the
Investigators New Haven
Was at Fault.
WRECK ENGINEER IN TEARS
Witnesses Corroborate His
Story of Air Brakes Not
Working Before Siam
ford Disaster.

ford Disaster.
From a stan Correspondent of The Tribune.
Bridgeport. Conn, June 1S.-Patrick ).
Iangdon. general air brake inspector OF
the Delaware. Lackawanna western
Railroad. who was called by the New
Haven Railroad officials to act on their
board Of inquiry into the Stamford wreck
Of last Thursday, declared on the witness
stand to-day. at the Joint hearing Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission and the
Public Utilities Commission of Connect
cut, that there was no justification for
the New Haven in placing Charles ).
Doherty who drove the engine that
caused the wreck, in charge of passen-
ger train.
Dohertv was placed on the stand AT the
morning session. lie broke down ana
wept when he attempted 10 tell the story
Of the fatal crash and was excused from
the stand until the afternoon. Then he
was asked simply 10 identify the COM
plant book in which he wrote that the
air brakes were no Good.
Before the engineer broke down he said
in reply to questions from Mr.. Nc
Chord that he had served as a fireman
for nine years and nine months with the
New Haven before he took the examna-
ton for engineer in March. 1912
He said there were three parts TO the
examination. in only two Of which he
passed. In the mechanical examination
he scored a failure. After his appoint
nent as an engineer he said he served
on slow freight and switch engines not
having had more than ten days eXper-
fence on fast freights.
After he became an engineer. he said,
he was reduced for six weeks to fireman
again on account Of the falling off in
business. When he was raised to passen-
ger engineer, after being restored to
freight work. he said. he took no addi-
tional examination.
First Express June 10.
lie was placed in charge of his first ex-
press passenger train, he said. Tuesday,
June 10, when he took charge Of Train 50,
the one which he piloted two days later to
the smashup. He never had instruction
from a travelling engineer. The only in
structon he ever had in regard TO the
new type Of Engine No. 1898. which drew
the train. was the warning TO look out for
it, as the brakes were not holding.
you have seen Mr. Doherty and have
heard his testimony in regard TO his
qualifying as an engineer Of the express
passenger train" said Commissioner Nc
Chord to Mr.. Langdon when he took the
stand. do YOU think a prudent railroad
management was justified in placing him
i'm charge of that tTain?'
no. I do not" replied Mr.. Langdon.
He should not be allowed to have charge
Of a passenger train without at least
three years experience ON freight trains
Mr.. Langdon also gave in his testimony
the official observations made yesterday
at the tests Of the wreck special" hav-
ing been directly in charge Of the engine
iu those trials A train such as the one
which caused the wreck. he said, should
be brought to a stop from sixty miles an
hour with efficient equipment within 200
feet.
The figures he presented showed that
the test train i'm four trials took distances
ranging from 1850 up TO more than 800
feet to stop. a previous examination Of
the brakes Of the Pullman Centerdale.
the third car in the train. showed that
they were defective and had not set at
the time Of the wreck.
Mr.. Langdon said that the condition Of
the brakes OF this car probably caused
the train TO break in two. as 1t did last
Thursday, when the full emergency air
was put on, as it was just before the en-
CINE crashed into the first section of No
81. He then described a further test Of
tho train which was made this morning
near New Haven.
In this test. he said. Engine 1888 was
detached from the train under full speed
and the cars and engine permitted TO stop
independently of one another, with brakes
on. The train, he said. stopped in dis
tance 1876 feet shorter than ii took the en-
CINE, although in the train was included
the defective parlor car.
Car Brakes Held Well.
This showed that the car brakes were
holding that much better than the engine
brakes" he said.
An examination Of the engine showed
that the air pump was liable to stop.
owing TO it's newness or on account OF tho
accumulation Of foreign material in its
WI hAIESf AftiAAlAllS AdPplll5 ~ SldA l. AZ o.
Langdons cross examination was taken
up by G.. L. Bardo, general manager or
the New Haven. lie drew from the Lack
awanna man the statement that as trains
come and go the wreck train" as indi-
Gated by the tests. worked as well as the
average
But" he said. referring 20 the lack
Of qualification 10 handle it Of Dohcrty.
1t is then question Of the judgment Of
men. l would rather have a good engi-
neer in charge Of bad train than bad
engineer I'm charge Of a perfect train.
The latter might have smash-up and
the former never
John Harmon, the engineer who had
40. 1898 before Doherty and was suspend
cd for running by a signal. testified in
regard 10 the air pump, whose working
Nj Langdon described as eETauc. that
he had reported II as stopping Oh him on
June 2.
Doherty Gets Lawyers.
Thomas II. Dunn. conductor Of Do
berty's train testified that lust before