Norwich bulletin., 1913-09-04
To be Most Searching Investigation Ever Conducted
 by Interstate Commerce Commission
TO ASCERTAIN CAUSE OF so MANY DlSAS'
Chief Inspector Says Inquiry Will Get Down Fundamentals -Coroner's Inquest to Begin Today-Engineer Miller and FIugman Murray Held in Jai-Condtion of Five of the Injured is Regarded as Hopeless

New Haven. Conn, Sept. 3.-With twenty -one dead and five dying ds the result of the wreck near New Haven yesterday morning of the Bar Har- bor express. the New York, New Ha- ven and Hartford railroad faces to- night public inquiry into the causes of the disaster by the Interstate Con- nerce Commission. It will begin on Friday and will be the most search ing ever conducted by the commission into any other railroad catastrophe.
 ITO Get Down to Fundamentals"
 This was announced tonight by H. ". Beinap chief inspector of the com mission. who arrived here today, Com missioner McChord will preside and is expectez here tomorrow night MT. Belnap, who will conduct the exam inatiOu of witnesses, said that the in quiry would get down to fundamen- tals' and determine what causes in the general operation and management of the road were responsible for the se- ries of fatal wrecks affiicting the New Haven the last two or three years, cul- ninating in yesterdays. the most dis sStrous Of all.
 Fourteen Wrecks Since June 8, 1911.
 The following wrecks have occurred on that system since June s, 1911, mak- ing a record of 70 persons killed and hundreds iniured-
 June s. ISI1-Fairfield Conn. freight, killed; signals were disregarded.
 July F, 1911-Bridgeport Coan., Federal express. F killed. 100 injured; due to the carelessness of the engineer in taking a crossover at a high rate of speed
 Aug 2S. -Middletown. Conn, passenger train. 50 injured; rails spread
 Oct 15, 1eI1-Beriin Junction, Conn. passenger train, 2 dead, injured; due 10 runaway freight cars crashing into rear end of train.
 June II, 1s12-CHnton, Mass, passen- ger train, injured; ran into an open switch at high speed
 July 25. 1912-Stonington Junction Conn passenger train, killed, 1 in- tured: collision due to defeceive sig nals-
 Aug s, 1912-Dorohester, Mass, kined, IS injured; passenger train jumped track
 Aug. 2. 1912-South Boston, Mass, passenger trains killed, 40 Injured; derailed-
 oct 3. 1s12-westport Conn. Springfield express, killed, 50 in 5ured; due to taking a crossover at a high rate of speed
 Nov IS, 1912-Treen,s Farms, Conn, Merchants Limited, B injured: due to defective equipment
 Nov IT, 1e15-Putnam. Conn. freight train l killed. injured; rear end Feb. 2. 1s1s-waterbury, Conn. pas senser train. 21 injured: rear end col 70 hsion in fog.
 June 12 1s1s-stamford Conn. Bos- ton express by way of Springfield, killed and 90 injured: collision caused by ignoring signals and alleged failure of air brakes to work.
 Sept 2 1S13-North Haven, Conn. first section of White Mountain ex- press and second section of Bar Har- bor express. q killed and 50 injured: rezF-eud collision in fog
 Engineers Testimony Not Given Out.
 Unt1 the Interstate Commerce Com missions witnesses tell their story, the official explanation given out by the officials of the company last night will be the only version of the causes of Tuesdays wreck available to the pub lie. Coroner Mix persisted today in his refusal to make public the test& ulonY of Engineer Miller of t9ae White Mountain express which crashed into the Bar HsrboT train. or Of FIagman Murray of the latter train. both of whom he examined yesterday at the preliminary investigation at the of- fees oC the road. This attitude was also taken by c. c. Elwell. chief en- giueeF of the Connecticut Public Util- tiles Comm ission, who was present at the hearing.
 To Attend coroper's inquest.
 The coroner will begin tomorrow his formal inquest to fix. &e said, the criminal respOn sibility," but this also will be private affair, except for the presence of Messrs- Belnap and El- well
 Acting under teIegraphic instruc- dons from Commissioner McChord, Mfr Beinap today demanded that he be allowed to be present at the in quest To this the coroner acceded and promised him copy of the testi- nony already taken. This, 1t was learned, the coroner was unable to fur nish al the time, explaining to Mir. Belnap that if was still in the hands Sf the New Haven road. At a later hour the New Haven officials sent transcripts of the testimony to the coroner. one of which was later deliv- cred to MT. Belnap.
 New Haven Wishes to Hide Nothinq. President Elliott tonight declared that as far as he was concerned he was perfectly willing for the testimony to become public. but had refrained from giving it out in deference to the county officials
 T wish to state again as clearly as ! can" he said that the management of the New Haven road has nothing ft wishes to hide or distort in connec- ton with the serious accident on Tues day morning. There seems to be a misunderstanding on the part of some of the representatives of the news papers about the hearing held Tuesday
 
 rRl manager. That hearing was Joint one participated in by the company, the coroner and the representative of the public utilities commission of Con- necticut: and the representatives of the government examined the witness es under oath. something which the railroad has no power 10 do. When the question was raised Of having the representatives oI the press present at The hearing. proper respect for tfIe cor oner and representative or the state of Connecticut made fl necessary to ask the permission of those gentlemen The officers Of the railroad understood thot those gentlemen thought that such attendance at that time was un- wise
 Publicity Unwise at Present.
 When the question came Up today of fIr-nlshin t6 the representative of -He press copies cf the sworn testi- r-ory zt that meeting the company fsil again that rropeF respect for the