New Britain herald., 1914-07-24
Witnesses Summoned to Tell MI They Know of Death Of Frank
 NtgTy, Aged Il.
PROCEEDINGS HELD IN
 UNDERTAKING ROOM

to Hold Joint Inquiry, But Come
 ticut Company Is Represented
 Counscl.-Most Of Early Testimoi
 Is of Technical Character.--sign|
 Box Burned Brightly.
 Westport, July 24.--The inquest i to the collision of a trolley freight c. with a passenger car laden with Sur day school picnickers from Brideepoj at Nash's corner In this town Wed nesday evening, in which collisio four persons were killed and mod than a score injured was opened he'd by Coroner John J. Phelan today Th public utilities commission did nd hold an inquiry jointly with the cod oner as has some times been thX case, but Chief Inspector Elwell wa in town with a stenographer an was engaged in securing evidence in| dependently.
 The coroner's inquiry was held iI Fables undertaking rooms and morN than a score of witnesses had bee summoned. The Connecticut com pany was represented by Seth M Baldwin of New Haven. ]. B. Potter superintendent of the Norwalk diviI sion and c. H. Chapman, superintenI dent of the Bridgeport division. David F.. Fitzgerald Of New Haven repre- scented the troileymen and particular 'ly Harold Nadin, the motorman o} the wrecked car, who is in the Nur| walk hospital. A.A
 number of the witnesses wh( could not attend the hearing by req son of their injuries had made del positions for the coroner.
 Technical Testimony.
 Most of the testimony taken earlL in the hearing was of a technical character. The inquest was upon thd body of Frank Negry, an eleven yead old boy of Bridgeport. Dr. Samuel Fl. Huntington. medical examiner o1 Norwalk and Df. E. Powers of West port testified to their autopsies on| the bodies of the victims of the coll lision.
 
 at the scene of the collision of Wank& ington Heights and was familiaT wi( the locality. N~fM<|
 Walter H. Smith, motorman f0F twenty-one years who was the next witness testified as to,hi observa- tions of the strength of the electric current about the time of the acci- dent He did not see the wreck but .A track between the signal box at the Junction of the main line from Bridgeport to Norwallx. and the end of another line which starts at the Westport bridge. and the Country club at the west end where there ,s another signal box and between which two signal boxes the accident oc- cured. Smith with his car and an other car had run to the westport bridge to change their trolley poles Tor return trip. A short distance away was the westport. signal box.
 The freight car came down the main line from Bridgeport. goins' towards Norwalk. According to- smith, Raymond. the motorman on the freight car called out 'Ts that your hght?" meaning the signal light m the box, Dorney. conductor. on ne other car which was standing with smiths car and Dorney replied that t was. Raymond then said that he would take the light and flag the two cars over the switch, meaning that the 'reight car would go ahead aud tha< he two empty cars would follow to7 country club signal box. The freight ,ar started up the steep grade ahead With the two other cars remaining at he foot of the grade until the freight 'ar got over the crest of the hill. At his time the picnic car had left the Country club signal box and was headed towards westport The col ision occurred shortly after but out 'f Smiths sight. The coroner ques- toned Smith as to the strength Of he light in the westport signal box. He said 1t burned brightly" and 'ould be seen a distance of 900 feet.