New Britain herald., 1914-07-06
TRAIN WRECkER MAY
 BE PROVED INSANE
J. {. Calhoun Tells Disconnected : Story in Berlin Court.
BOUND OVER TO SUPERIOR COURT

Man Who It Is Alleged Put Ties on
 New Haven Tracks Tells of His
 Course in g Detectives Correspon-
 dence School.
 Evidence introduced in the trial of aJohn c. Calhoun at Berlin today for having wilfully and deliberately placed a heavy railroad tie on the tracks of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad company at spot near the Connecticut
 Orchards Wednesday mornings
 in an attempt to derail passa press train No. S6, brought
 fact that a man, apparentlX
 has been tampering witfl
 property in this vicinity
 dangering the lives of *tt
 passengers daily.
 After a rather lengthy
 was bound over to the
 term of the superior co1 sbonds of $2,5O0. Judge Ge0
 wold presided. In the opinion of railroad mel was due only to the alertness or gineer John Rust of New Haven tna his train was not plunged down an 'embankment shortly after II A. M. last Wednesday. Looking out Of his cab window as he rounded the curve near the orchards, he perceived the obstruction on the track and,. with ,rI iY0a !, speeding train to an abrupt stop. Would Be a Hero. { From the story which the train swrecker told Prosecuting Attorney William H. Gibney shortly after his arrest late Friday afternoon, 1t is thought that his motive in. placing the tie on the tracks was to afford him the opportunity of being hero by running out and Tagging the en- gineer as he rounded the curve, sub- sequently receiving such money as might have been collected among the passengers for his benefit and the re- ward which the railroad company has been paying for such deeds.
 However, in written confession. which he made to the authorities and railroad detective yesterday, Calhoun  unsuccessful in an attempt to board a swiftly moving freight and that his action was prompted by a feeling of revenge.
 Calhoun was sitting on the Kensing- ton viaduct late Friday afternoon when approached by Arthur B. See, a special officer for the New Haven road. He admitted that he had at- tempted to wreck the express and was taken into custody immediately. Sat- urday morning he was arraigned in court, charged with trespassing on railroad property, during the trial for which he made several statements which led the authorities to believe that he was the man for whom they have been searching for the past sev- eral days Accordingly, the case was continued and the prisoner taken to the New Britain police station. The charge of trespass was dropped this morning.
 Officer See Testifies,
 Officer See was the first witness called at today's trial. He testified that he had been notified last Wednesday morning of an attempt to wreck an express train near Berlin. Accom-
  lin, he hurried to the scene in an en- deavor to locate clues. The spot where the ties had been found and the express train brought to stop was near what is called Cooley's Crossing, he said. Before he arrived the obstruction had been removed from the tracks. He told of his fol- lowing up clues and of his arresting the prisoner on Friday.
 Arrested by R. R. Detectives.
 Officer See told the court that he approached Calhoun as friend and began a conversation with him, learn ing from him that he had slept in a freight car the preceding night be- cause he was out of work and short of funds. He told the officer that he had walked from Meriden to Hart ford on Wednesday and that he had heard of an attempt to wreck train. Officer See testified that he then took Calhoun to Deputy Sheriff Clark's house, where long conversation en- sued, the sheriff taking notes. This concluded Officer Sees testimony.
 At this juncture of the trial, Pros ecutor Gibney called attention to the fact that the railroad had not seen to it that all it's witnesses were on hand at the trial and that he could not appreciate such an attitude.
 Sheriff Clark on Stand.
 Deputy Sheriff James Clark of Ber- lin was then called to the stand He told of arresting Calhoun Friday af- sternoon and upon finding a razor, a number of neckties and a freight time table on his person, while searching his clothes. As he had neglected to bring the articles into court with him, he was instructed to send for them. Continuing his testimony, the sheriff asserted that Calhount had told him that se had been employed by the railroas as a section foreman about ft1.1 l,a in ha