The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-20
WRECK INQUEST SHOWS TROLLEYS
 RAN HAPHAZARD
Coroner Phelan Calls Mater ial Witnesses and Checks Rule Book With HCus- toms. '

Testimony introduced before Coro-s ner John J. sPhelan, at the Presumed investigation today into ~the trolley wreck at Westport. July 22 when four persons were killed, and more than. two score injured, disclosed the book
 Of rules provided by the Connecticut GO. are lax where actual working con- ditions are concerned. and that in many cases cars were run upon tcl1s- tom'' instead of being governed by definite rules
 The coroner was assisted by Public. Utilities Engineer EIwe1l, who has conducted separate investigation. company were present.
 John E. Lane Is Main street, Nor walk. motorman of the last car into Westport the night of the wreck, and upon whose light Motorrnan Raymond proceeded up the hill when the wreck occurred, was the chief witness this morning He testihed that he had been in the employ of the company for three months had run on the Westport-Nb brwaIA line but three times Of another motoruan. AS he ap-3 preached the bottom Of the hill at Westport and was about to go upon the switch. for his return, Motorman Raymond of the express. who Svas standing in the vestibule of his car,
 
 the last carr When he replied In the affirmative. Raymond called. All right I'll flag you overt Lane de- clared that he did not hear the con- yersation between R saymond and Con- ductor John DoTney in which Ray light He also denied asking his con- ductor whether Raymond was to flag them over, as Dorney had testified at al previous hearing
 When Coroner Phelan asked Lane whether or not the rules allowed him to let another car return over the sim gle track upon his light, he replied they did not, but that 1t was eus- tomAry,H The coroner then read him this rule provided by the company,s s
 book, and asked him whether It app piled to a terminus ssyVhen a car is
 through a turnout without passing car or cars running in an opposite direc- ton, the n1otorulan of the first car l will see that the signal lights are properly set to protect the next block ahead The rnotorman of the last car, shall extinguish the lights. protecting the block through which he had Just lpassed.f
 Lane declared it was customary to return on the lights. and that he could allow another car to proceed him upon 1 this light He declared that he had
 
 l to proceed ahead Of him as it is done upon other sections Of the line. An. Inspector, whom he called tfthe l chief was standing at the corner l when the express started LID the h1El. 1 The inspector had asked him whether Tor not his was the Bridgeport excur- sion that later figured in the wreck.
 He said no, that his was the Westporr excursion This inspector then asked him if he knew where the Bridgeport excursion was and he replied no. The l inspector said nothing when Raymond went up the hill on his light.
 Coroner Phelan ordered the inspec-
 tor whose name is Heath. to appear this afternoon. Instructor Richard Dunn of Norw walk. under whose su- pervision Lane was .sbroke in.s,2 will be also called in to explain some Of 1 Lane.
 Asked as to the condition of the lights at the Reets Swamp switch ana I the Country Club switch. when coming.
 into westportl he replied that evhi1el dim it was possible to see them with tout difficulty. The light at Westport
 was also good at the time he left he declared He was positive that they.
 were lighted when he left. John Madigan car repairer in the employ of the Connecticut Co. at I Westport, testified that. he was stalatf- ing near the lights at the Westport 1 switches at the time the cars started lup the hill and that they were proper
 " set. He did not see any one ap- proach the signal box, nor extinguish 1 Coroner Phelan adjourned the hear ling until this afternoon. when he and I Engineer ElweI will irlvestigate the I signal lights at the barns where new men are instructed. They will then Iresunne the taking of testimonv q, Il 1,4f