Norwich bulletin., 1916-10-06

the trial of Charles H. Mansfield. en- gineer of the Gilt Edge express train, charged with two counts of man | slaughter in causing two deaths at the Bradford railroad wreck on the night of April IT. It was II o'clock when Judge Rathbun ordered the trial
 to proceed. Charles H. Morrison was the first witness called. He is a resident of New Haven and has been signal en- gineer for the New Haven road for
 ten years, and has supervision of the signal work for the entire railroad system. He told in detail of the workings of the signal system, that at Bradford and Wood River being Of the manual-control type. His story was in reiteration of the testimony of other witnesses who specialized in sig nal work, and told in detail of the lock and unlock of signals. MT. Nor rison was questioned but very little by Assistant Attorney General Phil
 .5s, and told his story with but few
 ,gestive queries by the attorney,
 e..Ir is few in comparison in the case ] the other witnesses. Mechanical and electric locks are used in con- junction at Bradford. The distant sig nal canont be released unless the first and second home and the advance sig nals are. set at clear. The switch could not be open unless the distant signal Is at caution and the second i home at danger. If the distant sig 1 nal stuck" at proceed the operator could not do anything but put his sig ] uals back to danger. but not latch i them. Provided 25 and 633 came to- gather, and at that time the home sig nal was at clear the Bradford tower
 man could not change the signals af- | ter the wreck.
 Mir. Morrison testified as to the gravity boxes and said they were se- cureiy bolted so as to avoid vibration. | It is not possible to force a gravity box unlock by a. kick or other outside force. The locks to these boxes are special and supposed to be proof l against picking. They are of special make and careful record kept of the specially made keys. He knew of a case where a lock could not be broken l by a hammer as they are very strong 1 ly made and are as safe as possible. Witness arrived at the scene of the wreck before midnight and remained there until the next afternoon. He walked down the tDNCk as soon as he arrived to see if the signals were be- 1 ing watched. The next day he exam ined the wires and the distant signal. He ordered certain things done. He saw to it that guards were put at the 1 levers in the tower as it was the de- sire of the interstate commerce and state commissions to make 8 personal inspection, and he wanted the condi- tionS to remain unchanged, although there are no printed rules on that point. No operating of the signals were made while he was at Bradford. Neither the witness nor any one in his 1 presence opened any of the boxes in which the instruments were kept, l which included the gravity boxes, but 1 this answer was ruled out as of no materiality unless all the time that ] tntervened from the time of the wreck | to the arrival of MT. Morfison.z-c | % 2 sA ~@--------z-=-- A q -s aA Mir. Morrison Testified that a few l days later, in the presence of the in l terstate commerce and state public 1 utilities commissioners, all the locks 1 of the various apparatus were opened | by him and all connected with the l tower operations were carefully in spected and all were found to be in proper working order.
 If the wire leading to the distant signal happened to become broken, the signal would 60 to caution by qraV tation, and if crossed by another wire the signal would be set at clear. pro- vided there was sufficient amount of
 current. It is not possible to get any more than one train in the same block at the same time under the sig nal system in use. MT. Morrison des- ignated the several signals on the plan
 that had previously been introduced
 as evidence.
 Upon cross examination by Mr. Fitzgerald, the witness testified that
 he was one of the officials upon which
 the railroad company depended for
 the efficiency of the signal system. He
 was responsible for the installation
 but not the maintenance or operation
 of the signals.
 The mechanical lock of the starter
 can be operated from the tower, and
 must precede the electrical unlock of
 the distant signal, which is held by
 magnet. Witness said the system was
 designed to be fool proof and the most
 reliable device is gravity, such as is
 in use at the distant signal There are
 different designs of blocks. but before
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