Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-23

ton county Friday the trial of Charles HI. Mansfield on the charge of man. .Elaughter @in connection with the Bradford railroad wreck was resumed. The accused was engineer of the Gilt Edge train that crashed into the New London local.
 la George H. French, conductor cf the New London local, who was on the Witness stand when court adjourned Thursday, was recalled at the opening of court Friday morning. While his train was stopped at tower he noted that the rear end lanterns of the train were lighted properly. He was con ductor of the train for three months, and once before the train went on siding at Mystic and transferred pas sengers. The witness said he ordered the engineer to take the locomotive to Westerly for the purpose of taking doctors on and bring them to Brad ford.
 = By MT. Otis: Witness knew there are block signals on the system, and it was not unusual for a train to be late and on the time of another train. He did not consider the train was going at reduced speed and that the use of fuzees were not required. He got off the rear end of the train and saw that the fagman went back to protect the train. He trusted to the tlagman to perform the duty assigned him.
 = By Mir Fitzgerald: If a good trust worthy man could take a chance, but it would be violation of the rule. He knew the f1agman must serve regard less of the block signals. e Herbert S. Davis of Mystic, a bond broker, testified he was a passenger on 623. He knew the train stopped at the
 
 form. He saw the brakeman start down the track with lantern, torpedoes and fuzees. While witness stood on rear platform he saw the hagman go as far as the home signal and did not see him stop. Witness was a regular daily passenger on the train. He saw Conductor French come from the tow CT and get on the train at the rear car, the conductor saying that passen- gers would transfer at the station. He stepped in the car and got his coat and started for the rear door, and as he did so he saw the headlight of the approaching train and hurried off and escaped injury.
 Just as witness stopped to get un- der the gate the collision occurred. He believed the train was going at the rate of 25 miles an hour. The crash came about five minutes after the stop Was made at the tower and perhaps 20 seconds after the stop at the sta ton. The rear car was filled with smoke and steam and the express en- zine was through the car up to about the fifth seat from the farther end. He heard voices in the car, but could not assist in the rescue. Four or five men with lanterns went into the car. After the collision he saw that the Gilt Edge train was broken apart. He did not know that the 623 train was broken apart and did not locate the locomo- tive.
 Thcmas M. Weatherbee of Groton. Conn, a locomotive engineer for 27 years and railroad fireman four years, was the next witness. He was engi- neer Of the New London local on the night of the Bradford wreck, and it was the seventh round trip on that train from New London and Boston. That night he arrived in Providence six minutes late, and 13 minutes late at Kingston. Lest no speed from there to Bradford. There was low steam after leaving Boston, but did not con sider the trouble serious. At Kingston simeon Fish, a fireman, got on and fred to Bradford, and when reached there Fish said the train was about on the time of train 625. It was just 7-25 when he stopped at the tower, or l. HE engine would not interfere with the work of the operator, to report condition and get orders. There were two mon in the tower, the one on duty being McManus. Then McC4uSkv, an other man, came in. Conductor French came in with McClusky. Witness told towernan to notify New London and report conditions and ask for orders. McClusky was not in the tower when witness first entered the tower.
 When McCiusty came in three bells were sounded as sigma! for unlock at Wood River Junction. Just as soon as McCmsky came in he shifted sev- eral levers, and then took the place of McManus at the operators instrument. Then McManus said there was Q. train coming and witness said it must be the Gilt Edge. He saw the fiagman going back to protect the New Lon don local. Witness was back on the engine within minute after leaving the tower. At that time the f1agman was fully as far as the river bridge. The rule requires that whistle signal be given to send the hagman out. Were at the station about 30 seconds when the collision occurred and he would say 1t took place at 732 The Gilt Edge local came through the rear car and. knocked the engine away from the " LCClB anu GIlG DIdhGS were on the engine. Simeon Fish got off the left side of the engine and witness got off from the right side.
 Questioned by MT. FitzqeraId, the witness said that on that niqF1t he made time between Boston and Provi dence, for it was a big engine with a light train. Stopped at Wickford Junction to get steam, as had only 100 pounds of steam then, the same steam as had from Apponaug. Got steam up to 150 before leaving and within 40 pounds of limit. At King ston 100 and within four minutes had 40 pounds. At Wickford Junction, upon leaving, conditions were better to keep up steam wit han artificial steam jet that keeps up the draft. He was due to stop at Westerly, four and a half miles from Bradford. Decided to stop at tower when within two miles of Bradford, was running at 'sl1ut off," drifting along" without steam, and never gained a pound of steam in the drift" Had not con suited conductor in regard to the stop at the Bradford tower, nor did he re- port condition to towermen along the line, as did not consider it necessary. He ran on regular time between King ston and Bradford and ran the 12 miles in IT minutes, with steam shut off, the scheduled running time be- tween those points. The engine he was running was a superheated engine and did not make steam when shut