New Britain herald., 1917-08-28

Denounces Negus and IryC
Permitting Loss Of 10 Lives
Ordinary Care Would Have
vented Accident.--Negus' Clal
Was Asleep, Found Baseless-
New Haven, Aug. 22.-Wesil
gus, the motorman. and VIII
Tryon, conductor, are held by
Coroner Kenneth Wynne as crl
ly responsible for the trolley
on the Shore Line Electric IA
at North Branford, on August
which 10 persons lost their live
finding made today. The inQue
held upon the body of John +
non, a retired insurance agent
city, who was instantly killed
time the two trolley cars cal
gether, and whose body was
and taken home by his son.
Coroner Wynne goes into til
tails of the wreck at consid
length. The car, operated by
and Tryon, was making an ext
such as had been made daily I'd
eral months. Both men knew
car was supposed to pass an easa
car at the North Branford switS
finding says. II find," says til
oner, that from a point som
tance east of the switch men1
Tryon was sleeping. l find that}
slowed his car down in takif1
switch, but that. instead Of st(
there, he went through the
put on the power, and proceed
a long heavy grade toward thea
Branford station, which is TIM
station west of said switch.
that at this station Negus brou6
car almost to a full stop, and r
ted a passenger. to board 1t aH
the car then proceeded slandayss
past the station and down all
81 1.ldc. There is a sharp curv}
west and the car entered it II
the east-bound car entered it .
opposite end.
Il find that when the two cars|
within sight of each other therj
not sufficient time to stop or al
collision"
Tempered With Safety Devi2
Fixing the responsibility, thu
oner says:
II find that Negus knew tlI1
should wait at the North Bra
switch, but that he went throw
in a, period of mental abstrn
that he was conscious and awaki
was so absorbed in thoughts
than those that concerned his
ployment and the terrible resr
bility for the safety and securi
human beings in his care that h,
through the switch without rea.
it until he saw the approaching
bound car too late to avert the
lision. I find also that Negus, d1
the trip that was to prove SO
fastened down with tape the
troller handle on his car so til
spring designed to let the same 4
when pressure OF the motoru
hand was removed, thus shuttin|
the power, was rendered inefre(
and the safety element thus asd
was defeated.
Il find that employees OF the
CIV ~f trN 20 =
said controller handle and that n
knew Of such instructions and thu
knew he was violating a rule OF
when he did 1t.
Il find that Tryon, the oondu
was in charge Of the car, and tn
was his duty to give a signal ot)
oells to the Inotorman before the
.er was supposed to start his caz
.er stopping or to leave the pN
sfter stopping on the switch. IA
another car on the switoH
II find that Tryon knew his
vas supposed to meet the other a$
North Branford station. but thai
vas not attending to his duties
| time before the car approached
switch right up to tha time OF
wreck.
I'm individual acts, omissions
Of both Tryon and Ne
Us well as a combination Of them,
'uggest themselves as accounting
he wreck which followed, I find
lirect criminal responsibility for
wreck and the deaths which folio
den in charge of trains and trt
ars must realize their own great
lividual responsibility for the sa
# human lives entrusted to t
are. 1t is Il sorry excuse for, SUE
ragic and pitiful loss of life us
aused by this wreck that one IN
and another mans
iberate sleep while on duty, c
nd in combina ton, constituted
Iirect and personal responsibility
oss of life so appalling.
"Public officials responding to
emands of public, constantly n
,eenly alive to the hazard of moo
nstrum ntalities, must insist not
n safety in the equipment and o,
ton of such instrumentalities,
n the impelling sense of cons
ersonal responsibility on the par