The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-08-28


Tryon, conductor, are held by Deputy
Coroner Kennth Wynne as criminally
responsible for the trolley wreck on
the Shore Line electric railway in
North Brasaford on Aug. 20, in which
19 persons lost their lives, in find
ing made today. The inquest was
held on the body Of John H Cannon,
a retired insurance agent of this city,
who was instantly killed at the time
that two trolley cars came together,
and whose body was found and taken
home by his sons.
Coroner Wynne goes into the details
Of the wreck at considerable length.
The car operated by Negus and Tryon
was making an extra run such as had
been made daily for several months.
Both men knew their car was sup
posed to pass an eastbound car at the
North Branford switch, the finding
Says
"I f1nd.' says the coroner, .sthat
from a point some distance east OF
the switch mentioned Tryon was sleep
ing. I find that Negus slowed his
car down in taking the switch. but
that. instead OF stopping there, he
went through the switch. put on the
power, and prnceededs up d long, heavy
grade toward the North Branford sta
ton, which is the first station west OF
said switch. I find that at this sta
zion Negus brought his car almost to
a full stop, and permitted passen-
ger to board it, and that the car then
proceeded under power past the sta
ton and down a sharp grade. There
is sharp curve. just west. and the car
haS~c {-f&f~ rr<4t a. Is
can entered 1t at the opposite end.
find that when the two cars
came within sight of each other
there was not sufficient time to stop
or avert a collision
ner says:
.tI find that Negus knew that he
should wait at the North Branford
switch, but that he went through ii
in a period of mental abstraction;
that he was conscious and awake,
but he was SO absorbed in thoughts
other than those that concerned his
employment and the terrible respon-
sibility for the safety and security OF
human beings in his care that he ran
through the switch without realizing
it until he saw the approaching
eastbound car too late to avert the
collision. II find also that Negus,
during the trip that was to prove so
fatal, fastened down with tape the
controller handle on his car so that
a spring designed to let the same
fly up when pressure of the motor
mans hand was removed, thus shut
ting off the power, was rendered in
effective, and the safety element thus
assured was defeated.
"I find that employees of the road
were instructed not to fasten down
said controller handle. and that Ne
gus knew of such instructions and
that he knew he was violating a rule
Of the company when he did it.
IT find that Tryon, the conductor
was in charge OF. the caf, and that
it was his duty to give a signal OF
two bells to the motorman before. the
latter was supposed to start his car
after stopping or to leave the switch
after stopping on the switch, or iT
passing another car on the switch.
IT find that Tryon knew his cal
was supposed to meet the other al
the North Branford station, but thai
he was not attending to his duties
from a time before the car approach
ed the switch right up to the time OF
luO. WiSCk. :
I'm Individual acts, omissions and
carelessness of both Tyron and Negus
as well as a combination of theIn, tina
suggest themselves as accounting fol
the wreck which followed. find the
direct criminal responsibility for the
wreck and the deaths which followed
Men in charge of trains and trolley
cars must realize their own great In
dividual responsibility for the safet,
of human lives entrusted to their care
1t is a sorry excuse for such a tragi,
and pitiful loss Of life as that causet
by this wreck that one mans forget
fulness and another mans deliberat,
sleep while on duty, each, and in com.
| bination, constituted the direct ant
personal responsibility for loss of lif'
SO appalling.
ttPublic officials. responding to TIL,
demands of a public, constantly NOR,
keenly alive to the hazard of moderI
Iinstrumentalities must insist not onl,
ON safety in the equipment and opera
/ ton of such instruInentalities. but OF
| the impelling sense Of constant per
sonaI responsibility on the part o
those whose employment concerns it
self with the active running Of suel
instrun nenta1ities."
THE WEATHER.
Shnwersssand coeleE taatghts Wed