Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-14
MOTORMAN |NCRASH
ASLEEP AT H|SPOST
Explains Collision Of Shore Line
Trolley Cars Near New
Haven Yesterday.
IL ARE KILLED OUTRIGHT
By the Associated Press.

NEW HAVEN, Conn, August I4.-Ir
a collision of trolley cars on the shore
! line electric railway at North Branford
late yesterday nineteen persons los,
.neir nyes and nearly two score passen-
wynne The sesslssfiSs9 81 vs,nssssi Msnnssa
was In chambers and the states at
torneys office and the public utilitie,
commission were represented. 1t wa.
understood that the Interstate com.
merce commission would follow the
taking of testimony
1t is not expected the hearing will
be protracted. The passengers. most OF
whom are in hospitals. the survivors OF
the crews of the two cars, officers OF
the company and a few persons who
might have been near the scene of the
wreck are expected 70 be questioned
Late last night eleven of the seventeen
bodies which had been taken in charge
by Branford undertakers had beer
| ideptified and removed. Early today the
body of Mrs. William Hofer of Gull
ford was recognized and as many per-
sons were arriving at Branford from
, the towns east of there touched by the
shore line road. it was expected tina,
within few hours all bodies will have
been claimed.
Worst in New England History.
Seventeen persons were killed out.
right in the crash of the two trolleys
Leonard S. Hotchkiss died last mid
night at the hospital and this morning
Ernest A. kolin. twenty-three. of Clin-
ton. succumbed. One other patient, Mrs
Ruth Grannis. is in a critical condition
Leonard S. Hotchkiss was a banker OF
New Haven. whose two sons were killed
in a collision of express trains at North
Haven. on the New York, New Haven
and Hartford railroad about two years
ago.
The accident. which is considered one
of the worst in the history of trolley
accidents in New, England, occurred on
short stretch of straight single track
between two curves.
Motorman Says He Fell Asleep.
Motorman Wesley Negus of Saybrook
and Conductor William ]. Tryon of
Ivoryton. crew of the extra westbound
trolley which had left turnout and was
proceeding on the running time of the
car from New Haven. were under guard
at a hotel at Branford during the night.
and came here for the hearing today
The cause of the accident apparently
has been determined from statements
made by Negus both to persons at the
wreck and to Deputy Coroner Wynne.
He said that he left Guilford on time,
and upon reaching the switch at North
Branford he went into it for a few min
uteS and then proceeded. He said he
had been working hard and was tired.
He rested his head on the controller box
and awakened to find himself ON the
ground. The car had rounded a curve
IA short distance beyond the turnout
crashing into the car from New Haven
on short stretch of straightaway track.
Negus said he had been working six
teen hours without rest and is re-
ported to have reiterated this when
questioned by the deputy coroner He
is said to have claimed the company
was short of men. and as he needed the
extra money. having been ill recently.
he had taken on the extra run.
More Bodies Identified.
After the crash Negus and Trvon.
who were practically unhurt, scram
bIed up the embankment and went to
the farmhouse of Mrs. Ira THOMPSON.
There Deputy Sheriff Regan of Bran
ford found and detained them.
OF the unidentified bodies which at
2 am. numbered four. one was that OF
an elderly woman. well attired and
bearing many jewels. In her clothing
was found a will signed by Phoebe a
Ingersoll. Lake View. N. Y. dated June
Is. 1914 Among other papers were
promisso-v notes issued in Oklahoma.
in Bentoiiville. and Russellville, Ark.
Identifications were made of the
bodies of Mrs. Samuel Spencer of Clin
ton and Mrs. Andrew J. Higgins or
Brooklyn. n. Y. Mr.. Higgins is in the
hospital here.
Later the bodies of two women were
identified as those of Miss White, ma
tron of the Elm City Hospital New
Haven. and her friend. Miss Catherine
Ingersoll of Chicago. A will and papers
of considerable value found in the latter's
clothing are now believed to be those of
her mother, Mrs Phoebe Ingersoll. de-
ceased. who may have lived in Buffalo