The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-15
TEODORSEN HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR
 WAKELEE DEATH
Failure to Finish Work When Whistle Blew
 Cause of Accident.
STAGING AS LEFT
 WAS INSECURE
Negligent Workman Dis. charged After Blunder
 Now Missing.

Dropping his tools when the whistle blew for quitting time at the Housa- tonic Shipbuilding Companys yard in Stratford and neglecting to finish a piece of work that could have been done while the sound of the whistles was still echoing on the air, caused Lers Teodorsen to be held by Coroner John J. Phelan as criminally responsi- ble for the death Of Ephriam N. Wakelee, a we'll known resident of Stratford. Wakelee was fatally in jured on June 24 by a fall from a scaffolding in the shipyard and died on the seventh of July in the Bridge port hospital.
 On the afternoon of June 24, ac- cording to the finding of the coroner as brought out by the testimony of | witnesses Teodorsen and two helpers were erecting staging around the hull of the ship "Isto." Holes had been bored into the upright and "spalr' and their work was completed so that only the rion bolt or pin re- mained to be pushed through the holes to make the spall secure, in order that it would be safe to lay ] pldIhS dCIOSS IL IO pear the opera tives. At this moment the quitting whistle blew and Teodorsen immedi- ately dropped his tools and stopped work.
 This spall which played such ar important part in the accident Is g 2 X g plank set on edge across from the upright to the hull of the shir and is securely fastened to bear the weight of the operatives, planking and needed materials. It had beer kept in place in the slot of the up. right during the boring of the hole! by Teodorsen by wedge driven be- tween the slot and the spall.
 The next morning Wakelee and fou, other workers mounted this staging not having been warned that 1t wa
 not completed and safe, to place ;
 ribbon" of wood on the ships frame They worked about an hour before
 was necessary to get in a group il order to raise the ribbon" into posi-
 ton. As soon as their joint weigh was concentrated over the spall l f caused this wedge, which was all tha there was to hold the spall, to giv
 way, precipitating the five men t
 the ground. The other four escape with minor injuries but Wakelee sus
 tained a fractured skull.
 , Furthermore the evidnece als
 showed that on the morning of tn accident Teodorsen worked in anothe , part of the shipyard. but he failed t . give notice of the work that he ha :. left uncompleted. Coroner Phela !. found that the danger was involved i : the failure of Teodorsen as spend tha extra moment to SD secure the spa , and he marks his neglect as inexcus 5 ably careless and disregardful of hu u man hazard. His decision on rh Il matter is to the effect that Ephrair y Wakelee came to his death throug Il the criminal act of Lers Toedorsen.
 At the present time the whereabout
 of Teodorsen are unknown. He wa
 discharged the day the accident haI
 pened, and it is said that he tol
 some one his boss had told him ths
 he was discharged because the acc dent at the. shipyard was his fault. The finding of Coroner Phelan hs been forwarded to Prosecuting A torney A. l.. Delaney for action.