New Britain herald., 1925-02-13
Motorman And Con- ductor Released Under $l,OOO Bonds After Being Charged With Criminal Negligence.
Passengers Piled Into Heap as Body Leaves Wheels and Turns Over at Stanley and Chestnut Streets.

Hitting a curve at the cor ner of Stanley and Chestnut streets last night at a speed on which the motorman and con- ductor do not agree, a trolley car due in New Britain from Hartford at 5:45 was torn from the trucks and over turned on the sidewalk, injur- ing 22 of the 30 passengers. Eight of the passengers went to the New Britain General hospital for treatment.
 Motornan Robert T. Hart nett of 154 Oak street, Hart ford, and Conductor John Roullns of 66 Lawrence street, Hartford, the crew in charge of the trolley, were arraigned be- fore Judge Benjamin w. AL Ing In police court this morn ing on charges of criminal negligence and the cases were continued until February 21 for trial. The men were released under bonds of $1,OO0.
 Chief William ', Hart and De,ee-a tive Sergeant William P. Mccue. who were on the scene of the ac- cldent soon after 1t occurred. made the arrests. It is reported that the conductor told them that the trolley was travelling at a speed of about l7 miles an hour when the accident occurred while the motorman claims that it was proceeding at speed of about five miles an hour. After the court session, Assistant Prosecutor William M. Greenstein said that there were three passen- gers who were to leave the trolley at the corner of Chestnut and Stan ley streets, and the conductor said that he had heard the buzzer sing nal to stop, while the motorman said that he did not hear any stop signal
 In court today Mir. Greenstein read the warrants and entered pleas of not guilty. Hartnett and Roulins were not represented by counsel. Hartnett spent the night in cell, being unable to secure bail.
 Investigations Under Way
 Superintendent William J. Bryan of the Connecticut company had no statement to issue today regarding the wreck. He said reports had been secured from the crew and had been sent to the central offices of the company at New Haven. Mir. Bryan expressed the conviction that the rails were not icy when the car reached the curve,
 Mayor Paonessa is in accord with Chief Hart of the police department in pressing an investigation to the limit. The mayor was at the scene early and assisted in rescue and first aid work, He said he believed the trolley car must have been travelling at a speed too great for safety when it reached the curve and that the circumstances indicated reckless ness.
 Besides the police investigation which is under way, two separate probes are being pushed. Secretary Henry F. Billings of the puoilc utilities commission sent engineers to the spot today to view the scene and Superintendent Nathaniel J. scott of the Hartford division ot the Connecticut company also hau inspectors there.
 At the hospital this morning Is was stated that all of the patients were somewhat improved. although many of them are suffering from hrujses and sprains as we'll as lacer- atons.
 Ice on Rails.
 The accident occurred about o:4 o'clock. It had been raining and the rain had started to freeze making thin coating of ice on rails and wires. The car seemingly was going along all right until 1t struck the intersec tIon of Chestnut and Stanley streef" where the track makes a sharp curve. Instead of taking the curv' inc car shot straight ahead. crossing the west bound tracks and striking the curb on the south side Of Chest nut street. The trucks piled up oi the ice bank alongside the eas5 bound track and the body of the oa' containing about 25 passengers top pled over and rolled onto to tH sidewalk.