New Britain herald., 1927-11-25
TRAIN KILLS THREE
 AT REMINGTON JC, Clifford C. Johnson, Formerly Of
 This City, Among Victims TWO CHILDREN INJURED
Tragedy Follows Swiftly on 10th Wedding Anniversary Observance Car Driven in Front of Passcn- ger Train When Freight Passes.

ScI IIdu Nncu FTclsnt faSSFS. Two guests at a wedding anniver-
 sary party and their host were in-
 stantly killed at 11:45 o'clock last
 night at the New Haven railroad grade crossing at Newington June
 tion when they drove directly in , front Of a northbound passenger train.
 Clifford c. Johnson, formerly of o1 Belden street, this city, was oper- atins the car with Mr. and Mrs. Edward Lockwood Of 210 Hamilton street, Hartford, and their two chil-
 dren. as his passengers. Mr. John-
 son and Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood
 were killed instantly while the two children. Lester, aged [, and Grace, 3 years oil, were seriously injured and are now on the danger list in Hartford hospitals.
 The Lockwoods had spent the evc- ming at the home of Nlr. and Mrs.
 Johnson in Maple Mill where the
 Johnsons were observing the 10th anniversary of their marriage. At : about 11:3o o'clock they started for Hartford with tho former New Brit ain man at the wheel.
 Drives in Front of Train. The accident happened at the grade crossing on the main line Of , the railroad. less than an hour after the flagman had gone off duty. Train 66, due in Hartford at mid night, was proceeding northorly, Johnson's car going in the same direction. When the automobile reached the point at which the roadway crosses the tracks. q. freight train going south was passing ever
 the rails at the opposite side of the
 crossover. Johnson brought his ma
 chine to q stop and waited. When
 the last car had been drawn past, the automobile was put in motion and headed onto the tracks. The passenger train bore down on the car with q deafcning crash which was followed by q sharp grinding of brakes, streWing the tracks with wrockage for q distance Of nearly
 800 feet. About 20 feet from the point where the impact came, the body of Johnson was found. Lock- woods body was nearby. The two children were found by the side of the train. Grace being the only one of the party conscious. When the wrecked machine was being inspect ed the body of Mrs. Lockwood was located
 Children Hurried to Hospital.
 The bodies of the three victims were placed in a baggage car while the two injured children were placed in a coach and hurried to Union station in Hartford, where ambu- lances were waiting 10 take them to the hospitals. After the locomo- tive had been changed the crew proceeded to Springfield.
 John Dunn of New Haven, en- gineer on the passenger train, filed a report on the accident, as follows:
 T saw the car approaching along side of the train for some distance before We reached the crossing. A freight train was passing on our left going towards New Haven, and for some distance before the car reach ed the crossing l had lost sight of it. I didn't see the car again until it was struck"
 William Spacek of 325 Hillstown road. Glastonbury, one of the first to arrive at the scene called Mrs. Ernest Weir who lives nearby, who in turn communicated with the Hartford police, and Dr. Royce. The state police were notified later and Policeman David Austin was detail- cd to investigate tho accident.
 Noise DrOWns Approach Of Train.
 It is believed that the noise of the passing freight car Was so great !, that Johnson failed to detect the . approach of the north bound pas , senger train or to hear the warning i signal which, according to railroad !. was operating. Had the | driver looked to the south before i proceeding onto the tracks he would have had an uninterrupted view of !, the Oncoming train since the pas i senger cars were on the rails nearest <, to the place at which the automobile 1. had halted.