The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume], July 23, 1913, Image 1

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

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DO YOU
want a furnished room, or a
Sat, read The Farmer Clas
sified Ads. YouU find what
you want.
Tim WEATHEB
Showers tonight or tomor
row; cooler Thursday
VOL. 49 NO. 173
BRIDGEPORT, CONN., WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1913
PRICE TWO CENT3
EAGLES MAKE
GREAT GAINS IN
GONNEGTIGUT
Two Hew Aeries and
900 Hew Members
Shown in Reports
Contention May Vote lo Bold
Annua! Meetings and. Trien
nial Field Days
During the past two years the Fra
ternal Order of Eagles In Connecticut
'has added more than 900 to its mem
bership according to the reports of
the officers of the state aerie read at
the state convention in Eagles hall
today. Forty-four delegates repre
renting the 22 aeries in the state body
were present this morning when State
President S. H. Davis called the con
vention to order at 10:45.
The report of the State Secretary
D. J. O'Connor shows that the aeries
throughout the state have gained tooth
in numbers and finances. During the
past two years two new aeries have
ibees added. Ansonia No. 1996 with
a. membership of 300 and Terryville
2010 with a membership of 255. There
are now more than 7,000 members of
the order" in Connecticut.
Added interest was given to the
meeting today by the candidacy for
-State President of 'John H. Spittler of
"Bridgeport aerie. Mr. Spittler is the
retiring state chaplain. T.j 3. O'Con
'nor. state secretary, is also a candi
date for re-election but it is said dele
gates from other cities do not look
, with kindly eyes on the proposition
to give two state offices to Bridgeport
eerie. J
Mr. Spittler is opposed hy Francis
E. Wade, of New Haven, the present
."vice president of the state aerie. It
;-was said before the convention was
;called to order this morning thatWil-
"tllam Kremer of New Britain would
.'undoubtedly be a candidate to oppose
3dr. O'Connor. r
.. The members of "Bridgeport aerie
want Mr. Spittler elected state, presi
dent so that he may "be a candidate
for national trustee at the national
ronvention In Baltimore in September.
John W. Bohl of Stamford is now na
tional trustees but he has '"been tp-!
pointed postmaster and wants to re- i
tire from his high office In the Eagles.
A plan was discussed by the con
tention to change the terms of the
-e-tate aerie officers to one year each
, b. field day and parade every 1
years. At present the field day and
parade is held every year and the
.State convention every two years.
The morning session was taken up
.with reports of the state officers and
the appointment of various eommit
, tees. An adjournment was taken at 1
(O'clock for lunch. The report of State
j-resiaent XJavis was as follows:
To the officers and members of the
Connecticut State convention Fraier
tjiaJ Order of Eagles, assembled, greet
ings: ' With great pleasure I review the
I ther pleasure I am able to report that
iwe have had a. great and bountiful
success for the past two years which
has resulted through our efforts, in a
renewed interest and enthusiasm
t&roagbout the subordinate aeries.
' This condition is extremely pleasing
Ko your officers and confirms our be
Bief that trv systematic
fwork on the part of the state aerie
pias Become a very valuable and bene
flcial feature of our great fraternity.
As your president, I want at this
time to thank my associate officers
ptnd those brothers who have worked'
pnia me during the past two years,
jtfor their willing and unselfish assist
ance. I fully realize that whatever
jpneasure of success I have metwlth is
wholly due to their untiring efforts
JTor, without their co-operation, coun
sel and advice, I would have been of
ut little value in myself alone.
I desire to pay tribute to and es
pecially commend our state secretary.
Brother D. 3. O'Connor, for in my
position l Teel confident to judge
o the great amount of detail work
mrhieh he has had to contend with in
(ronsummating the different plans
rhich have been inaugurated by me.
am pleased that this opportunity is
l"ffwd me to publicly acknowledge my
appreciation of bis earnest and nains.
asking efforts, which I believe will be
pnarea Dy every member of this con
Mention.
. Realizing that at the very beginning
pt my administration that we were
kirganlzed for a definite purpose, I have
put lOTia every effort to work for the
jeonsumatlon of that purpose and the
est interest of our order. Every
Official act and decision has been made
rith -only the welfare of the order
fat large, throughout the state, at
peart.
With this end in view I outlined a
rlan covering the visitations to aeries,
n substance it was my idea to district
Jrhe state and divide the work, so that
very aerie could be visited either by
state officer or by some representa
tive brother designated " for such pur-fcose-
This plan ham been carried out
nd their reports after making their
-isits were very gratifying. They
Jfound all the aeries in a prosperous
Condition well officered, well managed
Bd busily engaged in distributing
their aid and benevolence and spread
fag the great principles of Liberty,
JTruth, Justice and Equality broad
cast in their communities.
One result of this work is demon
strated by the fact that all the aeries
fcf the state are now affiliated with the
tate aerie.
In conclusion I want to again thank
fell of the brothers for the loyal and
Siearty support and to assure you all
Chat my experience as state presi
dent for the past two years, will ai
rways be a very pleasant memory. The
Friendships I have made and the ac
quaintances I have found I shall al-
(Con tinned on Page Two) j
HEROISM OF NELLIE
CONNOR STANDS OUT IN
FACTORY
This Noble Young
Dimmick Sacrificed Their Lives to Save
Panic-Stricken Girls in The Burning
Building in Binghampton
L ; . i
Exact Number Wh.0 Perished in Fire, That Resembled
, the Triangular Shirt Waist Blaze, May Never OBe
Known List of Dead May Reach Sixty
Bingham ton, July 23 The exact
number of persons who perished in
the . fire in . the overall factory of the
Binghamton Clothing company yester
day may npver be Known.
The list of employes is in the com
pany's safe in the ruins, only half a
dozen bodies recovered have been iden
tified and many of the missing are
unaccounted for.
A rough estimate today places the
number of those In the -building at the
time the fire started -at 111. Of these
six dead have been identified; fifteen
bodies charred beyond recognition are
at the morgue; seven injured are in
the hospital; eleven have been reported
toy relatives as missing; forty-six, sev
eral of whom were more less injur
ed, are known . to have bene saved
and -twenty-six are unaccounted for.
The list of known dead and missing
reported includes: 'Mies Button, Nellie
Connor, Mies Creegan, Catherine
Crowe, Marguerite Diamond, Sidney
Dimmock, Mrs. Sarah Dor an, Mrs.
Thomas Doran, Mrs. Filmore, Mrs.
Battle Freeman, lionise Hartmann,
Louise Hartwell, Mrs. Anna-- Oleason.
Nellie Gleason, Ida. Golden, Ina Ken
nedy, Mrs. T. R. Lakey, Mary Prior,
Mrs. Ida Prentiss, Bessie Bay, Louise
Schelpf, John E. Schoemaker, - John
Schermerhorn, Mary Smith, Catherine
Sullivan, Mary Sullivan.
Mrs. Ida Prentiss who suffered Ter
rible burns about the head and arms,
died at the City hospital today and
Mrs. Mary Benny, 'another of the in
jured, is not expected to recover. City
offlicals estimate , the death list is at
leasts, hut admit It-may reach 60 or
more. Physicians expressed tne oeaei
that the bodies of several tft those
lost in the center -"would never be ac
counted for.
Crowds gathered about the. scene of
the disaster today and silently watch
ed -the force of men at work razing
the-walls and clearing - away the de
bris -under the' direction' of Mayor Irv
ing- and other city offlicals. Charred
bits of human flesh were picked up
here and there and shortly before noon
a body was reoovered, burned beyond
recoenltion.
THutrir Attorney Frederick A.
Meagher announced today that a. thor
ough investigation would be made at
(imp to the cause of the disaster
and to determine the responsibility, if
oanv for the loss of life.
"Reed B. Freeman, president of the
will be summoned," said "the
Aich-w uttnmer. "in order that he
may explain fully his knowledge of
the facta as to the cause or ina lire.
the number of employes, the precau
tions taken against fire and any other
details which may shed light upon the
great catastrophe."
Mvnr Irving says he will issue a
proclamation calling upon the citizens
of Binghamton for a general
ance bf a day to be set apart for the
funeral of the victims. .
As many of the bodies are unrecog
nizable a public funeral will be con
ducted by the city and the unknown
dead will be buried in a plot upon
which a shaft will be erected.
Frank S. Nash of Binghamton, an
inspector for the state labor depart
ment, says the fire escapes on the
building were of a type approved by
the state regulations.
"On Oct. 1 of this year, said Mr.
Nash, "new regulations governing the
construction of fire escapes will go in
to effect which will add to their ef
ficiency.'. The story of the heroism of Nellie
Connor, forewoman and Sidney Dim
mick, foreman in the burned factory,
who gave their lives that those under
them might be saved,' was heard oh
every hand today. Miss Connor was
one of the -first to reach the door of
safety when the alarm of fire sounded
throughout the building. Back of her
was a throng of excited girls, hesitat
ing to make the dash through the
thick smoke. "Hurry, girls," she cried,
"It is all right if you hurry." Then,
standing aside, she urged girl after
girl through the doorway down the
stairs until it was too late to go, and
then she waited until those' on the
stairs above her had returned to the
upper floor to fight for life on the fire
escape or to plunge through the win
dows to the ground.
Mr. Freeman, president of the com
pany, said today that Nellie Connor
died as she had lived for many years,
encouraging and helping the girls in
the factory.
for eighteen years, tie was in caarge
of the machine rooms, where most oi
the girls were employed. He directed
the fire drill. . When the bell yester
day rang, he stood at the top of the
upper flight of stairs, clapping his
hands sharply and urging the -girls to
move faster. He was the last to leave
the top floor. When he reached the
lower floor many of the girls had
turned back. To help the girls safely
to the sidewalk, a third time he re
turned into the blazing building and
was lost in a shroud of smoke.
Nearly a thousand relatives and
friends of missing girls visited the'
morgue today. Covered with white
sheeting the bodies of the unidentified
victims rested on rough boxes as the
throng filed past. Only three of the
bodies In the morgue have been iden
tified,
HOLOCAUST
Woman and Foreman
At daybreak today a big force of city
employes began to search for the dead
among the smouldering ruins of the
overall 'factory. Not until the tangled
mass of brick and steel has been re
moved will the full extent of yester
day's calamity be known.
The injured include:
Bather Raskin, Mrs. May Leighton.
Ruth Crotty, Edna Crotty, -Mrs. Mary
Benney, Charles Contesse, Mrs. Ida
Houghtaling, Jared Orr, Mrs. Mar
garet. Quick.
The loss on the buildings and stock
of - the five concerns is estimated at
more than $200,000.
The post office was badly damaged
but the mails were saved.
The heavy loss of life is believed to
have been largely due to the fact that
the employes, believing that one of
the frequent fire drills was being held.
were- slow in fleeing the building.
Even when It became known that the
building was on lire many returned
to the dressing rooms on the upper
floor for clothing and valuables.
The flames spread with great rapid
ity, and the intensity of the heat pre
vented the firemen from getting with
in fighting range of the building until
rescue was impossible. Women and
girls dropped exhausted ' on the single
fire escape in the rear of the building
and literally roasted to death. Others
jumped and were killed. Half a doz
en of the panic stricken girls rushed
Into the elevator, which was stand
ing on the fourth floor. A moment
later all dropped To their death.
Only . the fire department's best ef
forts prevented the spread of the
flames to business blocks lining Water
street . between Court . and' Henry
streets. In the building occupied by
the McKallor Drug company jtvas a
large amount of highly, explosive
chemicals, but the ; building , was pro
tected by iron doors and shutters.
Volunteer firemen employed in the
shops along the line of the railroad
who came to the -city yesterday after
noon .for their annual tournament,
aided the local - firemen in running
lines of hose to the tops of buildings
that ' were threatened.
Reed B. Freeman, president of the
Binghamton Clothing company, esti
mates there were between 120 and 125
employes in the building when the fire
started. He said eighty per cent, of
the girls employed were "Americans.
"It's not the money loss nor the bus!
ness that overcomes me," he said, "but
it ' is the thought of these girls, some
of whom have been with us for years,
being trapped as they were and per-
Hshlng in the flames.
"They perished . because they believ
ed the alarm, sounded Immediately af
ter the fire broke out, was for - a fire
drill, several, of. . which haid been re
cently used. They- disliked these drills.
So ' when the ' alarm sounded most of
them took : their time some to don
their coats, others to get their purees
and other belongings.
"But for this fact. I believe nearly
all the employes could have been sav
ed. In the last fire drill we had the
entire building was emptied in twenty
seconds. This would have been ample
time."
It . was the theory of Mr. Freeman
that ' a lighted cigarette thrown into
a heap of rubbish shortly after the
lunch hour was the cause of the dis
aster. -
Fire Chief Hogg declared that in his
opinion the fire escape was adequate.
"They simply withered from the heat
when they ' got to it' he said.
The building was a four story hrick
structure forty-four feet wide by 130
feet long and was . built 18 years ago,
as a cigar factory. Besides the fire
escape at the rear there were two
stairways from the top floor, one to
Center street at the rear and the oth
er at Wall street at the front. The
interior of the building was of . wood.
Most, of the operatives were on the
third or fourth floors. . The fire start
ed in the, center of the first floor near
the stairway. The doors and windows
were open at the time and the flue
link in the kitchen of the building
created a draft which contributed to
the rapid spread of the flames.
A fund for the survivors has been
started.
PRESIDENT NAMES
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
Washington, July 23 President Wil
son today made these nominations:
United States Attorney for Western
District of, Missouri, Francis M. Wil
eon: United States Attorney for District
of South Dakota, Robert P. Stewart
TWO DIVORCE ACTIONS.
Papers in two divorce actions were
filed today in the superior court. Mary
McDougall Flemings of this city wants
a separation from Charles P. Flem
ings of this city. Desertion on May
2, 1910, is alleged. The couple were
married January 1, 1907.
Joseph Wangyula of this city wants
a decree from Katalin Gurdon Wang
yula of Hungary. Desertion on Jan
uary 1. 1908. and infidelity are the
grounds. The couple were : married
May 18. 1S97.
WINNER OF $1,000
PRIZE UNABLE TO
FIND HIS TICKET
Joseph Betts Will Be Given
Capital Award When
Claim Is "Verified
' Joseph Betts of 850 " Stratford . ave
nue, winner- of the $1,000 prize offered
by the Eagles' field day committee has
lost the lucky ' ticket which entitled
him to the money and he was unable
to collect it today. Very much elated,
Bette called at Eagles' hall expecting
to walk out with the $1,000 tout, though
Secretary Thomas M. McNamara did
not doubt that Betts was the man he
represented himself to be, he wanted
to be shown. Secretary McNamara had
the check drawn on T. L. Watson &
Co., the bankers, but Betts could not
produce bis ticket. He said he had
lost It.
It will how be necessary for him to
hunt up the person who sold him the
ticket and produce evidence to satisfy
the committee that he is the man en
titled to the money. Several winners
of the smaller prizes called at Eagles'
hall this morning and Secretary Mc
Namara handed them the checks for
their money. One man who won $100
was so pleased he offered to take the
secretary out and buy him an ice
cream soda.
Mr. McNamara smilingly declined
however explaining to the man that
it was necessary for him to remain
in the office in case other winners
came for their money. The man said
he would pay for a soda and he could
get it any time at ther drug store but
he neglected to say at what drug
store he would leave the drink.
The following were the prize "win
ners :
The capital prize of $1,000 was
awarded last night to Joseph Betts, of
850 Stratford avenue.
The other prizes went to the fol
lowing: $50, Mrs. John Whalen, Wes
terly, R. I.; $25, B. W. R. E.; $50, Hel-
en Nagle, New Jersey; $100, Christen-
eon, 115 State street; $25, Mrs. A. Gray,
Bristol: $50, T. 3i Kane, Southington;
$2i, Florence McCarthy, 463 Lexington
avenue; $50, Angelo Malazzl694 East
Main , street: $25, no name; v $50, no
name: $25, J. Keeley,- Bridge
port;! $25, G. Kenny, 34 Tale
street: $25, Mrs. A. M. Hard, Water-
hury; $100, Joseph Thomas, Springfield
Manufacturing Co;, city; $s0, w. . E.
Mann, Stamford; $25, Diego Ralte, 692
North Main street; $50, Anderson and
Co., 63 John street; $25, C. Driscoll,
Wine ted, and $200, W. Wasickiz, Gre
gory street. , .
PRIZES TOE PARADERS
Aerie having the largest number of
men in line, Tonkers; prize, silver cup.
Aerie coming the. longest distance.
Plttsfleld: prize, silver set.. "
Aerie making the -best appearance,
Tonkers; prize, shield. '
Degree team making the best ap
pearance. Wins ted ; prize, silk flag.'
Aerie having the -best appearing
float in line, Liberty Aerie, of Bridge
port; prize, silk banner.
Eagle coming the longest distance,
John McMahon, of Texas; prize,'' gold
watch fob.
Best decorated automobile in parade,
Water bury; prize, silver pitcher.
Best decorated float (not Eagles) in
line Loyal Order of Moose; prize, sil
Ter vase.
ELECTRICAL WORKER
SWEPT FROM TOP
OF FREIGHT CAR
Standing on top of the Jobson-Gif-
ford construction train as It was pass
ing through the East End freight
yards at 7:46 o'clock this morning
Thomas Foreman of Mount Vernon,
N. T., a lineman employed on the New
Haven road electrification work, fail
ed to notice that the train was about
to pass under the Central avenue
bridge which passes over the railroad
tracks. The result was that the
bridge swept him from the top of the
car upon which he was standing and
he fell to the traoks fifteen feet be
low. .
The train was brought to a stop and
Foreman was picked up. It was seen
at -once that he was badly injured. He
was taken to tire Bridgeport hospital
in the ambulance where it was found
that he had a fractured skull. At
press hour it was stated that the in
jured man had a good chance for re
covery.
Statesmen Will Be
Manufacturers' Guests
at Annual Outing
Among the invited guests at the an
nual outing of the Bridgeport Manu
facturers' association at Rivercliff to
morrow will be, Congressman Jeremiah
Donovan, VMayor Wilson and forrneV
Congressman E. J. Hill.
A force of men under the direction
of Capt. Hall of Woodmont and Secre
tary Bennett of the association were
busy today getting the grounds on the
southeast bank of the Housatonic
river, ready for the "big doings" to
morrow. Tents were erected today and tables
and chairs and benches set in place.
Arrangements have been made to pro
vide food for 500.
MASSACHUSETTS LOVERS
C03IE HERE TO M ARRY
Edward G. Hubert and Lillian R.
Jones walked over to City Hall from
the railroad station today, procured
tho necessary license and strolled to
the residence of Rev. Albert C. Thomp
son where a marriage ceremony was
performed.
According to the records Hubert is
21 years old, an electrical contrac
tor of Westfleld, Mass., while his bride
is the same age, living with her par
ents at Palmer, Mass. She gave her
mother's maiden name as Helen Shaw,
which is a well known family name
in that state.
NO CRIMINAL
DOHERTY
IW1V 1
Sailer Estate
Is Valued At
Nearly $200,000
An inventory of the estate of the
late Frederick Sailer, filed yesterday
with the Clerk of the Probate court
shows an accumulation of almost
$200,000 real and personal property.
The bulk bf the estate comprises per
sonal securities which amount to $121,-
811.64, while eight pieces of real es
tate located in various sections of
the city aggregate $71,000.
An Inventory of real estate shows
ownership of 48 Allen street, valued at
$6,500; 64 Allen street, $4,000; 7-31
Summer street, $14,000; 61 Summer St,
$3,000; 537-9 Lafayette street, $4,500;
857 Broad street $7,000; 873-5 Broad
street $11,000. A one-half Interest in
property at 112-28 Broad street is list
ed at $21,000.
Among the list of personal property
mortgages form the larger proportion
of the inventory and aggregate $29,-
240.81. Bonds total but $1,600, stocks
$14,815.38. Cash on hand In banks at
the i time of death was. $12,115.43,
Horses, carriages and articles of per
sonal adornment amount to $710.
PRES. MELLEN'S
SUCCESSOR MAY
COME FRIDAY
New Tork, July 23 The ' decision of
the special committee appointed ,by
the directors of the New Tork, New
Haven. : and' Hartford Railroad to
choose a successor to President Mellen
is expected to become public after a
special meeting of the executive com
mittee of the road Friday afternoon.
The special committee today continued
its . informal ,. conferences. According
to various members, no less than a
dozen names are being considered.
President Mellen is preparing to
submit to the executive committee on
Friday his answer to the ' report of
Commissioner Prouty of the interstate
commerce commission regarding the
affairs of the road.
CITY COURT CASES
The cases of Peter Maher and An
nie Francis held by the police in con
nection with the theft of several hun
dred dollars from Phoebe Vaughn of
Housatonic avenue, were continued
until tomorrow when they came up
for trial in the city court today. The
cases were continued because the
Frances woman wanted first to obtain
a lawyer to represent her.
John Balind of Spruce street held on
a charge of assault was discharged
as there was no evidence against him.
Peter McNabSras placed on proba
tion for a year following his arrest
on the charge of drunkenness.
Frank Cunningham was fined $1 and
costs and sentenced to two, months
in jail for assault but took an appeal
under bonds of $200.
Charles Bey for drunkenness and
breach of the peace was fined $5.
Earl Smith. 18 years of age, . was
bound over to the September, term of
the Superior court on the charge of
statutory burglary. He pleaded guil
ty to burglarizing the grocery store
of Abe Kaplan on Barnum avenue on
the night of July 19. - John Howe,
Harold Reynolds, Julius Bachman,
Georsre Nevillis and Frank" Simko,
whose asres ranee from 16 to 18 years,
ant whn admitted receiving part or
the stolen property, were placed in the
custody of the probation officer until
the first Saturday in September.
LAD'S LEG IS CAUGHT
UNDER WAGON WHEEL
.Tiimnin into a milk wagon -owned
by the Dewhirst Dairy company ana
In charge of X L Rotzar, about 11:80
o'clock this forenoon, nine-year-oia
Fred Manevetx of 235 Frank street,
missed his footing ran his leg into
the spokes of the wagon wheel and
before the wagon could be stopped
his right leg was broken. '
The milk wagon had stopped in
front of the Manevetz home, at the
corner of Frank and Catherine streets,
and the driver ran Into a house to
deliver a bottle of milk. While he
was delivering the milk the Manevetz
boy ran out of, his yard and lumped
onto the- wagon step, the horse starts
ed up, and the boy, falling betweea
the front and rear wheels, got his
right leg caught, the tibia bone being
badly fractured. .
The ambulance was summoned and
Dr. Finnegan put the injured member
into splints and took the boy to St.
Vincent's hospital.
STRATFORD WOMAN
SUDDENLY STRICKEN
' WITH APPENDICITIS
Mrs. .Adelaide Sullivan of 70 Bar
num place. Stratford, was taken sud
denly ill with appendicitis at 10:45
o'clock this morning and the Bridge
port ambulance was summoned. She
was transferred to St. Vincent's hos
pital for immediate operation.
GIRL FAINTS AT WORK.
The ambulance was called to the
plant of the American Graphophone
company this morning at 8120 o'clock
where May Cox of 849 Park avenue
had been taken with a fainting spell.
fihe was removed to the home of a
workmate residing at 671 Howard
avenue.
NEGLIGENCE AGAINST
OR NEW HAVEN COMPANY
EflD EATAI CTAMEfiim niC ACTED
rllrll iJliiilll
Coroner Phelan finds That Engineer
Used Poor Judgment However in
Not Applying Brakes Sooner As He
Approached Scene of Crash
With Signals Against Him
HE DEFINES ''CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY
Company Criticised for Permitting Two Trains in Same
Block, for Signals Too Close, Together and d or Fail
ure to Try Automatic Stop Signal Spacing of 2,500
Feet Recommended, Use of Automatic Stop Device,
and Longer Period of Training for Enginejn en on
Through Trains. ' -: ' ,
Coroner John J. Phelan finds neith
er Engineman Doherty nor the New
Haven company criminally liable for
the Stamford disaster. He finds that
Doherty erred in judging the point at
which to apply brakes, considering
their defective condition. He finds the
distance between signals at Stamford
Is too short, and recommends 2,500 feet
as the "proper distance between home
and distant signal; he condemns the
practice of bringing high speed trains
into the same block, finds that auto
matic stops should be used at Stam
ford, finds that the New Haven com
pany has ordered 354 steel cars, recom
mends two or three years as the pre
liminary service term of engineers be
fore high speed trains are -committed
to their care and defines criminal neg
ligence. -
The company believed it was using
good Judgment in employing Doherty
on a sign speea -xraan. oeiievea ii was
using good -Judgment In, placing sig
nals as close together as they were
at Stamford, had attempted to obtain
steel cars and is therefore not crim
inally liable in these . matters. . '
It is not criminally liable for fail
ing to adopt a safety appliance which
has not been installed and success
fully used on some railroad, and is
therefore free of criminal guilt in the
matter of failing to provide auto
matic stops. ' But the coroner is con
vinced that automatic stops have -been
developed to a point which makes them
highly valuable. .
The finding In full id as follows
STATE OF CONNECTICUT,
FAIRFIELD COUNTY,
COBONER'S REPORT,
I, the undersigned, John J. Phelan,
Coroner, having notice of the death
of Ada Pearl Kelley, a white female,
29 years old, late of the City of Chi
cago, who, on the 12th day of June
A. D., 1913, died a sudden, violent, un.
timely death in the town of Stamford
having made immediate inquiry con
cerning her death, do hereby certify
that said Ada Pearl Kelley, died at
Sfamfnrd on the 12th dav of June A.D.
lt13, from injuries' sustained in the
Pullman parlor lcar, "Skylark," then
in the use and control of the New
York. New Haven & Hartford Rail
road Company, hereinafter called the
New Haven Company, by reason of
such parlor car being telescoped by a
locomotive of such Company, on the
tracks of the latter at Stamford on the
date named.
The testimony taken as to the caus
es and results of such telescoping is
disclosed in the following:
The deceased was a passenger with
many others In the 1st section of' train
83 of the .New York, New Haven &
Hartford Railroad Company (herein
after known as 1st 53) from New
Haven for New York. The train con
sisted of 5 cars, pulled by Engine No.
1025, under the management of en
gineman Worthington. It left New
Haven for New York on the date nam
ed at 3:53 P. M, . It arrived at Stam
ford signal tower at 4:46 P. M.
The Pullman coach "Skylark," in
which the deceased was riding was the
rear car of the train. It was con
structed of wood, as were all the pas
senger coaches of the train.. Train
53 consisted of two sections, named
1st 53 and 2nd 53, both of which were
scheduled to stop at a place at Stam
ford immediately west of the block,
hereinafter called the Stamford block,
known to all through trainmen and
enginemen as the place of changing
the motive power of the train from
steam to electric. The place desig
nated for this purpose is about 598
feet long, and which for the purposes
of this finding may be called the
safety zone of the Stamford block.
The said block of which the safety
zone forms a part, Degms at Olen-
brook and ends at the east end of
said safety zone. The whole length
of the said Stamford block is about
one mile and a half.
Under the block signal system, in
use by the New Haven Road, no en
gineman is allowed to pass his train
into said Stamford block, by the
Glenbrook tower operator, unless
he ignores or defies the signals set
against him by such operator, until
the train ahead in said block has pass
ed into said safety -zone.
Whenever a train is stopped in the
safety zone of said Stamford block,
for change of motive power, it is pro
tected from rear end collision by a dis
play of distant and home signals, set
at danger, the same to be observed
and obeyed by the engineman of the
next following train in the stopping
of his train before said safety zone is
JXW SJliJtliJ I L
reached.
On the date named, .1st 5 3 train
passed into and stopped in said safety
zone at 4:46 P. M. for the purpose
of changing power for the remaining
run to New York. When the power
had been changed and 1st 53 had com. i
menced to move forward. No. 1338 en
gine of the 2nd section. of train 53
bound from New Haven to 7ew York
(hereinafter known as 2nd 53) under
the management of engineman
Charles A. Doherty, having passed the
distant and home signals, set at dan
ger, crashed into the rear end of the j
coach "Skylark" of 1st 53, In which I
tho deceased and others were travel- j
ing,- and pushed its angry way throu? si ;
the coach, mutilating and so injuring ,
the deceased that she died shortly af- '
ter being removed therefrom.
It was shown In evidence that said
Doherty, having successfully passed
all required examinations f the Com. !
pany, was on the spare litft of engin-"
eers, and was, by reason thereof, and ,
his good service record, regarded, &s
a competent engineer by the New Ha
ven Company, and although having
only the one year's experience as an
engineer in freight and yard service, !
as required by the locomotive engin-i
eers' agreement with the Company of'
April 18th, 1913, was placed by the '
Company on June 10th--in charge of'
engine 1338 for the first time. lie
had made trips on two days in trie
passenger service of the Company be-
fore his assignment to engine 1338
on said June 10th, on which date he'
ran his engine twice from New Haven ,
to Stamford .and return. He was in.
charge of engine 1338 again on June
11th, and again on the day of the dis
aster. It appeared also that engine 1338,
which had been purchased by the New
Haven Company through its purchas
ing agent from the American Locomo
tive Company of New York, had been
but recently -delivered to the Com
pany and had been in regular passen
ger service only a short time prior to
Doherty's assignment thereto. It wa
a powerful engine of the Pacific type,
but whose reverse lever had been
found to be stiff in operation by D
heifty and others, whilst its air-brake
activities were unfamiliar to and ap
parently uncertain in operation under
Doherty's management, causing It to
slip past the usual stopping place nX
Bridgeport station on June 10th, and
to fail to make a timely stop at South'
Norwalk on June 12th, the day of the
accident. '
"" Because of the probability of more
or less difficulty in operating the en
gine advantageously, Doherty w
warned, before leaving the round
house at New Haven on June 10th, by
John F. Carroll, the road foreman of
engines, of manager Bardo's displeas
ure over engineers getting Into trou
ble, and said to Doherty: "Look out ;
for yourself"; Harmon got into It;
yesterday;" "Commence braking far;
enough back to be sure you will stop. J
It is and was the custom of the t
Company to cause an instructor, call- ;
ed a "traveling engineer," to accom- i
pany, at times, operating enginemen-
on their engines, lor the purpose of
familiarizing such engineer with the
physical characteristics of the road,
the best methods of operating their:
engines to achieve best results, and
generally to fully equip them with apt
knowledge in speed economy to th-s
end- that the best means of securing
schedule speed consistent with safety
be practiced by them.
In the case of Doherty, however.
no traveling engineer accompanied
him on his runs or advised him ex-'
cept as stated mainly because of his
good service record with the Com
pany and his known ability as a com
petent engineman. It was shown in
evidence that on June 10th, Doherty.
in view of his failure to stop hfa train
properly at the Bridgeport station, be
came convinced that the air-brakes of
the engine and train were so uncer
tain in causing the prompt stopping of
the train, when needed, that he mada
an entry in the Stamford round-house
book, "Brakes no Good."
The Stamford repair man, who not
ed the complaint, made no repairs on
the brakes, as he claimed he found
none necessary. Doherty, on his re
turn trip to New Haven, on the samra
day, assuming that repairs had been
made, had a cautious but satisfactory
return run with engine 1338, in pull
ing train 26 to New Haven.
On the day of the accident, p. f '
the usual Inspection " at New i!-.oi
was made. 2nd 53, train, eonsiM" - ' '
engine 13 38 pulling 8 cars, v i i - ,
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