Waterbury, CT Train Wreck, Mar 1907

FOUR DEAD; MANY HURT

Guardsmen’s Special and Passenger Train Crash.

GOV. WOODRUFF UNINJURED.

Militiamen Were Returning form Banquet When Accident Occurred, on New York, New Haven and Hartford Road. Failure to Obey Orders to Wait at Siding Is Alleged as the Cause.

Waterbury, Conn., Mar. 2 – A head-on collision early this morning on the Naugatuck division of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad a mile and a half below this city between the midnight passenger train due in this city at 12 40 and a special bound for New Haven bearing Company F, of the Second Regiment Connecticut National Guard, which had been attending a banquet in this city as guests of Company A of the same regiment, resulted, so far as is known now, in the death of four persons, and possibly two more.

THE DEAD:

Engineer WILLIAM FISHER, of the special.
Engineer WILLIAM NORTON, of the regular.
Fireman CHARLES CARPENTER, know as “Ling” of the regular.
Fireman of the special train, name not known.

THE INJURED:

Fred C. Russell, of New Haven.
C. B. Champlin, of New Haven.
Lieut. Nathan B. Fitch, of New Haven.
Lieut. F. G. Crabb, of New Haven.
Charles E. Julin, of New Haven, private secretary to Gov. Woodruff.
V. G. Hodges, of New Haven.
John L. Gilson
Carl Boltman, lawyer, New Haven.
Conductor Eaton
Baggagemaster Terrence Brennen
Assistant Postmaster William P Tuttle, member of governor’s staff, New Haven.
Capt. William B. Spencer, of Company C (Sarsfield Guards), of New Haven
Gov Woodruff was on board the special, which was bearing the Grays back to New Haven but it is reported that he was not injured.
The trains came together with such a force that the engines were smashed and the forward cars badly damaged
At the point where the accident occurred is a siding, and it is supposed that one of the trains was to have taken the siding and wait until the other had passed.
Whether this was not done owing to a misunderstanding of orders is not known yet. There was some report that the special had started a little ahead of its schedule, but this could not be verified.
Ambulances and doctors were hurried to the scene and trolley cars were sent down to assist in bringing the wounded to the hospitals.

The Washington Post, Washington, DC 2 Mar 1907

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SURVIVING ENGINEER FLED.

Police Seek Man Held Responsible for Wreck in Connecticut.

New Haven, Conn., Mar. 2 – On the evidence presented to him this afternoon, Coroner Mix has made a preliminary finding to the affect that Engineer William E. Fisher, of the New Haven Grey’s special train, by disobeying orders is responsible for the wreck on the Naugatuck branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad early to-day at Waterbury when the special train ran into a regular passenger train from New Haven resulting in the death of three persons, the probable fatal injury of two national guardsmen and the serious injury of other passengers. The debris at the point where the collision occurred was cleared away this afternoon, and as no trace of Fisher’s body was found the coroner has decided that he jumped from the cab and fled, an order being issued to the police to arrest him. Coroner Mix says that from the evidence he holds the opinion that Fisher had forgotten the order or intended to disregard it and clear the block.

The Washington Post, Washington, DC 3 Mar 1907
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Transcribed by Jenni Lanham. Thank you, Jenni!