▁of ▁Mr . ▁Elli ott , ▁was ▁slightly ▁b ump ed ▁by ▁the ▁front ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁train ▁when ▁the ▁driver ▁had ▁to ▁set ▁back ▁previously ▁to ▁starting ▁for ▁Hamilton ' s ▁Ba wn . ▁Two ▁witness es ▁had ▁seen ▁the ▁bra ke ▁working ▁properly ▁before ▁the ▁train ▁left ▁Arm agh , ▁and ▁the ▁bra ke ▁appar atus ▁had ▁been ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁w reck age ▁and ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁good ▁working ▁order . ▁Non eth eless , ▁the ▁rear ▁portion ▁had ▁run ▁away , ▁and ▁had ▁done ▁so ▁with ▁the ▁bra ked ▁whe els ▁revol ving ▁freely . ▁Therefore , ▁either ▁the ▁bra ke ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁applied ▁properly ▁by ▁the ▁guard , ▁or ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁tam per ed ▁with ▁by ▁passengers ▁in ▁the ▁bra ke ▁carriage ; ▁the ▁guard ▁should ▁be ▁given ▁the ▁benefit ▁of ▁the ▁doubt . ▁ ▁In correct ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁exc urs ion ▁train ▁st alling ▁Res p ons ibility ▁lay ▁primarily ▁with ▁Mr ▁Elli ott , ▁the ▁chief ▁cl erk . ▁He ▁had ▁directed ▁a ▁course ▁of ▁action ▁which ▁ignored ▁Company ▁rules . ▁These ▁laid ▁down ▁that ▁the ▁main ▁guard ▁should ▁not ▁leave ▁his ▁van ▁until ▁perfectly ▁satisfied ▁that ▁his ▁bra ke ▁would ▁hold ▁the ▁train ▁( the ▁train ▁should ▁therefore ▁have ▁been ▁allowed ▁to ▁ease ▁back ▁upon ▁the ▁rear ▁bra ke ▁van ); ▁once ▁he ▁had ▁left ▁his ▁bra ke , ▁no ▁attempt ▁should ▁be ▁made ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁train ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁back ▁at ▁the ▁bra ke . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁more