Conductor John Howard

No Inquest Into Conductor’s Death – Crown Attorney Pollock, of Lanark County, announced this afternoon there would be no inquest into the death of John C. Howard, conductor of the troop train in the Almonte wreck, who committed suicide at Smiths Falls Tuesday night.

The conductor of the troop train, John Howard was officially deemed not responsible for the Almonte train accident in the coroner’s inquest. However, he tragically took his own life on January 6^th, just three days prior to the announcement. Having been given contradictory orders to both make good time and keep a safe distance from the Local, the inquiry determined those orders “liable to confuse any man.” (The Almonte Gazette, January 14, 1943).