Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-01-29

had not had to flag train before since I had
been hind brakeman my lamp was not
burning at the time Il is the conductors
business 70 see that there are Gags on the
train. Don't think Mr.. Murray knew We
Wero out Of fsgs. He never said anything
about them. Each. brakeman has his own
flags. I had nothing hut q common car
lamp, which WAS white. Don't know Whsth-
or they could see or not; sometimes they
could, sometimes not. Have been hind
brakeman two weeks. Have tagged trains
before. Generally have gone back to whist
ling post If near q station. Was in the third
car at the time of the collision. The last I
saw of Smith, he was looking out of the
hind end of the sleeping car. Atthat time
could see forty or fifty rods, think.
s. s. iSmitk-SWorn. The other brakes
man on the night express. He testihss that
Murray sent him back after the train was
stuck, to tell Foster to 60 back and look out
for the freight. Gave him (Smith) no direc-
tions about looking out for the train. Had
then been about Is minutes in the snow
bank. Brought message back to Foster who
was in snte-room of sleeping car. When
next saw Foster, about hslf-sn-hour after,
be was in rear Of sleeping car. Foster says
to me: "Smith stay here q minute and watch
the train while I go forward" Staid and
watched. Don't know where Foster went.
was some of the time on the platform and
some of the time in the car. Didn't see F.
again till after the collision. He was
standing inside of inner door when he spoke
to me. Don't know distance between doors,
perhaps three feet. Atthe time of the col
lision was standing by the stove by the
door. Frem the time I relieved Foster
till the collision il was ten or fifteen minutes.
Foster had nothing in his hand when I went
TO relieve him. I saw no lantern. do not
know of his going east of the cars at all.
He did not tell me he had dOne so. He had
no appearance of being cold. Tbs
way that my impression came that Foster
had not been back, was that he told me not
to leave the cars, and did not tell me to go
east of the cars. He might have gone to see
a certain person on the train. Mr.. Murray
gave me no order to look out for the train.
His only orders were those to Foster.
Some of the time could see to q crossing
one-fourth of a mile away all the time
could see more than twenty or thirty feet; at
the worst 20 rods. About one fourth the time
l could see the crossing, the balance about
half that distance could have stopped the
freight if had seen it coming; the collision
was not half minute from the time ! last
| looked out an very confident that there
were no fags on the Jrsin-there might have
been some on the engine, but there has been
none on the train since I have been brake
man on It received my instructions from
Foster, whom I Obeysd as my superior.
B. f. Morss-sworn. Is in the employ Of
the Cleveland, Painssville i Ashtabula
Railroad, and was in Cleveland at the time
of the accident heard from train-dispstchsr
Bush of two trains being blocked up near
Painesvills do not know whether ] heard
Of express train or not It il the duty OF
each ofioe to keep register of the arrival
and departure of all regular trains,-passen-
gers and freight trains of time should be ron
by orders. Mr. Bush should have informed
the operator at Perry, of the night express.
From the time I saw Bush till I heard Of the
collision it was an hoar and half or two
hours. 1t was between ten and twelve that
learned of the collision.
Albert CongieH.-SWorn, Am master me-
chanic. Was in the shop on the 10Th. There
is telegraph in the shop. Heard of no diff
Guilty except trains being stuck in snow until
the accident. Heard of night express being
stuck in snow about 10 A. NJ. Soon after
about two OF three minutes-heard Of the ac-
cident. Line was out Of order between the
shop and Bush's Office. Operator at my Office
doesn't copy running Of trains. Don't know
who the dispatch announcing accident was
addressed to.
J. A. Bush-Sworn. Ia Train Dispatcher
Of the Cleveland, PainesYille and Ashtabuls
Railroad. When passenger trains are out Of
time, move freight trains so as not to inter
fers with them. Have control of the move
ment of ali trains not running on card time.
Mr.. Bush gave detailed and lengthy state
ment of the running of trains and the fail
ure Of the wires. It is too technical to bo
- H. -. IL.
is that the line failed and connection was not
recovered until both express and accommO-
dation were past Perry. Train reports are
kept only at the principal Offices. None are
kept at Perry.
OliDer ChEreh-sworn. Is telegraph op-
Bush's evidence. The accommodation NJ: NJ
passing when Bush sent his dispatch to Col
Clark warning him not to 90 on. Church knew
of no trouble west, and had no communica-
ton with any one but Mr.. Bush; Bush's
dispatch was received at three minutes past
ten O'Clock; no train report is kept at Perry /;
have been an operator two months.
O 3. BriRk-SWorn. Am operator at
PainesvilIe; got to the office at fifty minutes
past seven, and was there all day heard Of
trains in the snow at Painesyille, and the
express not yet come up; only heard from
the accommodation at Sirard at thirty-four
minutes past seven in the morning heard Of
the night express being showed in at Madi-
son ; it left Madison at q quarter past eight
being detained an heur; sent no dispatch
east; think sent to Bush as to freights
east. The operator added some facts tend-
ing to show that conductors frequently re-
ferred to his train sheet. Only sent one dis
patch east, about freight trains, until the
collision Tuesday the lines were working
east.
John Briek-Sworn. Was near the place
of the accident at the time. Saw the traiB
in the snow and went to It. About fifteen
minutes after I got TO the train I heard the
whistle Of Of train east. Two minutes af-
ter heard the whistle, the collision took
place. When heard the whistle the en-
gine must have been near the cars. At that
time could not see man two rods of on ao-
count Of the storm. There want time to
come from Perry after the whistle. Am not
certain whether the train WhistIed or rang a
bell at Chsmber's Crossing.
Patrick Briek-SWorn. A brother of the
above and adds nothing to his testimony.
r E. Aurray-Rscaled. I ordered Fos-
ter either to flag the train or go back and
look out for it. He had never disappointed
me. There WAS Tag on the engine. Sup
posed that from my orders to Smith he would
go and relieve Foster. suppose I am re-
sponsible for the action Of my brakesmen,
yet 1 could not be with them always and
supposed them competent. There is always
a flag on the engine. It is the duty Of the
hind brakeman to have fag. If Foster
had none he knew be could get one on the
engine. 1t is the duty of the hind brakes
man to flag train. It the most important
brake on the train. Bells are rung at cross
ings, Thistling is done only at stations and
switches sent no reports as to the pro-
gress Of the train.
Fl. Noairgham-Sgorn. Mr.. Nottingham
detailed the course Of events in the Super
intsndent's Office on Tuesday morning. Con
ductors and Engineers advise together as to
changes from card time. A conductor is re-