The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-02
THE OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.

Coroner Maxwell intended to begin his in
quiry yesterday morning, but postponed it until
afternoon to await the arrival of w. F. Stilwel,
of Lafayette, the attorney of the L., N. A & c.
company. Mr. Stilwell arrived about o'clock,
and three witnesses were examined. They were
Conductor Losey Harry Veach, the train boy,
and Lorenzo Jet, under whose direction the
bridge was built A summary of their state
ments, including the most important facts, is as
follows
Mr.. Losey: I am conductor on the Chicago
Airline road, and have been since March 26
1888. l had charge of the train to which the
accident happened. We left Monon at 6:05
o'clock, and our last stop above Broad Ripple
was at Carmel, at 9:41 o'clock, when
we were just on time. We were
also on time at Westfeld and were running at
about the usual rate of speed. At Carmel
Brewer, the engineer, got off his engine and
went back to the baggage carl supposed to the
water-closet-a and did not know that he had not
returned to his engine before the accident until
after it had occurred. We might have been two
minutes ahead of time at the river, but certainly
not more than that We were running about
twenty miles an hour, but at the gravel pit
switch, about 200 yards north of the bridge, the
speed was checked slightly. 1 think we ran on
the bridge at the rate of from fifteen to twenty
miles an hour | was in the front end of the
rear car, and at first felt jar and then the car
gong down. Draced myself against the seat IN
front of me and was not hurt, although few
seconds later had a slight dizzy spell. | went
to work at once to help get the ladies out of the
car. I found Mrs Sullivan with her head wedged
in between two seats fully four seats away from
where she sitting. All the women were
screaming. told them to be still and get out of
the rear door, which they did broke the seats
away from Mrs. Sullivan and helped her get up,
and then | noticed her baby on the floor. 1t was
not hurt. After had got them out safely went
IN front there
but had nobody to assist me and could do but
little. Presently the fire broke out and went
back into the car and got a bucket but
could not reach the water. cut off as much of
the bell cord as | could get and tied it to the
bucket but even then l could not get water for
had nobody to help me- think the fire started
in the baggage car and spread to the smoking
car. All of the wounded had then got out and
went back to get valise which a passenger
said he had left, and it contained valuable pa
pers, but by that time the whole was so
filled with smoke that dared not enter. /
knew that Bray was held down by the broken
timbers, but could not help him. The cars
burned very rapidly, and when | saw that |
could do no more good there | started for the
station, running all the way, and crossing by the
gravel road bridge At the station l sent
a dispatch and then returned to the
wreck On the way | met some
men and asked them to get some ropes and
buckets to save the other part of the bridge from
burning which we did knew at first that the
people in the baggage car could not escape so
did not try to get them out for it was evident
that their case was hopeless. That was my
first thought after got out.
Cross examined by Mr.. Stilwell I saw Brewer
90 into the baggage car at Carmel, and | was
told by the fremen that at the time of the acct
dent Lowry, the brakeman, was on the front end
of the baggage car, having just come from the
engine His place was in the rear coach, and he
had no business up front. 1t is a rule of the COM
pany that section and bridge men making re-
pairs shall have everything ready for passen-
ger train at least ten minutes before it is due.
My train had indefinite right of way over No. 10,
the freight train which we passed at Carmel
think it had about fourteen ears and heavier
engine than ours the first regular train passed
over tie road on March 26, 1883. From that
time up to Sept l, there were four regular trains
daily, and since then eight / have always con
sidered that bridge perfectly safe. | have been
in the railroad business for twenty-five years.
Harry Veach l was the news agent on the
Monon accommodation, and had been running
about week. going over the road every day AT
the time Of the accident l was sitting on the