Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-08
THE CHANGED SWITCH.
HOWMR. NALL NET HIS DEATH
Arrest OF Tive Men Charged with Chansins
the switch Near Dili's Farm on the i2,h or
June, 1854.

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June, lsei.
On the night Of June l2, 1884, al
east-bound passenger-train of the Chesa
peakc and Ohio Railway Company raI
into a lot of empty cars standing on q
siding near Dill's farm, and the locomo.
tive was wrecked and the engineer, Mr.
Alexander Hall, killed. Investigation
showed that the switch at that point,
which is mile or two from the city.
had been locked down so that the train.
instead of running smoothly on along the
main track to Richmond. was suddenly
turned off upon the side-track. and. NOV
ing at full speed, came in violent contact
with the empty cars.
THE ACCUSED.
The evidence taken at the coroner's
inquest went to show that this change
Of switch was probably not the result of
accident, but of design. and the railway
company, fully impressed with that be-
lief, offered reward of $500 for the
apprehension and conviction Of the guilty
party. Within the past few days four
men have been arrested charged with
the crime. Two of these men were dis
charged by the Acting Police Justice,
but held as witnesses. The other
two-Robert Hopkins and Robert
Whitlock-waived examination, and
were sent on to the grand jury.
which meets Monday. Mr.. Hop
kins is an engineer; Mr.. Whitlock
brakeman. Both had been employed
by the Chesapeake and Ohio company,
but at the time Of the accident had been
relieved from duty for alleged violation
of rules. After the accident. with which
their names were never mentioned un-
til recently, they were again employed
by the company.
SUSPICION.
Suspicion attaches to these accused.
it would seem, from expressions of their
own. A good deal of the work of in
yestgation was done by Policeman
Baker and by others, and the matter was
by some one brought to the attention of
the grand jury at its last meeting, and
Mr.. Witt requested Mr.. Baker to swear
out warrants against Hopkins and Whit
lock. which he did.
THE ARRESTS.
The arrests were made by Officers
Baker and Welsh.
Mr.. Baker states that when he served
the warrant on Whitlock, Whtlock
said. - didn't change that switch.
Hopkins looked for his key and couldn't
find it in his pocket. and | lent him
mine. Hopkins is the man who changed
the switch"
Mr.. Welsh states WhtlOck was ar
rested by Baker and myself or Louisi-
ana street. He said " You have ar
rested the wrong man. for Hopkins did
that work. He borrowed my key.
saw him unlock the switch and throw
the lever back, and he remarked that if
he was disposed to play HI he Hop
kins) could do it. He then closed the
lock and left the lever in the position
that he had thrown it. Whitlock said
that he intended to tell all he knew
about it and meant to tell the truth. and
further stated that when the collision
occurred he was on Seventeenth street.
Officers Baker and Welsh boarded
the train from Newport's News near the
Brewery. and there arrested Hopkins,
who was found on the cab.
Mr.. Baker says that in conversation
with the accused after the warrant was
served Hopkins said - changed the
switch, but put it back myself" Sub
scquently he began denying it, and at
the statiOn-hOuse said that he changed |
the switch the night before the accident.
but put it back in place before he left |
the spot.
Mr.. Welsh says: After the arrest Of
Whitlock we took him in hack to the !
station-house. Baker and went down to
the station this side of the Brewery to |
meet the G:20 train from Newport's |
News. The train stopped at the station /
and we boarded it and searched the !
train for Hopkins, but failed to find |
him. We then made inquiries of the |
conductor where he was, and he told us
that he was on the engine. We climbed |
over the tender while the train was in
motion and arrested him. | said is |
Hopkins your name?' - He replied,
Yes" said You are my pris-
oner. | charge you with murder"
He jumped down off the fireman's box
in the cab, and | told him.
- Remain where you arc-jon't move"
lie started to raise the top Of the tool
box. said, " DO not open that box.
or move" He said he only wanted to
get his coat. said, when the train
stops you can get what belongs to YOU"
He requested us to take him Oft at
Eighteenth street, near the mouth of
the tunnel. so as to let him go by home.
We refused, Then he began to talk.
lie said. " You charge me with wreck
inc that train" and said that he did
move the switch. but that he put it
back before the train was wrecked
that night. and when the train was
wrecked he was at McCarthy's store.
When we reached the Chesapeake and
Ohio depot hewanted us to take him to
the First pOlice-station. Said that he
wanted to give bail there. We told him
no. that we were going to take him to
the Third police-Station. He then said
" Hold on. Did | tell you that |
the switch on the night Of the
! said " Yes ; that is what
you said" He then said: - That is
wrong: it was the night before
When we got to the Third station
house he blowcd on James Ferriter
and John Demo, charging them
with being with him and Whitlock.
Captain Epps then swore out war
rant for the arrest of Ferriter and Demo.
and they were arrested by Baker and
myself. When we arrested Demo he
said that five months ago he would
have had Hopkins arrested if it had not
been for some of his Deno's) friends
that were boarding in the same house
with him. and stated that he told Hop
kins that he was ID fool and that
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