The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-31
THE OPEN SWITCH AT RIO.
Brakeman Wells Appears and Says Conductor
Hankey Is Alone Responsible.

MILWAUKEE. Oct. 800. H Wells, the freight
brakeman who is charged with being responsible for
the terrible railway accident at Rio on "Wednesday
night has turned up He came to the city yesterday
and visited the general Offices of the St Paul Railway
Company He drew his salary late yesterday after
noon Wells is twentyfour years old and unmarried
He declares that Hankey the freight train conductor
is wholly responsible for the accident The following
is the substance of his story:
"Our freight train arrived at East Rio siding several
minutes before the limited put in appearance The
freight train was too long for sdetrack so we cut
it in two switching part of it onto one OF the
sdetracks and then detachng the engine, switching
the rest of it onto the other sidetrack 1t was noU
my duty to close the switch. had closed 1t be-
fore. The conductor had always done that. On the
night of the accident after had reached the siding
and side-tracked our train, had to re-
main on top of one of the cars. Conduct
or Hankey went to the switch and shortly afterwards
passed the car on which was standing de tod me
that every Thing all right and that he was going TO
the head of the train looked at my watch ana ds-
covered or thought did, that the limited train was
late Just then the limited hove in sight. WIS nor,
red to see it run off the track shortly after it passed
my car. In a moment the train Vas in flames. L
was badly frightened and, thinking the
hands would be lynched, fled. realize that mace
mistake in running away, but was very natural IN
der the circumstances" -
Wells says that he is ready to give himself when
ever he is wanted. He has engaged counsel in Mil
waukee The identity of the three bound for the
woods, who burned to death, will possibly never
be established, and they at least, of all the vctms
will be in addition to the throng of missing per-
=, ,
G. w ST. John, ofthis city, said this morning that
three men, whom he believes to be the same ones
wanted to 60 north. They were together,
and talked about going to several points on
the Wisconsin Central railroad. One OF them was a
o1.11. 1;lya uynnHGJl ar
than either of the others. He wore flannel SHIRT
with yellow bars, his pants In his boots, and ne
had spikes in his heels One of his companions wore
q dark suit of clothes and watch chain, and did not
look like lumberman. He is described as having a
whisky" nustache. The third and youngest of the
trio not twenty twenty two years Old
They evidently did not want to work and hoped to get
somewhere without having to pay fare Mr.. ST. John
saw the three standing at the Union Depot at $40
all the missing people, so far reported having been
on the train not heard from, the list OF victims
will be sweled to twenty-five. The laws of Wisconsin
fix the liability of railroad companies for death caused
by negligence at not exceeding so. 600.
From to-day the mortality in the wreck of the st.
Paul limited express at East Rio larger pro-
portions. Tonight it is definitely known that at
least seventeen persisted and the probabilities the
victims numbered more than twenty. kilograms
were received here to-day from New Haven Conn,
stating that James P Barker of that city was on the
train. He was a merchant, aged about forty
FIVE years. 1t was definitely ascertained
to-day by Superintendent Clark of the St. Paul com
pany, tnaG w alter WHO WAS
not on the train. Chicago friend telegraphed that
Scott who recently married in Philadelphia, is
now in Minneapolis wedding trip. Two of the
three loggers who We're burned to death were Frank
Guyer and Jos. Plant. They boarded toe train in
Chicago and were joined in this city by their COM
panion, whose name is unknown.
The death list. now made out, includes Mrs @.
Scherer. of Winona; Mrs. r. Jones, of Rush City,
MINI: Louis Brinke and Emil Waltersdoff, of Column
bus Wis; thetwo Sistersof Charity Of inona and the
novice Albertine Schmidt Of New Cassel Wis; Frank
Guyer and Joseph Plant, of Chicago and an unknown
Mich; J. H. McNoon, OF Maustin; Mrs Alva Winter
and Mrs. Jane NJ. Beeb, of Kalamazoo, Mich; Mrs.
ble commercial traveller, from Rochester, MINI.
The inquest at Rio was continued to-day. The
testimony was repetition of what has been told in
interviews, except that James Phillips, brakeman,
testified that he remembered twenty three persons in
the day coach AS but three persons escaped twenty
must have persisted. The inquest will be continued
and probably concluded on Monday.