Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-11-01
THE WRECK AT RIO.

SCbCemenC or the brakeman Throw
Ing the Blame on the Conductor
The Death List.
Milwaukee, Dot. 800. q. Wells, the
freight brakeman who is charged with
beng responsible for the terrible rail
road accident at Rio Wednesday night,
has turned up. He came to the city
yesterday, visited the general office oil
the st. Paul railway and drew his salary
yesterday afternoon. He declares that
Hankey, the freight train conductor, ia
wholly responsible for the accident. The
following is the substance Of his story:
sour train arrived at east Rio siding
several minutes before the limited put
in an appearance. The freisht train was
too long for q side track, so we cut In
two, switching n part onto the side
track, and detaching the engine, switch
ing the rest of it onto the other side
track. 1t was not my duty to close tho
switch. l bad never closed it before.
The conductor always did that.
On the night of the accident, after
we had reached the siding and side
tracked our train, [ had to remain on
top of n of the cars. Conductor
Hankey went to the switch and snostIy
alter passed the car on which I was
standing. He told me that everything
was all right; that he was going to the
head OF the train. l looked at my watch
and discovered, or thought / did, that
that the limited train was late. Just
then the limited hove in sight. I was
ho-ritied to see 1t run off the track short
y after 1t passed my car. In a moment
it was in flames. / was badly fright.
ened, and thinking the freight hands
would be lynched, fed. l realized that
lsnade a mistake in running away, but
1t was very natural under the cireum-
stances" Wells says he is ready to
give himself up whenever he is wanted.
de har engaged counsel in Milwaukee,.
The identity OF the three men bound
Tor the woods, who were burned in the
wreck, will probably never be known
ana they Will be an addition to the
throng OF missing persons. If all miss
ing people 30 far reported as having
been on the train are not heard from
the list Of victims will be swelled to
t~Wenty.one. The laws of Wisconsin fx
the liability of a railroad for death by
negligence at not exceeding SIS 600,
From day to day the mortality in the
wreck Of the st. Paul limited express at
East Rio assumes larger proportions,
Tonight 1t is definitely known that at
least seventeen persisted and the pro.
liabilities axe that the victims number
more thar twenty. kilograms were re.
ceived here to-day from New Haven.
Conn stating that James P. Barker, OF
that CITY, was on that train. He was q
merchant of about 45 years. 1t was also
definitely asserted to-day by Superin-
tendent CLARK, of the st. Paul company.
that Walter Scott, who was reported
iost, was not on the train. A Chicago
friend telegraphed that Scott, who was
recently married in Philadelphia, is O
IN Minneapolis on his wedding trim.
Iwo OF the three loggers who we're
purnt TO death were Frank Guyer and
joseph Plant. They boarded the train
IN Cnloavo aud were joined in this city
oy their companion, whose name is
unknown. "
The death list as o made out in.
ciudes:
Mrs. @. Scherer, of Winona.
Mrs. h: Jones, OF Rush City, Minn.
Louis Brinker and Emil Water SORT. of
Columbus, Wis.
Sister Alphouse end Dionesis, of Wi.
mona, MINI, and the novice, Aibertine
Schmidt, of New Jassel, Wis,
Frank Gnyer and Joseph Plant, Of
lineage, and their unknown Milwaukee
comrade.
Mrs. Charles H. Mari. of Haughton,
in. McMoon, of houston.
Mrs. Alive Winter and Mrs. Jand M.
Beebe, ef Kalamazoo, Mich.
Mrs. 2. Lat.E aud child, of Saltwater,
Charles Dibble, 2 commercial traveller
from Rochester, MINI.
The inquest at Rio was continued
I To-day. Ths Testimony was q repetition