The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-31
BRAKEMAN WELLS STORY
OF THE RECENT RAILWAY Dis
AsTER IN WI C0NSIN.
lie Declares Conductor HAnkey "a
BE Responsible for the Accident
The Disabled Steamer.

MILWAUKEE,, Wis, October SO. |
II. Wells, the freight treke man VINO |
ia charged With beng responhble Tor
the terrible railway accident at Rio
ON Wednesday night, has turned up.
He came tc the city yesterday and Wis,
tied the general cfiices Of the st. Paul
Railway Company, He drew bis sal
airy late yesterday afternoon. "ells
is "a years cd and unmarried. ne
declares that Hankey, the freight
train conductor, is wholly responsible
for the accident. The following IS the
substance OF his story: "Our irelght
train arrived at East Rio siding sew
eral minutes before the limited put In
an appearance. The freight train was
too long for one side track, 80 we cut
IL in two, switching one part on 70
one of the side tracks and then, de-
tachinp the engine, switching the
rest of il on to the other side track
II was not my duty to close the
swiich, / had never closed 1t before.
The conductor hsd always done that.
On the night Of the accident, after We
had reached the siding and side
tracked our train, / had TO remain on
top OF one the cars. Conductor han
key went TO the switch and snortiy
aitsrward passed the car on which
was standing. He told me that every
thing was ali right and that ne was
going TO the head OF the train. looked
al nv watch and discovered, Or thought
I did. that the limited train was late.
Just then the limited hove in sight. L
was Mortified to see ii run off the
track shortly after it passed my car.
la moment the train YVES in flames.
i was badly frightened, and thinking
the freight train hands would be
lvnched fad. / realize that made
mistake in running away, but 1t was
very natural under the clrcum-
stances"
Wells says that he Is ready to give
himself up when he ID wanted. he
has engaged counsel in Milwaukee.
The identity Of the three men bound
for the woods, who were burned TO
death, will possibly never be estab-
lished, and they, at least, OF all the
victims, will bs an addition to the
thropg Of "mit sing persons" @. N. st.
John, Of this city, said this morning
that three men, whom he believes to
, be the same ones, came to his labor
agency Wednesday and wanted to 20
North. They were together, and
] talked about going to several points
on the Wisconsin Central railroad
One of them was large, tall msn
5 who looked more like woodsman
than either of the others. He wore 9
flannel shirt with yellow bars; hi!
) pants were In bis bnots, and be hao
9 epikes in his heels. One OF his com
\ panions wore dark suit OF clotheI
! and watchchain, and did not lool
like lumbermsn. He is de
4 scIibed rs having "whisky" nous
3 tache. The third and youngest o
the trio was not over 81 or % year
old. They evidently did not want II
work and hoped to get somewher
I without having to pay fare. Mr.. 81
\ John saw the three standing at tn
o union depot at 3:45 o'clock, when h
9 went there to ship a gang OF me-
q west.
8 II all the missing people so far n
y ported as having been on the trai
Y are not heard from the list of victim
y will be swelled to twenty-five. Th
q laws Of Wisconsin fixes the liability
n y railroad companies for death cause
q by negligence at not exceeding $500