The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1888-07-19

In0fo were IOuf or nV0, anu 6n6y
were taken to the hotel and made
comfortable. Went to Office and
examined books and orders;
found orders had been given cor
rectly and recorded on books in
proper shape, and delivered to
No. 13 according to rules. Saw
it was clear mistake upon part
of operator Weldon; the records
show this; went on to the scene
of the wreck; examined wreck;
ascertained damage done, and
also saw the man killed. [ iden-
titled him and knew him very
well. His name was Harvey Car
ruthers. sHe was to the left of the
wreck as you come to Asheyille
and lying to the left of the en-
tgines. Several pieces of heavy
timber wara-lying across him
His head was apparently crushed
in, and he was dead at that time.
It was impossible at that time to
get the body out of the wreckage;
small force of hands were at
work; larger force was put on!
Carruthers was a brakemen
on freight train No. %. The body
was brought to Asheville depot,
placed in charge of undertaken J. V.
Brown; understand he was buried
at the Asheville cemetery. Other
train hands said he was from Neck
Ienburg county, near Charlotte. He
Ial fria,,Ic q fIIrYAJohn6
with necessary clothing and coffin.
l went on to Asheville Junction
after 5 o'clock, and found the train
order lying on Mr.. Weldon's table,
correct and just as it had been sent
from Asheville. Identified the
order by his hand writing, time
sent number, and address. Perfect
Iy familiar with Mr.. Weldon's
handwriting. He was not at the
Junction when / got there. He
had awakened Mr.. Lee, the day op-
orator, who was on duty at the
time. Weldon hours are from am.
to 7 p. m. He should have been in
the Office. 1 do not know where
Mr. Weldon was at that time. Have
no idea. Weldon would not be
allowed to work after the accident.
Cros examined by Judge Moore:
DO you know whether or not Mr..
Lee had been awakened by the des-
patcaer?" "Mr. Hawkes. told me
that he had instructed Mr.. Weldon
to wake Mr.. Lee, the day operator"
G. E. Lee, agent and day OF orator
at Asheville Junction: -'On Satur~
day evening, about 8 o'clock, Mr..
Weldon reported at the Junction for
duty. 1 gave him the keys of the
office and turned the station over to
him. I then went to supper. At
Is minutes past 8 o'clock Ireturn~
ed to the office. After having a
conversation with Mr.. Weldon /. re-
tired and went to my room, at
about ESQ Sunday morning, Mr..
Weldon called at my room and told
me that there was a wreck at Rock
cut, between Asheville Junction,
and AsheVille, and that Mr.. Haw-
kins had asked me to come TO the
Office at once. / reached the office
at 3 o'clock, and found order No. 2,
dated July Is, for Asheville juno
ton, to c. & E, stating chat No. %
and No. 13 will meet at Asheville
Junction, and signed by Capt. V. 4.
McB4e and operator Weldon; iden~
tilted the order, saw Mr.. Weldon
write and sign the order. l was
then called by the dispatchers Office
for orders for engine No. II; after
taking this order and delivering it,
l asked Mr. Hawkins for PERMISSION
to go to my room a few minutes.
Mr.. Weldon went with me, and ex-
planned to ne the cause Of the acci-
dent, saying that Isaac Wallen a
station hand, had pulled the sema-
phore down while he was absent
from the Office, and that when he
returned to the Office he did not
notice the semaphore; that No, q
arrived at1::45 a. M, and that con-
ductorWinslow and enginee Keever
came into the Office and registered
their train. After the train started off
he said to one of the train hands,
that he had orders for that train,
and to get on the train and stop
them. Mr.. Weldon also stated,
| that he hallooed as loud as he could
as the caboose was passing the door
to stop, but none of the men on
train seemed to hear him"
Weldon was as natural as l ever
saw him. l saw him at 9o'clock,
again at s. o'clock and when l saw
him again he was cool and sober.
Saw him sign the order at 3 O'Clock
Sunday. He signeo as receiving
and signed as relieving hin. That
is our custom. Weldon was about
an hour behind when he came to
Junction, said he had been feeling
sick. Watlen has no right to
change the semaphore, unless. in-
structed BY agent; the agent is then
responsible. No man can change
it on the outside unless he holds 1T
down on top
Capt. McBee, asked witness
about other precautions in addition
to the semaphore. He said eve reg
lister trains On book furnished by
the master of trains. Register right
of track, number of cars and all
trains. Conductors and engineers
do not ask for orders unless they see
red light. IF / have no orders they
ask for clearance card, II White
/ light shall be shown unless there
are orders, at night. The light was
a red one when [ got to off1ce; 4
mean the semaphore. The train
had no right to proceed as 7oug as
the red light was shown. l haye
known Weldon since Sept. 1887; he
has good character; know that he
takes a drink occasionally; never
saw him intoxicated while on duty;
he is considered safe by the officials
of the road. Don't know ANYTHING
about his family; he gets about $50
| per month. Did not see anybody
but engineer Carr, and engine IL,
I 4 <J<,lrs rs..I-