The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1888-07-19
WHO rs GUILTY :?
WHISKEY AT THE BOT
TOM OF 1T.
A WRECKED TRAIN, A DEAD MAN
q AND OTHERS INJURED.
NEGLIGENCE AND CARELESS.
NESS BEING INVESTIGATED.
The Investigation to Close This
Morning, and a Verdict
Rendered.

terday heard the evidence in the
railroad wrecki1g affair, which
which occurred near this city
Sunday morning last. Consid-
erable interest is felt in the result
of the investigation. and the tes-
timony adduced yesterday was
lengthy, and convinced every
body present that there had been
gross negligence practiced upon
the part of somebody. Mr.. A. G.
Weldon, the operator, upon whom
the railroad officials attach the
blame, was in court, and was rep
resented by Judge G. A. Moore.
The evidence of witnesses is
herewith given:
J. L. HAWKINS.
''I am train dispatcher for the
W. n. G. Road, and reside in
Asheville. On the morning of the
18th 1 gave orders to freight
trains Nos. 13 and % to meet at
Asheville junction. This was an
go. K" or restraining order to
hold up No. %, which was bound
west, at his station. I asked Wei
don, before I had sent the order,
whether No. % had come, and he
replied, 'FNo." After [ sent the
order I asked him again. He
again replied ''No." About fif-
teen minutes after this he called
me up and asked me to catch No.
13, which had left Asheville going
east, saying that No. % had
passed him. 1 tried to catch No.
Is, but they had left. In a con-
versation afterwards he told me
that station hand had pulled his
semaphore { signal light down.
Witness explained workings of
this signal to the jury, and read
the following orders to conduc-
tors and engineers of trains Nos.
% and 13:
"AsHEvILLE, July 15.-Conduc-
tors and engineers. Trains Nos.
% and 13 Will meet at Asheville
Junction. V. E. MCBEE."
This telegram was sent at 1.22
a. m. Weldon signed for it at
4.266. 266 7 signed fort L 22 was
also signed by Spaugh and Boone,
conductor and engineer Of train
No 13 at 1.24."
Judge Moore-"Every paper
introduced here as evidence must
be filed in the court" He asked
witness if certain book exhib
tied as "Book B., second edition,
r. & D. r. r" ." was the rules and
regulations in use by the COM
pany. He testified that it con-
tanned the rules and regulations.
Judge Moore next read rule No.
524 from said book, relative to
handling signals. Witness said
it was rule of the company.
DR.. W. D. Hilliard sworn: ''I
don't know anything about wreck.
About o'clock Sunday morning
l was ordered to go to the depot
to see wounded men. l did not
know that a man was killed until
after 1 had dressed the wounds of
the injured. 1 did not see the
man who was killed. Think the
clock struck just l was leaving
house. I was sometime in getting
a carriage. [ knew nothing at
all about the matter other than
what I have stated"
Y. E. McBee sworn: 81 don't
know anything about the wreck
except from the written report
and telegram sent at Salisbury:
The orders were given by the
dispatcher over my signature.
Mr.. A. G. Weldon has been in the
employ of the road more than a
year; l never had any complaint
against him before. He was
always trusty. The order book
is correct, and all orders are in
regular form. I examined the
book when I got to the Office"
Judge Moore cross-examined
witness: 'How long have you
known Weldon" "Ten or fifteen
years; knew him as chief dis
patcher on the r. & D. road for
years. I then lost sight of him
until 1 came here. He filed a
very responsible position; never
heard of any accident occurring
connected with him before. His
general character very good. He
was always considered a most re-
liable dispatcher and a good
operator. He is about 45 years.
Think he relied upon his salary
for a living. Don't think there
was any wilfulness on his part in
the matter; it was a mistake and
an honest one."
W. Connally, master of trains:
II have a telegraph instrument
and bell in my room, so that I
can be called by the dispatcher at
any hour. About 2 o'clock Sun
day morning I was called by Mr..
Hawkins. the dispatcher then on
duty, and told by him that Nos.
% and 13 had collided between
Asheville and Asheville junction,
on account of Mr.. Weldon, the
night operator, failing to deliver
an7order to No. %, and ] told him
to find out if any one was hurt;
extent of the damage, and to let
me know as soon as possible. In
about ten minutes he told me that
three or four men were hurt; the
engineers and fremen were also
hurt; did not know how badly. I
told him to send an nnoina and