St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-12

running thirty miles an hour by the
University station. 1t was his intention
while so running to make up time rea-
sOnably. He did not think forty miles
an hour too fast.
'You had every reason 10 believe that this
short line train was at the station when you
were coming to it, didn't your
NO, sir; for | diu not see the train. On
account of the curve we would have to be
could see the train"
Gould you have stopped within those fifty
rods before reaching the statlony'
yes, sir, we could, was the calm reply
approaching the university switches,
when near the Milwaukee connections" con.
tinued ketcham, II slowed down, and after
that released my brake, or when got to a
point where could see the university sta
ZION. and did not see anything at the station.
knew Great Northern train was due there
at that time, but not seeing anything / let
my train go. l first sew the tram Just above
the bridge east of the University station.
couldn't say how far it was. 1t was coming
up h1ll, and made its stop quick, but they
hadn't stopped before my engine went by
them. They were just fairly making the stop
as my engine went by them. At that point
applied all the air had. Then, also, sitting
on the right side of the engine the iron pill
lars OF that bridge near the station hinder
ones seeing well.'
1t was Ketcham's first trip over the
road for eight months.
+. III. Poate, of st. Paul. the Omaha
trains fireman, followed Ketheam, and
corrobOrated his story. He didn't know
ketcham very well; had merely met
him around the round house. He didn't
know whether Ketcham was drinking
man, but he was certain that he had
| nothing to drink on Tuesday night.
Thomas WarburtOn, who was the
brakeman on the Great Northern short
line train, corr0bOrated the evidence
| given by his engineer and conductor.
DOugan on Rules.
Then came III. V. Dougan, superin-
tendent of the Minneapolis Union Rail-
way and depot. Regarding the regula-
ton of trains, he read this rule from the
| short line time card, which is prepared
| for the special guidance of employees:
When trains are approaching each other
| on the double track engines will sound the
whistle and cause bell TO be rung. MS in APP
proachlng station. and when train is
standing on double track taking on and
dlscharging passengers, trains from the op-
poslte direction Will come TO full stop with
| engines opposite each other and proceed
| slowly until trains are stopped.
Mr.. DOugan called attention to an
| other rule which commands that the
| speed of trains be reduced to fifteen
miles an hour at what are known as the
milwaukee, cross over tracks, 1875 feet
| from the center of the University sta
ton. From the previous testimony he
| Judged that the Omaha engineers saw
| the short line train when about 400 feet
! away. If the Omaha train had been
running at no greater speed than fif-
teen miles an hour. according to the
rules, the train could have been stopped
| and the accident averted. He knew of no
ordinance limiting the speed of trains
within nj In
crossings. DrS. Spring and Nippert,
| who examined the bodies of the three
victims at the station, testified as to the
nature of the jurieS and that death re-
suited therefrOm. That closed the teSti-
mOny.
Criminal Carelessness.
The jury considered the evidence for
nearly two hours before finally render
ing a verdict. They went over the evil
| deDce step by step, and considered
everything bearing upon the case. The
| two facts which stood out most promi-
nently were these: The engineer and
| conductor of the Omaha train clearly
[ violated the rules of the road by 1un-
{ ming past the short line train and not
slowing up at the Milwaukee tracks.
1t was not the first time that the Omaha
train had similarly broken the same
! IuiC. AHC Jul y tIlOuSHl Jlldt EllSlIl6SE
ketcham, knowing that his train was
late and liable to meet the short line at
| the station, should have approached the
station with greater caution. After
| considering all these questions the jury
| brought in verdict declaring that En-
gineer George Ketcham and Conductor
| +. E. Blasser, of the Omaha road, were
| guilty of criminal careleSSness. BY the
| public the verdict is considered just
one. Ketcham has been laid off pend
| ing an investigation.
| 0Last night, after the corOner's jury
sitting upon the case of Mrs. Slayton
and EdwardTodd and wife had returned
its verdict declaring Engineer Ketch-
am and Conductor Blaser guilty of
criminal carelesSnesS, Coroner Towers
held a short consultation with County
Attorney Jamison. and as a result of
the conference Detective John p hoy
was dispatched to st. Panl with orders
to arrest the engineer. Hoy found
Ketcham and brought him to Minneapo-
lis. He spent last night in the central
station. Blaser will also be arrested.
Bradstreet, Thurber & Co.,
Minneapolis. Annual Exhibition Friday
and Saturday, Dec. II and IL. Open day
and avauiup