St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-14
WHO is RESPONSIBLE?
More Light Shed on the Aw-
fdl Railroad Accident at
Como.
Switchman Coleman Lays the
Onus Of the Disaster on
Engineer Brown.
On the Other Hand, Brown
Points His Finger to the
SWitchman.
Deputy Coroner Amoss Opens
What Is to Be a Search
ing Inquest.

Trains were running as usual over
the Great Northern freight tracks at
Como yesterday morning. The wreck
ing crew, with all appliances for the re-
moval of debris, succeeded in getting
the tracks sufficiently clear for traffic
shortly aftera daylight. AT the speed
at which both the wrecked trains were
running it seems miraculous that there
was not more loss of life. A GLOBE
representative visited the scene of the
wreck yesterday morning. Half dozen
dead and mangled horses lay beside the
tracks, and the wreckage was piled in
discriminatory everywhere. The two
engines were SO badly smashed as to be
utterly useless until they have had a
complete oyerhauiing in the shops.
Considering the force of the collision,
there vas surprisingly little DAM
age done to the permanent
way. A number of ties were
broken, and the tracks spread little,
but otherwise there was nothing to indi-
cate that two monsters of the rail had
engaged in fatal combat but few
hours ue1ore. The fireman, james Hill,
who was killed, leaves wife and two
children who reside at West Superior.
Inquiries made yesterday indicate that
they are in no financial distress and
would, in any event, be looked after
by the brotherhood of Firemen, of
which Hill was member. The state
ment made by an afternoon paper yes
terday, that the Switchman who had
turned the train on the east-bound track
was missing, is entirely without foun-
dation. The Switchman, Henry Cole
man, has been in the employ of the
company for about one month. He had
been working at the same switch since
Oct. /. Coleman'S statement OF the
affair is as follows:
SVitchman,s Story.
''There has been talk that L deserted
my post after the accident, and have
been in hiding since. This is false, as
my superior officers can prove. l
worked all night, and l am working
again tonight. The way the accident
occurred was this: / was standing at
my post near the switch, when [ saw
the headlight of the freight. She was
coming up on the yard track, as usual,
and whiStled for the switch to throw
her onto the west-bound track. Before
the switch is thrown the light is white
one, and after it is thrown the light is
red. which shows the engineer that the
WeSt-bound is clear and he may go
ahead. | was surprised when | heard
HIM whistle for the other switch, know
ing that 1T was contrary to the working
of the road to run an outbound
train on that track. l threw
the switch, because it is my
business to obey whistles and the en-
n1..,c ~ r,,1 h. f1
This sent the train out on the east
bound track. AS She went by me 1
called to the engineer, where do you
want to go?'s but he only waved his
hand out of the cab and went ahead
You are certain there was second
call for the switch?"
Dead certain"
''How far is it between the two
switches?"
ABOUT twenty feet between the OPP
Grating points,"
How far is it from the switch to the
scene of the wreck?''
About three-quarters of a mile.'
'.What did you do when the accident
occurred?"
II walked over to Como station and
reported it,"
Where were you later~
and John Brown, the engineer of the
wrecked train, came in. He had a
smashed finger and | tied it up for him.
L afterwards went back to work and re-
manned at work all night"
Have you been Subp9ned to APP
pear at the inquest"
mo. sir. No one has been near me-"
'Who did you report the manner of
the accident to-"
ITO Superintendent Of Yards John
JerViS."
Who Is to EsIame9
Mr.. Jervis was seen and asked to give
the statementslmade to him by Coleman.
He did so without the slightest reserve,
| aud the statement agree exactly. Mr..
JerviS has been in his present respon-
Sible position for thirteen years. He
stated that there was no possible eX-
PLANTATION of desire on the part of
Engineer Brown to take the east-bound
track. "Our road" he said, sis the
only one running out of here that has
| four tracks, two passenger and two
freight. 1t preciudes the possibility of
| accident SO long as the rules of the road
| are abseryed. Ii Engineer Brown
| whistled for the east track he did so
! in violation of ali rule. In addition to
that, finding himself on the east track
he should Immediately have backed up.'
WAS not the night too dark for him
| to distinguish his poSition?"
No; he has headlight that lights
| up the two tracks as plain as daylight"
| do you know of any contingency
under which he might call for the east
| track?"
None whatever, unless that he may
| have got confused"
lis the operation Of switching at that
! point SO intricate as to possibly confuse
| an engineer of long experience"
''rhe switch is simple one, and
cannot explain his action"
"What do you know of Coleman; is
he Steady?"
HE is a good, steady man, and have
| great confidence in him.
Engineer Brown stated yesterday be.
| fore the cOroner's jury that he was told
TO 20 ahead from Como yards, and did
so after the switch had been thrown
| His injuries are slight. Those of the
| injured who are at st. Joseph's hospital
are doing we'll, and all will recover
| Deputy Coroner Amoss yesterday swore
| in a jury of five to investigate the kill.
! ing of Fireman Hill. Their mares are
Michael Foley, Stephen Murphy. G. N.
| Warren, Michael Mealey and &. Van
| Horn. Engineer John Brown, James
| Kennedy, James Purcell and Michael
! w. Whalen testified to the facts as sci
! forth in the GLOBES account of the ac-
| cident on yesterday. The inquiry was
| then adjourned until Wednesday that
| further evidence may be secured.
| |