The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-03-19
Such Was the Order Given To a
Section Foreman
By the Wheeling and Lake Erie
People When he Notified Them
That the Navarro Switch Was In Bad
oondition..-some Damaging Evidence
Against the Company The Testimony.

Wheeling & lake Erie wreck on Thursday
last.
The testimony obtained after the News
DEMOCRAT went TO press last night was
very important and unless some one is 90
ing great deal of lying, puts the blame
on the company and in all probability
such will be the Coroner's verdict. He
still has 10 take the testimony Of several
witnesses who reside at Massillon, but it
is not likely their testimony will make any
material change.
The inquest was held in the office of
Matt Clemens, the popular grocer at
room to the coroner.
After all the testimony was in Attorney
w. NJ. Roach of Alliance was asked by a
reporter what he thought of the case and
replied that there was no doubt in his
mind that the relatives had clear
case against the company.
The substance of the testimony obtained
is given below
John Adley--I had conversation last
November with Jacob Klein, .he section
boss of the road. He said the switch was not
safe and was in bad condition. Klein told
me that if not flAed there was liable to be
an accident. Klein also told me that he
had notified the company, and tried to
get material TO fix 1t, but had been told
that he would have to patch it up, as best
he could.
Jacob Rlein: | am section foreman on
the w. & L. E. The switch was moved
hat
anything to it since that time. 1 did not
put in the switch but helped to spike the
track. go over the switches every day
and this one was in good condition, when
l looked at ii Thursday morning. The
switch lay up against the rail as tight as it
could. The switch has been in use ever
since the road was built. / had to drive
nails in to make the switch lay up against
the rail, drove some nails in the bride
rod. was always satisfied the switch was
in good condition. If there had been any
breaks in it / would have had them fixed.
l did not tell Mr.. Adley it was not good
switch. do not believe / said it. The
nails were hooked over so as to keep them
in. have not put any nails in since the
accident. There are none in now aud
there were none in on Saturday unless
someone put them in. There were not
three nails on one side and six on the
other on Saturday. Nails are used in all
the switches. do not know that other
we cannot get out of it If we want to make
the switches safe.
At this point Mr.. Klein was submitted
to a rigid cross examination and contra
dicted the story told above. He said:
/ asked the company six months ago for
supplies but could not get them. If 1
had been given what ! wanted there
would have been no accident. l tried to
keep every thing safe as long as l could
get material. l tried to get the material.
One of the officials put the switch in him
self. / sent wood 10 the company that it
was not safe. was told to patch il up
and pu, in nails and wood. have put in
nails since. / tried my best to keep the
trains on the track. The switch on last
Thursday morning was not in the condi-
ton l would have had il, if had had my
way. told John Adlcy it was not safe.
John Thomas: l helped to pick Mclean
up and took care of him at the hotel.
Friday morning he regained conscious
ness and did not know where he was.
He could remember nothing about the
wreck and could not tell whether he had
jumped or been thrown from the car.
Mr.. Thomas told of John Adley repeating
to him the conversation he (Adley) had
had with Klein.
Ed. j. Walker: | was at the switch
shortly after the wreck. / called the con-
ductor's attention to the condition of the
switch and he went for the section hands
for keeping it in such poor condition.
Rev. j. A. Dunlap: | was there shortly
after the accident. The condition of the
road is bad. In some places instead of
the fish plates resting on the ties, they
are between two ties. / am practical
railroad man. have driven spikes, been
brakeman, telegraph operator, ticket
agent and clerk in the general superin-
teldent's office.
Geo. W. G. Dunlap: took two photo
graphs of the wreck shortly after the acci.
dent. was at the switch the Sunday be-
fore the accident and while kicking
against the bar saw the bolt was loose. 1t
would raise up ana then fall back in
place.
Anthony Sisterhen, a merchant, was
the first witness sworn, He stated that
he was in the smoking car at the time the
accident occurred. He thought the train
was not running faster than usual. He
first felt jar, and then the car turned
over on one side: He, in company with
others, escaped by crawling through
window, He wns not injured. He found
Mclean lying along the track, wounded
and bleeding.
Peter Albright, banker of Massillon,
was on the train at the time, and said to
Mr.. Sisterhen that he always thought the
road was not safe.
William Hollinger testified that he was
at the river bridge al the time the accident
occurred. The bridge is about 3Ot yards
from the switch. He saw Mclean lying
by the track. About an hour and half
after the accident occurred he examined
the switch. The bolt was in place In the
q. Itch, but there was no bur on 1t. He
~ hit the train was running about
noSA five miles an hour.
Wenty' Sed the testimony before dinner.
!; inns ets the examination OF witnesses
Aieer ulnha n up.
'as as; again taSS dry goods merchant at
vavarra Wnnam wss ssan ng train % at the $ time OF
he occurrence of tte track, badly In.
.ean lying alongside ~ they carried
ured. He followed wkea there asked
i'm 10 the depot and whifs> use of the
he conductor of the train thecas switch
yreck. The conductor said tho ken.
od was either defective or bro. I'd
tahl also testified that he had examfns
he switch and had found bolt in the
witch, but there was no bur on II and the
lreads were so badly worn that a bur
ouldn't stay on.
j. Is. Pocock, grain dealer at Navarro
as on the train. He helped TO carry Nc.
can to the depot. lie noticed at the
me that the condition of the road was
cry bad.
Anthony Chamberlain, carpenter was
the scene of the wreck. He noticed
lat the bolt in the switch was poor one.
@ saw the engineer pick up q bolt which