St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-12
LOCATING THE BLAME.
First Day Of che Investiga-
ton Of the Northern Pa
eif1c Disaster.
Facts Which the National
Congregational Council
Will Learn Today.
Blethen Speaks Again and
Uppercuts Ben Harrison,
Of Indiana.
Proposals for a City Hospital
Site--Tom Lucas for
Congress.

The hearing of the testimony in the
Inquest over Herbert D. Buell. was be-
gun yesterday at Connolly's morgue.
Buell. was one of the two victims of the
wreck on the Northern Pacific railroad.
which occurred Monday, Oct. 4. 1t will
be remembered that a passenger train
westward bound. and freight coming
into Minneapolis met about mile west
of North Town station, just beyond the
city limits.
Henry A. Buell., of Red Wing, was
called first yesterday to Identify the re-
mains. After him there were examined:
Charles Johnson, engineer of the freight
train: W. A. Young, train dispatcher
for Northern Pacific: James Smith. con-
ductor OF the passenger train; Daniel
hester. head brakeman of the freight:
Charles Ii. Crisp, middle brakeman OF
the freight: John c. Rossell, conductor
of the freight.
Engineer Johnson and Conductor
RosSeIl are the chief witnesses. Upon
them the newspaper reports have
thrown a good deal of the responsibility
for the collision. Johnson tells
straight story and makes no excuses
Tor himself further than to say that he
forgot the passenger tram. At Anoka,
on the way down, he and the conductor
received orders to sidetrack at Fridley
and let Freight Train No. 30 and an eX-
ira pass. While at Fridley, on the sid
ing. johnson says he remarked that
they would have time to reach North
Town before the passenger train unless
Train 30 came soon. The extra had al
ready passed. Train 55 came a feTT
minutes later. Johnson never thought
of the passenger train again-clean for
a inH mt of Erid
ley and started for North Town
without thinking that he might meet
the passenger train, Even when he saw
the headlight OF the passenger train shin
ing on the rails he didn't think it was Il
passenger train. but thought it was a
switch engine. He shut OFF his engine,
applied the brake, and stepped over TO
the flreman's side of the engine. He
saw the coaches of the approaching
train, and then Tor the first time the
thought crossed his mind that the pas
senger train was ahead. He probably
would have waited at Fridley for the
passenger train to pass had he once
thought of that train after 10. 80 had
gone by.
Conductor Rossell tells the same story
so far as the order to sidetrack at Frid-
ley is concerned. He knew, after
reaching Fridley. that the extra and No.
So must come soon, and he wouldn't have
time to take his train to North Town
before the passenger trains arrival. He
remembers reaching Fridley, going on
the side track and seeing the extra pass
nothing more. He didn't see No. 55
pass; didn't know when MS train pulled
out or the switch and started Oh toward
North Town. He had gone into the ca
boose, sat down and dropped off to
sleep as soon as the extra. proceeding
No. 5, had gone. He knew nothing
more until the damage had been done.
He dropped asleep because he had been
working very hard for thirty-seven
hours without sleep. This is the work
he had been doing before the collision:
He left Staples. Mimi, at l o'clock
Sunday afternoon and arrived in Min
neapolls at $50 Sunday evening. That
same evening he started at 7:45 for
Staples again. arriving there at 2:20
Monday morning. He slept less than
two hours, rose at 5, and at o'clock
started for Minneapolis with his train.
He was on the road all day dong heavy
freight work ana at 9In the evening