The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-21
TWO ARRESTS.
The Engineer and Conductor Held for
MISUNDERSTANDING Stories.

HeariDg-COn6ictinE Stories.
After the wreck engineer Woolley, of the
special train, remained upon the spot and
viewed the horror that had been caused by
his neglect of orders. After the last of
the injured had been taken away he went
to his home. This afternoon warrants
were sworn out by Prosecuting Attorney
Clark, charging Woolley and conductor
Scott with manslaughter A search by Dep
uty Sheriff King developed the fact that
Scott had gone to Port Huron, and a tel
egram was sent to the police officers at
that place requesting his arrest. Woolley
was found at his home by Sheriff King,
and taken before Justice Henry, who set
the preliminary hearing for Monday and
fixed the bail at 3,000 After this had been
done Woolley, who was on the verge of
prostration. physically and mentally, asked
permission to make statement, which the
justice reduced to writing.
when my engine was coupled on the
train at the depot" he began, Conductor
Scott asked me if 1 was ready to go.
said no, that had not oiled my engine yet.
1 took my oil can and got off on the side
furthest from the depot the south side.
Scott came around on my side of the en-
CINE and handed me my orders, and said to
|
dispatcher is crazy about us not getting
out of here 1 hurried up and got through
oiling my engine, got up in the cab and at
that time Conductor Scott was over near
the platform. He asked me if l was ready
to go. Z / asked him If he was sure No. had
gone through He said &C.. Yes she e has as Ny
8 had gone through l asked him how the
board was. He said: All clear. Look for
the board at Bellevue
+ II got upon my seat and started the
engine. L did not pass any switch engine as
has been reported, on the double track.
After / got into the yard i saw headlight.
L thought at first it was the switch engine,
but in a moment / saw that she was COM
ing too fast. 1 shut the throttle and re-
and was standing still when No. struck
my engine. 1 went to get off, but before L
could do so was thrown against the tank
and my side was hurt asked my fireman
after the wreck If he remembered what
Scott said to me. He said he did. He told
me that No. 8 had gone through. l saw
Scott after the wreck. He was much ex-
cited. 1 asked him in regard to the order
again. He muttered out something and said
has Seeg 5na so Me all day. have been
lying down and was not able to come out
before"
Up to 1920 D. m. engineer Woolley had
been unable to find bondsman, and he
will probably remain in jail until the hear
ing.
the city tonight and was at once arrested
by Chief of Police James Elliott on a war
rant charging him with criminal neglect;
He was taken before Justice Henry and
gave bonds in $1,000 to appear on Monday.
He denies the statement Of engineer Wool
ley Mr. Scott said; \ got my tb orders Snb ae
track / understood them, and l did not
forget them. L compared my orders with
conversation with engineer Woo,iey after
our train started. L did not tell him that
No. had gone by us. 1 went into the
baggage car soon after we left Battle
Creek, taking it for granted that the en-
gineer knew where he was going. L did
not discover that he had run by the double
no time to find out such was the case, as
judge it was not more than half minute
after we left the double track until we
met the other train
General Superintendent Atwater, who
was the ground pursuing an investiga-
ton early this evening, was asked upon
whom the blame should be fixed. "As far
as L have learned he replied, 1.-The blame
wholly belongs to the engineer or conduc-
tor of the Raymond and Whitcomb special
train, or both. but 1 am not yet familiar
with the circumstances. The representa-
tives of the press may have access TO our
train order book at the dispatchers Of
flee, and that will speak for itself. We
wish to hide nothing"
Then Superintendent A. X. Mcintyre
brought the reporter to the diSpatcher'S Of
fee and the book showed that train No.
9. the Pacific express. received the follow
ing order: Run to double track for train
s@rhis gave No. . clear right of way to the
double track against the other train" said
Mr. Mcintyre after reading and showing
the order ''They were struck before they
got there so that relieves them of any
Tespc visibility Train No. 6. the Raymond
and Whitcomb special, received this order:
Garry red signals for second section NO. o,
Engine 6l from Battle Creek to Durand.
Meet No O. Engine 49, on double track.
This order was given TO conductor Scott
and engineer Wooley at this station, said
Mr. Mcintyre. lat 3:26 a. m. That was
nineteen minutes as near as we can ascer-
tain, before the collision occurred. The or
der was explicit. 1t was not ambiguous. 1t
could not be misunderstood. as the same or
der is given to trains most every day.
The order was not obeyed, and the result
was tho accident / see no eXtenuating
circumstances. 1t would appear to be a
clear case of negligence and violation of
duty. principally on the part of engineer
Wooley. The customary plea in such cases
that the men were being overworked does
not fit here. The crew on the special were
starting from Battle Creek fresh when
they got their orders They took the train
here from the crew that brought it from
the west, and they were going out after a
long rest"
From Nicholas curve begins, which
and the point where the trains collided,
so 1t was impossible for either TO see the
other until ,their headlights near
enough together TO blind the engineers
The passengers were wedged between the
seats and to add TO their misery the
burning lamps exploded. But for the fire
the loss OF life would not have been so
large. The two engines were a total
wreck.