The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-22
THE SWITCH LEFT OPEN
BRAKEMAN GEORGE c. BAKER IN
sTANTLY KILLED ON THE BIG FOUR.
Section Hand Wright Injured-A
Freight Wreck Mt North indfanapo-
lis Caused by Carelessness.

Through the negligence of brakeman
in not throwing a switch an engine pulling
a cut" of cars on the Big Four railroad.
near the North indianapolis depot. dashed
into d number of gravel cars standing on a
siding, about 3:15 o'clock yesterday after
noon, and George c. Baker head brake
man, living at 204 South Pine street, was in
stantly killed, and Jacob Wright, a section
hand living at sec Mccain street, was
badly injured, though not seriously. He
had very narrow escape from death. be
head was severely cut above the left eye,
and it took four stitches to close the wound.
His body was severely bruised.
Many conflicting stories were circulated
regarding the accident and there was APP
parently an effort to suppress the facts.
The train is a local freight which runs be-
tween indianapolis and Lafayette. 1t
switched some gravel cars onto siding
near the depot, and then the engine ran
down TO the caboose which was standing
south of the depot on the main track. AT
this point the track was being repaired,
and the train crew had orders to up to
a siding some distance north Of the depot
and bring down two cars loaded with steel
rails to be used in repairing the tracks.
The engine was connected at its front end
with the caboose, and Baker stepped up on
the platform while sectionman Wright got
aboard the caboose and went along to point
out the two cars which were to be brought
back. For some unaccountable reason the
switch leading into the siding on which
stood the gravel cars, was not closed by
Baker before he got on the caboose, and
another brakeman, whose name could not
be learned, walked right over the open
switch without noticing that 1t was
open, and jumped aboard the caboose.
Inc engine ana cabooSe ran north 10 the
two cars of steel, and the cars were con-
nected. Baker then took his position on the
platform of the caboose, in front of the
engine, while Sectionman Wright and the
other brakeman got on the south end OF
the caboose TO see that the track was clear
while returning. AS the run was some dis
lance the engine ran at rapid speed. AS
the cabooSe neared the switch Baker and
the brakeman both suddenly noticed that it
had not been closed, and the track was
open straight into the gravel cars. There
time to give warning. The brake
man jumped off the right side and landed
unhurt. Wright seeing that he would fall
on the main track IL ne jumped, clutched
the railing, braced himself, and the next
instant the caboose collided with the gravel
cars, and he was thrown to the ground.
Baker had been standing on the other plat
form waiting TO draw the pin and allow the
caboose to run on further down the track
when the engine Stacked up He was Who'll
ly unconscious of his impending doom, and
x,
when the crush came The two cars heav-
lily ladened with steel behind the engine
forced it forward through the end of the
caboose in a twinkling, and, without a mo-
mentS warning, Baker was crushed to
death. He did not even scream His body
was terribly mangled about the waist. and.
when picked up, his feet rested on what re-
manned of the platform of the cabOoSe,
while his head rested on the pilot of the
engine.
For time there was great excitement.
The crash was heard for some distance
away and people rushed from their houses
and stores and hurried TO the scene of the
accident. Wright was dazed but not un-
conscious A SalooniSt named HitZelberger
helped him to his feet. and he found that
he could walk. The SalooniSt started to
assist him to his home, which was not far
away but as it happened, Wright's wife
had been standing at the front gate when
the accident occurred and had seen all.
She rushed to the scene and met her hus-
band as he was staggering home. With
cry of joy that his injuries had not been
fatal she threw her arms about him, while
tears coursed down her cheeks. Supporting
him, she took him on nome
Bakers body was taken from the pilot OF
the engine and carried into the depot and
Coroner Brayton was summoned. The body
was taken down town by III. w. Tutewiler'o
wagon and then TO the undertaking estab~
was fifty-five years OLD, and was formerly
an employee on the Vandalia railroad and
and Terre Haute. For the past three years
he has been in the employ of the Big Four
railroad, serving in the position when he
met his death. He was sober and kind
hearted man and well liked by all who
knew him. He leaves wife and a son
about eighteen years of age.
The front of the engine was damaged,
the cowcatcher being torn away. and both
ends of the caboose were mashed. The
shock threw the caboose from the rails,
ting fire to the car but the flames were
soon extinguished. The blame has not been
located Some say that it was the duty OF
RaEar m have closed the switch On the
other hand, il Is stated that il was the
duty of the brakeman who got on the other
end of the caboose. His name could not
was soon called and after ,wo hours work
the tracks were cleared and evidences OF
the accident had been removed.