The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-09-17
RAILROAD NEWS.
Santa Fe Wreck Investigation
at e mporia
Dew elOps Conflicting Testimony
As to the Lang Light.
TWO LANG FARMERS
Swear Positively That the Red
Light Was There.
Other Witnesses Say NOt-Dis-
patcher Kings Testimony.

Emporia, Sept. IA large number of
witnesses were examined at the coroner's
inquest in the wreck cases at Lang.
The first witness called was G. w. Rob-
inson, stockman living near Lang.
He was sat Lang station Immediately
before and Immediately after train No. 1
loading stock at the yards. Mr.. Robin
testified that a red light was hung
out at Lang and that the agent, Larson,
told him it was for the purpose of signal
ing No. l. Larson also said that Bryan
was on No. /, and Robinson remarked:
Then we will get to see him. Robin
sons testimony was corroborated by his
brother, II. A. Robinson, who was with
him.
T. ]. Fleming, L. H. Lewis and Ed Jay
were all on No. 1 in the smoker. Just
before reaching Lang Lewis timed the
train with a horse-timer by means of
the mile posts and found it to be going
fifty miles an hour or faster. Just be-
fore reaching the station Lewis looked
out but saw signal light. Neither did
Fleming nor Jay, but they were not look
ing for a light.
H A May, conductor of the train
which hauled the remaining coaches of
train No. back to Usage City after the
signal lamp hung out at Lang. He said
it was very dim and could be seen only
two or three car lengths away. Ordin-
arily the signal lights could be seen as
soon as the train was in sight of the sta
ton. His brakeman, c. NJ. Alexander,
and w. c. Thompson, also of Usage City,
corroborated his testimony.
e. ]. Hettler, the operator al Usage
City read the order received regarding
train No. l. 1t is train order No. 62, to
conductor and engineer, and said that
train No. had right of track against No.
lis to Emporia. 1t was sent by Train
master King of Topeka. Hettler also re-
ceived an oral message to tell Conductor
Ferguson to look out for red board at
Lang. This he delivered to the con-
Guctor.
the orders of colliding trains corroborat-
ed the evidence of the agent at Usage
City regarding the first order making
Emporia the meeting point, and the addl-
tfonal message to look out for orders at
Lang. He then said: mo. lis had the
right of way without orders, so orders
were sent to both Usage and Emporia
giving the right of way to No l. At
Barclay No. 1 was reported as arriving
at 7:O5 and leaving at 7:O6. This was the
first intimation Mr.. King had that No l
was doing local passenger business 80
he telegraphed Reading that if the train
stopped there he should tell them that
orders would be at Lang. AT 1:13 En-
poria reported lis there, so orders were
sent to us at Emporia and No. l at
Lang to meet at Lang. At 7:2S Lang re-
ported that No. 1 had run by the board.
Then the following ensued between King
and Larson:
King: rs your board red?"
Larson: Yes"
King: Look and see if the train has
not stopped farther down"
Larson: mo, it is out of sight
When cross-examined as to why he did
not send the orders for No. to Reading
rather than Lang, Mr. King said he did
not know that he wished to change them
until it was time for the train to leave
Reading. Asked if he thought he had
taken the necessary precautions demand
ed by the company rules under such cir
cumstances he replied that he thought
he had.
On further examination Mr.. King stated
that if Larson had been attending fully
to business he would have had red lam
tern ready to signal the train down if it
showed signs of running by the station
This statement was made under pressure
and evidently unwillingly.
A new and somewhat startling feature
was added by the testimony of John
Long. a switchman in the yards here He
stated that he boarded No. us with the
intention of meeting No. l at Lang AT
the junction Conductor McCambridge
told him No / might not stop at Lang,
but that he was going on anyway. Long
got off at the junction rather than to
take the chances.
The inquest was adjourned until Mon
day morning.