The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-09
WHO rs REsPoNsIBLEP
Blame of the Wreck Must be Fixed
Somewhere.

The question of who is responsible for
the Santa Fe wreck of last night is vet
unsettled.
The responsibility rests between Train
Dispatcher Charles King of this citv
Agent Larson of Lang and Conductor
Alex ferguson of California train
Assistant General Superintendent
avery Turner and Division Superinten-
dent Z. L. Mcclellan will hold an inves-
tlgation for the purpose of placing the
responsibility of the terrible accident as
soon as possible, probably this week
from information received in this citv
1t seems to be the opinion among the
general officers that the wreck was due
neglect on the part of either Agent
Larson OF Lang or Engineers Bran
ham and HolliSter, who were both kill
ed, and Conductor Ferguson, and that
Dispatcher King is only indirectly con-
nected with it,
When the news of the wreck reached
the dispatcher's office in this city. last
night, Dispatcher King was prostrated
by the information and was compelled
TO at once give up his work and go to
his room in the Ross block on Van Ru-
rem street. There he has remained in a
Frustrated condition during the day
and no report has yet been secured
from him.
In reference to the responsibility of
the collision, Mr.. Avery Turner, assist
ant general superintendent, said this
afternoon:
ing this city and was given the right
of way to Emporia, where it was to
meet the fast mail train. The fast mail
was also late, about 55 minutes, but was
making up time, and before No. l had
reached Lang Dispatcher King sent out
an order to the agent there to flag the
California train and make Lang the
meeting point instead of E,mpOria The
question now is whether or not Agent
Larson tagged the train in time If
he did so, the responsibility of the ac-
cident falls on the men in charge of the
train, two of whom are dead. Larson
swearS that he tagged the train on re-
ceiving the order, while Conductor Fer
guson Swears that the train was not
tagged. There the evidence of one
balances the evidence of the other, and
the only men who could decide the mat
ter are dead. The only connection that
I can now see that Dispatcher King had
with the collision, is the fact that he
changed the meeting point from EN-
poria to Lang"
Pending the investigation, Agent Lar
son, Dispatcher King and Conductor
Ferguson are removed from service.
Agent Larson. the man who had or
ders to hold the California train at
Lang, has also been considered very
careful and trustworthy operator. Mr..
w. W. Carr, the Associated Press tele-
graph operator of the State Journal is
well acquainted with him, and said to-
day:
Il know Agent Larson of Lang very
well, and can't think of more care
full and painstaking man than he is. He
was night operator at Eudora, for long
time, and my brother, who is agent
there, regarded him as one of the safest
men that he ever had in the Office.
'Nels,' as he is familiarly known, is a
man of splendid habits and is popular
with the railroad men. He was trans
ferred from Eudora to South Leaven-
worth about year ago. and was but
recently given the position at Lang.
Larson claims that his signal was
out to hold No. 1, while the conductor
says that the board was for a clear
track. AS it was about dusk, it may
be possible that Larson had his signal
board turned, but did not have his