The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-03
TRAIN CREW DISMISSED
RESULT Of INVESTIGATION OF THE
RECENT VANDALIA WRECK.
Conductor Kerns's Effort To stop the
by a Wabash Road Official.

AS a result of an investigation of the COL
lision on the Vandalia Railway at Van
dalia H., held at Terre Haute yesterday
by the general officers of the road, the
crew of the special Christian Endeavor
California train was dismissed from the
service Of the company. The investigation
showed that the order for the train was TO
stop at the east siding at Vandalia. and,
as all members of the crew were made ac-
quainted with the order. all were held re-
sponsible. The crew consisted of Horace
Kerns conductor; Tom Manifee. engineer;
Charles g. n, McClain brakeman. and
William PETIT fireman.
There are two sidings al Vandala-one
on the east and one on the west side of the
town. veteran railroad man, who is
familiar with the road from one end 10 the
other, said last night that the first siding
would mean the east siding to the crew of
the Endeavorer train. As he understood it
the order read stop at the east siding.
Instead of this the engineer msinterpreted
the order and read it west siding. The
other members of the crew understood the
order, 1t is imperative with the company
that each member of the crew read the or
ders issued from the dispatchers. The en-
gineer must show the order to the fireman
and the conductor must communicate the
order to the brakeman and the baggage
man. Further, it is a well-known rule OF
all passenger crews that one member can
undertake to see that the order is obeyed
should 1t be misinterpreted neglected by
the others.
This seems to have been the case on the
night of the wreck at Vandalia, Ill 1t is
generally understood that Conductor Hor-
,se
Endeaeor train when he found that En-
gineer Manifee was trying to reach the
west crossing. Conductor Kerns knew that
something was wrong and felt that the
train was rushing on to destruction. Geo.
Maxfield general passenger agent Of the
Wabash. was aboard the Christian En-
deavor train the night of the wreck. Ac-
cording to his statement, Conductor Kerns
did everything he could to stop the train.
MaXfeld and Conductor Kerns were to-
gether i'm one of the coaches when the train
approached the town of Vandalia. Max
field recalls the fact that the train was
making good speed when they passed the
| hrst siding, He saw Conductor kerns
reach for the bell rope and give ii a vi
cious pull, but there was no aDpreciable
diminuton of speed. Kerns then grabbed
up mis- lantern and rushed to the front end
of the car He waved the light frantically,
but the train proceeded al the same rate
and again started forward to the airbrake.
MaXfield thinks the conductor realized that
the engineer had read the order Incorrect
ly. 1t was necessary to pass through
yestibule to reach the airbrake and Kerns
was unable TO make his way through, as
the swinging door was blocked by Valises.
The door of the vestbule refused to work.
Kerns then started to the rear end OF the
car, but before he reached the door the
train began to slow up and presently came
to a standstill. 1t was in the act of back
ing when the crash came.
Passenger Agent Mansfield thinks that
Conductor Kerns has not had a fair chance
in the investigation and is willing 10 back
up his statement concerning the conduct
OF Kerns before the officials of the road.
Conductor Kerns had been with the Van
dalia Company for seventeen years. lie be-
gan as a freight brakeman. For eleven
years he has been running a passenger
train. He lives in Indianapolis. Engineer
Manifee had been in the employ of the
road for nearly twenty years For the last
sixteen or seventeen years he has pulled
passenger train. Twice before has he been
wrecked. Several years ago his train was
ditched at Pocahontas. Ill. He escaped
without injury, and a few months later
his train was wrecked at the same point.
Manifee lives at TIRE Haute. Brakeman
McClains home is in this city. He had
been with the Vandalia about seven years.
Fireman PETIT was also an old employe
and resides at Terre Haute. Baggageman
Coon, the other member of the crew, was
killed. 1t is said strong effort will be
made to have Conductor Kelns reinstated.