Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-07

inquest over the remains OF the two
men who lost their lives in the railway
accident at Blue Bird spur. tend to
show that the wreck and the sacrifice
of humanity was due to a single brake
rod, a comparatively small piece of iron,
getting out of position. Soon after the
Northern Pacific train left this city
early in the evening, the brake rod
must have broker loose and pounded
along the ties until the switch was
reached, where the fearful accident oc-
Cured. There it collided with the con-
Meeting rod of the switch and cut out
two bolts, with the result that the
switch was turned and the engine gid
ed onto the spur where the wreck oc-
Cured.
Despite these facts. which seem clear
enough, there is still an atmosphere of
mystery surrounding the accident. Two
torpedoes exploded just before the
wreck occurred, and the explosion of a
torpedo means danger ahead. 1t is not
known who placed the torpedoes on the
track, but there was a green light at
the switch, Indicating a clear track.
An examination discovered marks
showing that the cattle-guard east of
where the wreck occurred had been
damaged.
Nlilldlll -. oD!lHolly anu JOHH HIllliil
were the names of the two men who
lost their lives at Blue Bird spur. On
Connolly's person was a card showing
that he was a member in good standing
of the Eagles lodge at Wallace, Idaho,
dues being credited to December 30.
He was well dressed and in his pockets
was some small change. There was
nothing On the other man tending to
his Identification, except a memoranda m
made out to John Griffin by the Copper
City Commercial company on October
80. On that date so cents was charged
against him for tobacco.
Nate Kellum, the engineer, is in a
very serious condition. He was scalded
and burned and one arm is in pretty
bad shape; he was delirious yesterday.
The opinion of DR.. Murray is that it will
be some time before Kellum is able
to return to his work.
Ole Johnson. the fireman, was we'll
enough last evening to go home. He
is badly bruised on the body and his
head is cut, but no bones are broken.
1t is not yet known whether or not
a third man was killed in the wreck.
All day yesterday a gang of workmen
was building a temporary track around
the wreck in order that traffic might
be resumed. Not all the wreckage had
been removed by dark and part Of 1t
remains today. Until all the wreckage
is removed from the track nobody will
know whether or not three men lost
their lives instead Of two.
At Silver Bow yesterday morning a
tramp, who refused to give his name,
admitted to Coroner Brown that he was
riding on the trucks of the baggage
car when the accident occurred. He
was sure there were three men riding
on the trucks with him-the two who
were killed and another, who either
escaped or was killed. The tramp was
directed to be present at the inquest
held yesterday, but failed to respond
when called.
Joseph Boos, who formerly lived here,
but now lives in Missoula, corroborated
the assertion that two torpedoes were
exploded just before the accident oc-
Cured. He said he heard two reports
that sounded like shots, then followed
two whistles by the engineer as a sig
nal to slow down, and lastly the crash,
The car in which Mr.. Boos was sitting
was the second from the rear. 1t kept
on the track for several hundred feet
and stopped just as the front trucn
jumped the track.
Together With several others Mr.. Boos
made an examination of the track and
discovered that the ties ahead of the
train and toward Butte had been dam
aged. He was satisfied that something
must have happened to the track before
the train arrived.
The mystery puzzling the officials il
the identity Of the personor persons who
placed the torpedoes on the track. One
theory adopted is that the torpedoes
were dropped as a warning of danger
ahead by one of the crew on the trail
which passed the spot before the trail
that was wrecked. However, this the
ory would SEEM to be refuted by tn,
fact that a green light was shining a
the switch, an indication that the tract
was clear.
Coroner Brown and the jury visited
the scene Of the wreck yesterday ant
minutely examined the spot and it's sur
~roundinGs. One of the jurymen picked
up two nuts that had held the con
Meeting rod at the switch together.
At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon a.
inquest was held over the remains 0
Connolly and the man who is suppose
to be Griffin, at Richards undertaken,
p~arlors. The time for the inquest hal
been set at 3 o'clock, but a postpone
ment was found to be necessary o.
account of the tardy arrival Of severa
witnesses.
George Fl. Reimers was the first wit
ness. He was conductor of the trail
ard his nome is at Hamilton. He ties
titled that the train left Silver Boy
at exactly 1903 IL p. m. The Blu
Bird spur was reached about Ill:
Conductor Heimers was in the first ca
from the locomotive when the acciden
lonrarod on1 waS cal1ino the nassau
gers for Butte at the time. but did nc
hear the explosion of the t%orpedoe!
; There were three hard jolts n tn
train came to a stop. These jolts wer
; the first he knew Of the accident. H
; rushed out and telegraphed news c
the wreck to the officials of the roat
When he returned the brakemen an
; passengers had removed the wounde
; annineer from the wreck Witness ey