The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-10-03
Rear-End Collision Of Two
F'rieghts Near Benning
Trestle Kills Engineer
Perdue and Firemen Keys.
POLICE HOLD TWO MEN
Signal Operator Rogers and Flag
man Donohue Await the Action
Of the Coroner's Jury, Which
Met This Afternoon.

4 rear-end collision betwsen Two
trains, both freights, occurred about
2:S4 o'clock this morning just this side
OF the Benniag trestIe, resulting in the
killing Of Engineer John s. PeTdue ani
Fireman Edward 5. Keys, both natives
p Richmond Va. Keys met a horrible
death by being scaIded by the hot water
from the tank OF his locomotive. while
his partner, Engineer Perdue. was bad
" crushed and died few minutes after
being taken from the wreck
Both bodies are Al the morgue. The
police are endeavoring to find relatives
OF the dead men
Edmund r Rodgers twenty ave years
OF age, the operator IN charge OF the
signal tower, living in Orange county.
Va, and Flagman Joseph a. Donohue.
thirty-1ve years Of age. living al S35 ]
Street southwest. are both in police
custody, having been arrested q few
minutes after the wreck occurred By thu
Fifth precinct officers.
They are held 10 await the action Of
Coroner Nevitt's inquest. which was
begun in the Sixth precinct police sta
ton at 1870 O'Clock this afternoon Bo,h
men refuse emphaticalIy to discuss the
sad affair Rodgers is very much ex-
cited and nervous over the accident. and
it is feared viii collapse
The Pennsylvania Railroad officials
are themselves making a rigid inyesti-
CATION into the wreck with a view 10
placing the responsibility.
Shortly after o'clock this morning
switch engine 2o5 of the Philadelphia.
Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad was
allowed by Operator Rodgers to pass
into the block on the Benning trestIe
with string OF -'empties, or al least
that is what is asserted by the police
and the railroad officials. The train
was bound for the Anacostia freight
yards. where It was intended 10 drop
the empty cars
Trains on Same Track.
few minutes afterward. it is as
serted. engine No Of the Richmond.
Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
Company. in charge OF Engineer Perdue !
and Fireman Keys was also allowed
TO pass into the block
The last train was going al q rapid
rate Of speed and was also bound for
the Anacostia freight yards. Seeing q !
white light shining Engineer Perdue Of (
the nI-fated train pulled his Urottle
open and let it bowl along rapidly, little
dreaming that there was a train ahead
Then came the crash.
Train Crews Jumped.
Realizing the danger, The crew OF the
train in front jumped. as did the crew Of
the last train, with the exception Of En-
gineer Perdue and his unfortunate fire.
man. Keys. They were both buried in
the other trai1men.
Engineer Perdue was unconscious and /
horribly mutilated. though stiI alive |
The wrecking train from the Jersey 4
yards had arrived IN the meantime. and /
The dying man was placed aboard ani 4
brought into the city, where an ambu- /
lance uet the train and started with |
the engineer 10 Providence Hospital He /
was past medical aid. however. and /
breathed his last before the institution
was reached. The body was then re-
moved 70 the mcrgue. The body OF the
dead fireman was discovered horribly
scaIded under the engine boiler. He was
also conveyed 10 the morgue.
Tracks Soon Cleared.
Operations were begun TO clear the
track OF the debris Of the wreck. and By
sun-up this morning every vestige Of the
wreck had been removed Traffic on the
road vas delayed but little
The Fifth precinct was notified of the
wreck few minutes after it had oc-
cured, and soon had its reserve force
On the scene. Acting under orders from
Lieutenant McCathran. Policeman 3. 2.
johnson placed Operator Rodgers. in
the signal tower. under arrest after he
had been relieved by another employe q
the company Flagman Donohue. who
was aboard the first train. was also
taken into custody, il being his duty to
protect the rear OF his train. Both
men were taken TO the stationhouse
where they spent the remainder Of tho
night
Rodgers, the operator. mas been IN
efficient employe OF the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad Company for some years. Don-I
ohue the other man IL custody. is mar
Tied and resides with his family in This
city.
This is the first wreck thar has oc-
carred on that branch OF the PennsyI-
vsnia system for years.