The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-01-04
BLAMES The
ENGINEER
The Coroner's Jury Rendered
Verdict to That Effect
DISOBEYED HIS ORDERS
And Was Running Too Fast. Testimony
of Fireman Wilcox Was Not Taken,
Though Asked For.
DISOBEYED HIS ORDERS

The inquest over the body Of James
Herson, the engineer who was killed
in the wreck of the doctors special
carrying aid to the victims of the Sui
livan tragedy at Jennings on New
Years day, was held in the Office of
the county commissioners Thursday
afternoon. Before taking the evil
dence of the Witnesses who were
able to attend the coroner's jury
lCr, who was in charge of the train,
and took his testimony and then re-
turned to the office. For some I'M
explained reason the testimony of the
fireman, Earl Wilcox, was not taken,
although asked for by one of the
| jurors. AS an excuse for not hearing
his testimony, it was said, that as
he was on his first trip and had no
experience in firing on one of the
big engines, his testimony would add
nothing to what had been secured
1t was lame excuse, but it went, and
the taking of evidence was proceeded
with, Notwithstanding the absence OF
the most material witness.
DR.. Arthur Morrow of this city was
the first witness called, and testified
substantially as follows:
On the morning of New Years day
he had been called up on receipt OF
a message from Jennings stating that
a doctor was needed there. In COM
pany with DR.. Lamb he went to the
| 1nnnf w q
sisting OF one engine and caboose il
readiness to leave. At ten minutes
past seven the train left Kalispell,
and, after passing Sedan and Ma
rion, the speed steadily increased I'M
til they were going at a rate of speed
which he considered decidedly I'M
safe, considering the curves and
grades they passed over. At s
o'clock they had just traversed the
tunnel at Haskell pass, when the en-
CINE went off the track and rolled
over into the ditch. The caboose also
left the rails, but remained on the
ties, and was fully fifty feet beyond
the engine when it came to stop.
Going back to the engine they found
had been torn from the engine and
thrown twenty feet to one side. He
was dead and, from the bruises on
his body, it was thought he died in
stantly.
The fireman had been thrown to the
ground, but had regained his feet
and came toward them. He was suf-
fering from bad scalp wound and
was bruised and scalded. At the
time the accident occurred the train
was travelling at a very high rate OF
, speed, estimated by him to have been
fully As miles an hour. He had no.
ticed that the outer rail of the curve
where the accident occurred was
broken at one point and bent out.
ward. and in being bent had forced
several spikes out of the ties. He
: stated that as the train passed
thro""h the tunnel there was a sharp
burst of speed and the train was go
ing at rapid rate when the acct
dent occurred. The doctor was then
, excused.
DR.. Lamb was the next witness
= and tolu practically the same story
He told of the high rate of speed
they were travelling and declared it
was far too fast for such a crooked
road. He estimated that at the time
} the wreck occurred they were max
, ing fully so miles an hour. After
: passing the tunnel he stated that
the speed was much greater than be
fore. alter caring for the engineer
and fireman he had noticed that the
rails for distance of at least 40 feet
both east and west of where the en-
CINE left the track were twisted AID
bent and that one was broken com
pletely in two. The engineer Was
living on his back in the cab of the
! engine and was dead when found
| DR.. Lamb was then excused.
L Wand der Velden. the injured
5 brakeman, was then called and gave
hts testimony. He said that on the
morning of New Years day he was
braking on special No. TIA, going
west to Jennings, w4.-- James Herson
as engineer. When the train pulled
away from the depot they went
| luS ydIuo anu uOWu W Tic
coal chute at a reckless rate OF
speed and when they stopped at the
chute the conductor told Herson to
not try and go too fast. as he did not
want him to make No. SIS time with
the heavy engine he had. Until the
tunnel at Haskell's pass was reached
the speed was fair. but as the engine
and caboose entered the tunnel the
engineer apparently threw open the
throttle and never shut OFF speed. In
his estimation they were travelling at
about As or so miles an hour, which
was not safe for that heavy engine,
or even a lighter one.
At the curve where the wreck &C.
Cured he had noticed that nine rails
, were kinked and one broken, this
had honn dnno hv Tho