Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-03
WRECK CAUSES DEATH
Railway Engineer and Fire
man Victims Of Accident.
RESULT oF INQUEST
TELEGRAPH OPERATOR AND
FLAGMAN UNDER ARREST.
Rear-End Collision Alleged to Have
Been Due to Neglect Of
Duty.
RESULT 0F INQUES 7

A disastrous railroad wreck, in which two
lives were sacrificed, occurred this morn
ing the tracks of the Philadelphia, Will
mington and Baltimore railroad, near the
south end Of the trestle over the Eastern
branch, between the Pennsylvania avenue
bridge and the Anacostia freight yard. j.
S. Perdue, an engineer, and E. S. Keys a
fireman, were the victims of the disaster.
They lived in Richmond, Va, and were in
the employ Of the Richmond, Alexandria
and Fredericksburg Railroad Company
Edmond r. Rodgers, telegraph operator,
who formerly lived in Orange county, Va,
and Joseph A. Donohoe, a fiagman and ex-
ira conductor, were placed under arrest
Donohoe lives at $50 I street southwest
After hearing the testimony of the wit
nesses the jury summoned by the coroner
returned a verdict holding Edmond E.
Rodgers for the action of the grand Jury
and directing that he be committed to Jail.
The rear end collision which resulted SO
dlsastrously is alleged to have resulted
from the action of the operator in allowing
two trains in the same block when only
one should have been permitted there. He
declined to make a statement of the affair
to Star reporter, but the police report
says he admitted the two trains to enter the
block as stated. 1t was about 2:30 clock
when the accident occurred, and the opera
tor remained at his post until about 5
o'clock He then relieved from duty,
and Policeman Johnson plac ced him in Gus
tody. The operator and fagman- were de-
tanned at the fifth precinct station until this
afternoon, when they were taken to the
sixth precinct station On New Jersey ave-
nue. to be present at the inquest.
Railroad men who were interviewed by
a Star reporter this morning declined to
discuss the affair. A wrecl1ing crew
rea ched the scene shortly after the victims
had bef0 rprpOy11 n in Sho ip,a
had the wrecked engine and damaged cars
in the freight yard ready to be taken to
the company shops to be repaired
A Horrible Scene.
The scene on the river bank at so early
an hour was a horrible one. Big strong
men stood near the tracks totally unable to
render assistance to the imprisoned men,
although they could hear the appeals of
Engineer Perdue, who was dying Fire
man Keys was unable to utter a sound
after the crash came. The escaping steam
hid him from view and while death would
have resulted from the scalding he re-
ceived, he had received a fatal wound A
piece of broken steel had passed through
his groin and inflicted an injury which
evidently caused death in a few minutes.
The steam did not reach the engineer the
wind blowing 1t in an opposite direction. He
was taken from the engine and his res
cuers started with him for Providence Hos
Jersey avenue yard was reached, and his
body was taken to the morgue. The body
of Fireman Keys was pinned beneath the
wreck and 1t was some time before the
Wrecking crew succeeded in releasing it,
The mans body was in frightful condi-
ton. His left hip had been crushed and
serious internal injuries had been inflicted
So much steam had poured against the body
that very little skin was left to cover the
flesh. His body was taken to ]. w. Lees
Undertaking establishment,
Statements Differ.
Yard engine 205 drawing q train of empty
cars entered the block shortly before the
arrival of engine s, which was in charge of
the men who lost their lives. This engine
was backing, and was drawing a caboose.
Engineer Perdue, who was following the
instructions of Conductor ]. T Southwark
was on his way to the Anacostia freight
yard to get a train of empty garbage cars.
Statements of persons who profess to know
what happened differ as to the exact cir
cumstances under which the collision oc-
Cured Some state that the train of empty
freight cars which had reached the trestle
was moving at slow rate of speed, while
others declare it had come to stop. En-
gineer Perdue, who had been given a sig
nal, it is stated, to show that the road
clear, was speeding along, it is understood,
at rate of about twenty miles an hour.
The track where the accident occurred is
straight, and the engineer could have seen
long distance ahead Railroad men eX-
pressed surprise that Engineer Perdue did
not see the team ahead of him in time to
have prevented the accident 1t is evident
that he did not notice the dangerous proX-
unity of the other train in time. He was
one man who was almost certain to get in
jured in event of an accident. Had he re-
allied the danger he would no doubt have
reversed his engine and done everything
else in his power to bring his engine to
stop
AS already stated the collision occurred
near the south end of the trestle. The wa
ter tank bumped against the rear car of
the train ahead, and the crash was quickly
followed by the noise made by the escap-
ing steam. Conductor Southward and two
brakemen were in the caboosef where they
were held prisoners by the escaping steam,
and it was not until the steam had become
almost exhausted thStsthey were able to
leave the car. All this time they feared
explosion would occur and they were thus
between two dangers II they attempted to
leave the caboose Immediately they were
in danger of being scdiaed. and if they re-
mained and an explosion. occurred they
would probably be blown to pieces. They
concluded to remain until one danger had
passed. Under no circumstances could they
have rendered assistance to the men on the
engine.
Coroner -Nevitt was notified, of the acci-
dent, and visited the morgie early this
morning. He also saw the body at Lees
undertaking establishment: After hearing
the statements of the police the coroner
concluded he would hold an inquest at 1
o'clock this afternoon.
The Inquest Opens.
The jury was composed of Walter c. But
Ter, c. H. Wilson. John w Robey. A. H.
Betz Harry c. Sweeney and John Holmes.
Coroner hewitt called Freight rfConductor H.
p. Steves of the A. F. and p. railroad as
the first witness. He said he was near his
train this morning when the rear end was
struck by an engine. Witness said there
were fifty cars 20 his train which was run
ming extra from Maryland avenue and 9th
street. His train stopped about two minutes
before the accident occurred. Witness
started toward the tower when his train
stopped to open switch and railroad
employe remarked TO him that the operator
had let another train In the block. He sug
gested that the other train was on proceed"
order. but the, other. man thought to the
contrary. Witness said THAI his fagman,
]. A. Donohoe went back to signal the APP
preaching train. He reported that he Don-
ohoe) had tagged the estrain and had eai|i
to the engineer. The operator at II. IT,
was the man who told him that the other
train had been let in on him by the operator
at "B. H." Witness sthought Donohoe was
fifteen car lengths Behind the train when
l. @vHv>pN H. %I~,r~ A.