The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-01-30
THE DEAD

1~ UCSON, Ariz., Jan. 29.-The hor-
~ ror Of the Southern Pacific dis
aster near this city yesterday
~ morning is growing addi-
III tional bodies are being uncov-
cred in clearing up the wreck
age. The dead are being slowly identified.
The total list of the dead now appears to
number almost forty. The officials here
are doing their best to conceal the awful
ness of the disaster, which appears to
have been due to the negligence of Night
Operator Clough of Walls Station.
Clough could not be found. this afternoon
by the officers when wanted to testify be-
fore the Coroners jury. The Call cor
respondent recognized ban in the tele-
graph Office here to-Eight and confronted
him with the charge that he had wiilfuIty
concealed himself from the officers.
Clough did not. deny this charge He re-
fused to make any statement. however,
and appeared to be very nervous
After the investigation held by the com
pany, at which he testified this morning.
Clough disappeared and it was reported
that he had left on the afternoon train for
Nogales to cross the line into Mexico.
where he would be safe from the charge
of manslaughter, which seems to hang
over his head.
CONDUCTOR IS RETICENT.
George Parker, the conductor on the
Limited, on whom Clough yesterday at
tempted to place the blame for the wreck,
testified before the Coroner's jury here to-
day, and although he was very reticent
and gave but little information. il is GEN
orally believed that he is innocent of anv
neglect and that he did not receive the
order which would have prevented the
awful disaster. Parker seems to be la
boring under mental strain: and accord
ing to his statement to the Jury he re-
ceived and receipted for only one order Al
Walls. This order instructed him to mass
a local freight at Wilmot Having re-
ceived no order to the contrary he SIM
posed that No. s had not yet reached Tue
son.
a great deal of trouble and unneces-
sary work has been caused by the fact
that two Coroners here are disputing the
right to hold lnquests over the bodies of
the dead. Both are Justices of the Peace
and under the law of Arizona are ex-
officio Coroners. One of these. Justice
the wreck as soon as it was reported to
him. This deputy caught the work train
and arrived on the spot few minutes
before the other Justice of the Peace, o.
T. Richey, who had missed the train and
had chartered an automobile to take him
to the scene. Richey wanted to be up
to-date, but Culvers deputy arrived ahead
of him. Both men summoned juries to
view the wreck and the charred bodies
and adjourned to meet in Tucson
RECEIVED ONLY ONE ORDER.
The general public here far from an
proving the dispute or taking sides. have
united against the disgrace. and public
sentiment seems to demand that the fight
ing Coroners patch up their difficulties
and that they unite on one inquest II
is the consensus of opinion. that thew
should abide by the decision of the Dis
trict Attorney. Both juries went to the
Morgue this morning to view the remains
of the dead. Judge Culver's jury began
their inquest at l o'clock this afternoon.
while the other inquest was postponed
until tomorrow morning. Most of the
principals in the wreck testified at the
inquest this afternoon, except Night One
rator Clough.
Conductor Parker in his testimony
stated that he received only one orde-y
from Operator Clough at Walls, which in
structed him to meet local freight at
Wilmot. small station just out of Tue
son. He stated positively that he re-
ceived no order to meet No. 8, and. know
ing that 1t was late, he supposed that he
was to meet il at Tucson.
Charles F. Gray, the night operator at
Tucson, testified that at II minutes past 3
he sent the following order to Parker.
through Operator Clough at Walls: "or
der No. 6. First No. z and No. will
meet at Esmond." At 2:40 a. m. Clough
wired to Tucson Parker's receipt for this
order and the one instructng him to pass
a freiSht at wilmot, which order had
been sent few minutes later than the
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