The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-30
Testimony Of Conductor Parker, of
the Sunset Limited, One Of the ILL
Fated Southern Pacific Trains.
OPERATOR CLOUGH BLAMED
CONDUCTOR PARKER, HOWEVER,
MAY BE RESPONSIBLE.
Death of the Engineer Who Was
Charged with Causing the Disaster
at -GraceIand, n. j.

TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. "a revised list
of the killed and injured in collision be-
tween the Sunset Limited, west-bound, and
the Crescent City express on the Southern
Pacific Railroad yesterday near Walls places
the number of dead at twenty-three, Of
which six have been identified. The in
jured number twenty-one. A box full of
mutilated and charred bodies was taken
from the morgue to-day and buried in the
Tucson Cemetery. Information from the
scene of the wreck says that there are
that 1t is impossible to give accurate
statement as to the number of persons who
lost their lives.
Bodies Recovered
JOHN w. BRUCE. engineer. Tucson.
r. WILKIE, engineer. Tucson.
GEORGE MGRATH. fireman, Tucson.
]. NJ HILTON, Cambridge. Mass.
j. E. CASSIDY, Volunteer, Tex.
8. S. ELDER, Jr, Bisbee, A. T.
CHILD, about six years of age, unidenti-
fed.
Four negro porters.
Twelve unidentified bodies of adults.
injured
B. SAWYER. mail clerk.
B. BRADFORD.
f. DONAHUE.
w. +. GILBERT. fireman.
A. SILVERTON.
H. w. BOHME, baggagemaster.
Il. s. CLIDDINGs. Cambridge. Mass.
r. PAsQUERO.
G. s. WALKER.
r. B. THOMPSON. Oakwell, Mo.
d. MEYER, Springfield, o.
b. HATTICH.
T. j. LILLARD, Elkin, N. c.
]. d. JONES. Danville. Va.
o. r. BRENER, Dawson. Utah.
]. f. HARMON. Caribou. Me.
l.. GRIGGS, New Brunswick, N. ].
NJ NJ. ANNIS, Detroit, Mich.
MISS NJ. MARCH. Litchfeld. MINI.
A ROLLENI, Morenci, A. T.
MRS. ACOSTA.
None of these persons received severe
wounds Most of them were bruised or cut.
CORONER'S INQUEST.
The taking of evidence by a coroner S
jury began late to-day Conductor Parker.
of the Sunset Limited, was the first wit
ness. He said he stopped at Walls Station,
and was given order by Operator Clough
not receive any order relative to meeting
the east-bound passenger train. THE col
lision occurred while we were running forty
miles an hour" said Conductor Parker.
"We were rounding a curve near Esmond
when the shock came. 1 was thrown to
the floor of the car in which 1 was sitting.
l got out at once and went forward. /
found the locomotives wrecked. The
coaches of the express were on fire. The
other train was clear of the flames. Bruce,
my engineer was dead. L have been a con-
ductor for thirty years, but this was the
worst wreck l have ever seen. L had the
right of way and was carrying out my
orders.
Operator Clough. who had been sum-
moned before the jury, die not appear. and
officers were sent out to look for him. In
the meantime the jury adjourned until to-
morrow morning. Ii Is said Tonight that
Clough has been found and that he will
testify tomorrow.
Superintendent Stoufe says the testimony
will be pushed forward and that the blame
will be fixed quickly as possible. He
says that Ii now seems the responsibility
rests on a question of veracity between
Conductor Parker and Operator Clough.
Clough says in a conversation to-day that
Parker came into his office at Walls and
took one order and read 1t. took his copies
and went out AS he was leaving, Clough
says he called out: Parker, you have left
one of your orders on the counter
Parker paid no attention, says Clough,
but got on the train and the train pro-
ceeded Some doubt is cast on this state
ment. for the reason that Clough had time
TO stop Parker and insist on the Importance
of the order he asserts the conductor left
behind. Besides. Ii is said. Parlsers sigma
of the order on file in Walls Station. as
would have been the case had the conduc-
tor accepted IL.
CONFLICT OF AUTHORITY.
There is conflict between two coroners
as to jurisdiction in the case Of the wreck
which is likely TO delay the investigation
One coroner had deputy on the ground
who took possession OF the bodies of the
victims. The other coroner arrived after
the bodies had been put on the train and
were on the way TO Tucson. Both have
summoned witnesses to appear in the
courts.
A key ring was found this morning on q
body brought from the wreck last night
with the wording u. l.. Martin. passenger
agent c. p" The body OF a child wa.
discovered among a mass of bones and
flesh that had been dumped into a rough
board box at the wreck yesterday anC
brought TO the morgue. s.. s. Elder, o
Bisbee. A T., arrived this morning anc
identified his son as one of the victim.
in the morgue. On one of the bodies tha
was examined to-day brass button wa.
found clinging to burnt piece of coat will
the words IN G. W." The conductor o.
| the east-bound train says there was n,
one on his train up to the time of arrivin.
at Tucson that had a uniform on.
The wreck was burning all last night
and this morning the smoke could be seer
from this city. sixteen miles distant. Fou
colored porters on the Crescent City ex
press lost their lives In the wreck
That all the bodies have not been take,
% n
/ the odor OF burning flesh which come,
| from the wreck, and especially at tn
point where the smoking car of the Cres
| cent City was telescoped. Scores of mes
| sages are arriving from ali parts of tn
| country making inquiries as to the peopl
L pafx h., ,frsxx -