Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-22
Peculiar Oversight On Part of
Train Crew Caused Illinois
Central Wreck
coRoNER's JURY MAKES REPORT
Engineer, Conductor, Fireman and
Brakeman Seem to Have Forgotten
for a Short Time Existence of the
First Section of the II-Fated Train
The Coroners Verdict.
Special to mes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Waterloo, June 22.-The coroners
Jury which investigated the wreck on
the Illinois Central a Raymond. where
eleven persons were killed Friday NOR
ming. found that the cause of the wreck
of the freight train No. 81. Trainmaster
Bechley. of Dubuque. and Conductor
Judd, the last named having been on
the Inflated freight. We're present and
testified.
Trainmaster Bechley produced the
order under which train No. 81 was
running at the time of the accident
and it cores ponded with the one that
was in the possession of the Waterloo
office. 1t read as follows
Second No ., engine unknown, will
run one Cd hour and thirty (3C) min
utes later Waterloo 10 Manchester.
The train order under which 81
was running said Mr.. Bechley was
in plain form and well written. and af-
ter the pattern adopted by the Amer
lean Trainsmen's Association. The
whole trouble arose from the fact that
Conductor Judd and Engineer Stone
man overlooked the first section of No.
against v0iich they had no time.
These two men, up to this time. had
good records as railroad men. In fact
no one had any better. but they seem
ed to have entirely overlooked or for
gotten that there was first section of
No. =. This train runs in two sections
when the north train is an hour or
more late. We very much like to de-
liver people to their destinations on
time, when they are given to us on
time, hence we dare not wait long for
the north train
He then stated what is the require
ments of the road. He said:
''Enginemen are required to show all
train orders to the firemen, have them
read same, and they are supposed to
remember them and call the attention
of the engineer to the slightest viola
tion. This is likewise true of the con-
auctor, who shows the hind brakeman
the order. with similar instructions.
Thus it is that there is joint respon-
kibility between the engineman and
fireman, and also the conductor and
brakeman.
There is supposed to be thorough
understanding between these four men
as to what each order means. The
company throws every possible safe
guard around the handling of the
trains"
What would have been the result"
asked one OF the coroner's jury. IF the
engineer had placed the right construc-
ton on the order and then the con-
ductor had signalled him to go?'
ut would have been his duty not to
move. Death and death only. stares the
man in the face who dares to disobey
a train order"
With this the jury was dismissed
and after the passing of less than an
hour the following was given as the
verdict:
The Verdict.
State of Iowa, Black Hawk County.
At an inquistion holden at Water
loo, in Black Hawk county, on the 18th
and goth days of June, A. d. 1908, be-
fore ]. H. Kuhns, justice of the peace.
acting coroner of said county, upon the
bodies Of John r. Griffin, d. j. Bantz,
Fred J. Stoneman. Irwin D. Mills, Err
win r. Stickney. William III. Ricketts,.
Frank Klein and three persons IN |
known, there lying dead, by the jur-
ors whose names are hereto subscribed.
The said jurors upon their oath do
say said persons came to their deaths
on the 18th day of June, A. d. 1908,
at about O'Clock a. m, on the Illinois
Central railroad. about six miles east
of the city of Waterloo, on account of
passenger train No. 2. going east and
freight train %. 81 going west on said
railroad, coliding at said place, which
caused their death
The said jurors further say that said
collision occurred because the conduc
tor, engineer brakeman and fireman
on said freight train No 81, mistakenly
misread the order they had received for
the moving and handling OF said train.
F. l.. M'CUNE.
A. S. THOMPSON,
c. w. COTTON,
Jury.