The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-27
CONEY SAYS HALT
Proposes to Make Someone at
LeavenWorth Smart.
Old Soldiers Killed by Neglect
Of Railways.
ASKS FOR A WARRANT.
Wants Trainmen Arrested for
Death of David Geary.
Fifteen Veterans Killed in Past
Two Months.
ASKS FOR A WARRANT.

within the past two months, Is old
soldiers, inmates of the Soldiers home
at Leavenworth, have been run over
and killed by the cars. This sort of
thing has been allowed to go entirely
too far, and criminal prosecutions
should be commenced at once aginst
the trainmen guilty of such careless
ness
This statement, made by Depart
ment Commander P. H. Coney of the
Kansas G. A. r.. shows that there is
likely to be trouble between the de-
partment officers and the officials of
Leavenworth county.
Commander Coney wrote a letter
some days ago to Lee Bond, county
attorney of Leavenworth county, offer
ing to swear to a complaint against
Conductor Wilson and Engineer Clark
of the Missouri Pacific. who were in
charge of the train which killed David
Geary on Sept. IA.
Mr.. Bond replied promptly to the
letter. but did not indicate any great
amount of enthusiasm in regard to a
prosecution of railway trainmen. He
intimated strongly that it would do no
good.
This gross carelessness on the part
of train crews" says Col. Coney
must be stopped. If no one else is
willing to take action in the matter, l
believe it is my duty, as department
commander, to start some action
offered to have some one swear to a
complaint against the killers of Geary,
but Mr.. Bond seems mot at all dis
posed to afford that opportunity. If
the facts are stated in the press dis
patches, the killing of Geary by the
Missouri Pacific train was most in
human. It seems that the old man
moi f11a in mn uf.17f 7fF1cr
from behind, and no effort was made
to slow up or stop, though the en-
gineer seems to have seen him all the
time. 1 don't know just what the
next move Will be, but have decided
to make public my correspondence
with Mr.. Bond so that the public may
judge what sort of justice the old SOL
der is receiving in this case
The letter written by Col. Coney to
Mr.. Bond was dated Sept. 19, and is
as foilows.
II cut the enclosed out of a daily pa
per of the 18th inst. If this account
be true the conductor and engineer on
the Missouri Pacific train No 10S, are
guilty of murder, and they should be
prosecuted to the fullest extent for the
crime they committed. 1t is primd facia
from this statement that they deliber-
ately killed this veteran, David Geary,
and that they knew they were going to
kill him, or would kill him if they ran
onto him, which they could have avoid
ed if they wanted to.
"If they are correctly reported, this
is true and if true, they are guilty of
murder in the first degree. or at least
in the second degree. They deliberately
ran upon him and killed him, when they
knew they could have prevented 1t, but
they chose to kill him, and did so.
Therefore they are designedly guilty of
killing this veteran, and they should be
made an example of according to law.
If they are excused from this, then
any automobile driver or vehicle con-
ductor can run down and kill any per-
son that stands in his road, and do it
with impunity and immunity. This of
course they are not legally permitted to
do, and are amenable for any offense
they commit. As commander of the
department of Kansas Grand Army of
the Republic, I demand an investigation
of this matter according to law. There
should have been a coronerS inquest,
and the true facts brought to your Off
ciaI knowledge, and you should take
legal action accordingly. But now, /
bring the matter officially before you
and request an investigation, and If the
facts are as stated in this article, then
let these men be indicted and prOSecul-
ed to the full extent. of law, and if nee
esslry / will sign a. complaint, or have
some member os the Grand Army in
I.eayenworth county who has official
authority. to do SO.
.sIt is high time that a stop be put to
killing tESSe ola heroes VINO nave given
the best efforts Of their life for the
preservation of the government, and
the creation OF the present happy and
prosperous condition of affairs. If the
law Officers will not take official noflce
of such murderous conduct, that is kill
Some way to compel the officers to per-
form their duty. A stop should be put
to it, and q stop must and shall be put
to it. and the violaters os law brought
to bay and justice.
81 hope that it will not be necessary
to take any further action on my part,
in order to see that this is done, having
full confidence in yourself and your
ability, az well as your patriotism, to
execute the laws as they should be exc
cutad in such cases. I am, yours re-
p. H. coNEY,
Commander of Department of Kansas
G. A r"
In reply to Captain Coney's letter,
County Attorney Bond wrote. as fol-
lows:
yours of recent date concerning
the death of David Geary, which was
caused by his being run over by a.
Missouri Pacific train, was received
during my absence from the city, and
in reply will say that there was an IN
quest held by the coroner, and after a
thorough investigation, the jury re-
turned a verdict placing the blame on
no one, except the deceased.
'sI appreciate the spirit in which
your letter was written. and assure
you that If there is anything criminal
on behalf of any of the employees of the
railroads, who are responsible for the
death of any of these old soldiers, I
would be very glad to issue a warrant
for their arrest, the same as any other
offender. There have been a great
many death of inmates of the Soldiers
home, caused by the steam and electric
| cars but have never known a civil
suit to be successfully prosecuted.
based on any cause of action arising
from the negligence of the employees,
and of course. the evidence in q, GRIM