The Washington herald., 1906-12-05

G. D. Mattox and r. ]. Jacobs,
the Southern Railway operators at
Rangoon and Lawyers, respectively, be
tween whom rests the responsibility
Of the wreck last Thursday morning. ar
rived in Washington late last night and
Will face each other this morning at the
official investigation for the first time
since the accident
Each accompanied by friends and trav-
cling in separate cars. the two made
the journey from Lynchburg to Wash
ington. They were at pains not to meet.
Msttox in previous statements has said
that Jacobs is responsible for the wreck.
Jacobs. on the other hand, claims that it
is all up to Mattox, and the Southern
has officially announced that lie IS solely
% blame
Virginia VIII Investigate.
It was announced yesterday in Rich
mond that the Virginia State corporation
commission is preparing to make an ex-
haustive independent inquiry into the
causes leading up to the wreck officials
OF the road and Operators Mattox and
Jacobs have been summoned to appear.
Fl. G. Ackert, third vice president. has
been called. and will be required 20 bring
the other necessary witnesses with him.
Col Joseph Z. Willard. OF the COM
mission. said yesterday that no date had
been set for the investigation. He added
that it would not result in any criminal
proceedings against any person. or the
railroad company. SO far as the commits
sioners are concerned. An effort viii be
made to arrive at the responsibility Of the
Southern.
Operators Underpaid. II Is said.
In all probability the Investigation viii
disclose that the wages paid operators.
upon whom the company depends 10 di-
rect trains. are rldiculousIy low, ard that
good men cannot be obtained at such
rates.
Tho commission also viii inquire into
the competency of the dlspatchers, and
the number Of hours they are required
20 work In other words. the object is 70
ascertain II the force operated by the
Southern Is so inadequate that such
wrecks are likely to occur any day.
v&nia depot to the Boston Hotel. at so
Pennsylvania avenue. upon his arrival last
night lie retired at once, and refused 10
be seen.
He and his two companions occupied
adjoining rooms. When q reporter called
one of his friends stated that Mattox was
asleep. While the conversation was going
on Mattox awoke and asked who wanted
to see him
When he was Informed that it Was a
reporter. his voice trembled.
I have made my last statement" he
called to the reporter who stood I'm the
hall. The investigation begins to-mor-
row. and 7 don't care TO discuss the mat
ter beforehand
Mattox was TO have left Lynchburg
yesterday morning. but his transportation
did NOT arrive. and he WAS compelled to
wait Until the night train. The pass
was taken TO him by a railroad detective
and he boarded the train at Rangoon, a
special stop being made for him.
He said just before taking the train
that he would make a fun and complete
statement at the hearing without the
slightest reservation. He asserts that
he is in no way TO blame for the wreck
in which President Samuel Spencer lost
his life and that the fault is all with
Operator Jacobs
Mattox claimed that Jacobs permitted
the second train to pass into the block
before the first had cleared. Jacobs SAYS
that Mattox did not report to him that
No. SO had passed on to his block
Trying to Blame FIagman.
At Lynchburg yesterday it was said
that. owing to the twilight, Engineer Nc
Kinney. who was running No. g. did not
see the light of the fiagman from train
No. s. and that the f1agman threw his
lantern at the engine as it passed. At
this instant the emergency brake was
applied, but too late to avoid the col
lision.
It is claimed that the accident occurred
at an hour when it was too light to see
the lantern and too dark to distinguish
the hagman's signal Some railroad men
believe the investigation Will develop that
Mattoxs action made the wreck possible.
and that the fagman was late i'm hurry
ing back TO warn the oncoming train.
Mattox has never been arrested, nor
has any charge been placed against him.
This has been impossible, owing 10 the
laws Of Virginia which do not make
criminal negligence a felony. Otherwise
II is probable that he would have been
taken into custody some time ago
Jacobs Straightforward van.
K. J. Jacobs, the operator at Lawyers.
has been working regularly since the
wreck. This is not true OF Mattox. who
has not been on duty since the morning
Of the disaster.
Jacobs is young looking man, ap-
parently OF about twenty-four years Of
age. He is small in stature and slender
In appearance he is straightforward and
when in conversation has no hesitancv
IN looking person straight in the eve. |
He is not inclined to denounce Mattox q
and would say nothing against him.
Il understood that Mattox was on the
same train tonight. but I did not talk
10 him., Jacobs said last night. Eve
travelled in separate cars. ] was with sev-
eral friends, and Mattox had his com
panions."
Jacobs was not inclined to go into de-
tail concerning the Lawyers wreck.
Thought Track Was Clear.
Il was on duty Thanksgiving morning.
he said. I never received word that train
No. 80 was in the block got the report
from Mattox that train 81 had entered /
When this was reported the thought oc- |
CURED to me: Where is 9Sg Naturally /
CONTINUED on SECOND PAGE