The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-12-06

Says he Ii Not Responsible For
Wreck and Could Prove Claim II
Gf7en 0nportunitY 20 be Heard

Given Opportunity 70 be Heard
Lynchburg. Va, Speelai.-Opera-
tor q. ID. Mottox. who III charged by
officials of the Southern Railway
Company with being responsible for
thursdays wreck, ten miles belos
Lynehburg. when seen Sunday at his
bone. eight miles from here, by III.
representative of the Associated
Press, made the following statemen:
in his own behalf:
1.-The statement Of officials Of the
Southern Railway that | have been
missing since the wreck of Thursday
morning and coDld not be found, al
though detectives Of the company
sere securing the country for me, II
ithout the slightest foundation. l
have been at my boarding place prae-
tieally all of the time since the acei-
dent. This Is the first statement
have been asked TO make about thu
matter and you referring to the re-
porter) are the first person that |
know of that has asked for me.
"On the night preceding the wreck
| attended box party in the neigh
borhood with friends, the day opera
tor working for me until / returned 10
the office about midnight. The night
being chillythe operator, l.. Clemmer,
decided TO remain at the Office until
5 clock. He returned at and re.
Iieved me, suggesting that | 10 home,
because 1t was apparent TO him that
[ had passed through In the previous
fhour. ! did this and remained ri
home the entire day About u o clock
getting my usual midnight lunch )
started for the station to report for
night duty. Reaching the office l
saw a large crowd congregated out
| side and from what | heard Icon
cluded it would be best for me not
| to 90 III the office / learned from the
day operator that another operator
| had been sent TO relieve me and this
is all the notice | have had that my
services were not wanted that night.
After that / returned and slept the
night through.
~ am not to blame for the wreck
and | think | would have no trouble
to substantiate this claim if given the
oppo: tunity to be heard. Operator
Clemmer and student operator were
both in the office and heard the oper-
ator at Lawyers give me clear track
for No. 80 (the train to which Presi-
dent Spencer's ear was attached. y,
This was at 6 o'clock, as the block
sheet in the office will show. If my
recollection serves me right, No. SO
passed Rangoon at 6:06 and | report
ed this to Lawyers. | cannot recall
that the operator there signed for tht
report. but it was his business, to be
there to take the report. | let No
80 in the block because Lawyers CAV.
me the right of way for the train
When No. 81 (Which collided with
the rear of No. 33) left Winners (the
first block station north of Rangoon)
[ began to call for Lawyers. / con.
tinued to call until the train wa:
nearly in sight of my Office and got
Lawyers just as 81 was coming il
sight. He gave me a clear block fol-
No. 81 at 6:12. remember the tim:
very distinctly and the train passed
the block at 6:14. AS No. 81 wa:
passing Rangoon / was talking to the
operator at Lawyers. He wanted Il
know when No. 33 was by me. I tol6
him at the time my sheet shows, bu
| cannot recall the minute.
"Then | asked him, "When b!
you, and he said by" but did no
give me the time. | did not give No
81 clear block until the operator a
Lawyers gave me authority and l ca,
prove this by Operator Clemmer ant
by the student operator, who has beer
studying at the office for the pas
year. When No. 81 had entered tn
block Lawyers told me that No. g.
was by and when l asked him tn
time so [ could record it, he opened
his key and did not reply. No. 3
had gone then.
81 do not feel responsible for TIL
accident and | have been and an
new where the railway detectives o
authorities can find me at any time
l have no desire to get away. bu
would court an investigation to clea
tie matter up