The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-24

Special to The Journal
Enderlin, N. D., Dec. 24.-Coroner T.
G. Patterson of Ransom county and
jury OF three completed an inquest here
last night over the bodies Of nine vic
tins OF the collision between 500 pas
senger train JOG and the engine of
A verdict was returned that the
% W fhe was caused by theipcompetsensy
freight train. The 500 line manage
ment was declared negligent and care
less in employing inexperienced men. i
Sidney D. Adams Of Lisbon, acting
for the states attorney in that Off
CALLS absence, conducted the inquest.
In the absence Of his superior he is
not in a position to say that arrests
will be made, but it is thought in some
quarters they will be authorized. Off
Gals OF the county generally believe
GUS prosecution is warranted. =
All New Men. -.
The evidence Of the railway en-
ployees, conficted in many important
PARTICULARS. It was shown at the out
set Of the inquiry that Moore. the en-
g1neer of the freight engine, had been
In charge of an engine only three
weeks; that Acher, the yardmaster, had
been on duty but three nights and that
James Walsh, the fagman. had not run
on ROAD IN that capacity for only four
weeks, that he had never tagged a
train before and never been told how to
do it.
/ Moore, the engineer, testified that he
was instructed to take flag out to
the curve, which was about a half mile
distant. Yardmaster Acher testified in
the same connections that he instructed
the engineer to take the flag out to the
hill, which was about three: quarters of
mile distant, ard then to send flag
man mile farther up he line.
-. Story of the Flagman. -.
:, James Walsh, the f1agman, testified
that until about three weeks ago. when
had beea me st epify Of the &c., he
clock, ~ he said, "Mr. Archer in.
structed me to take nv lantern and
go about q mile and flag train lO6.
which did, On cross-examination he
said that he took two torpedoes, placed
5he en- on the track and then walked
half mile toward the inc oming train.
Ems making him full mile and a half
from the station. - T.. -,
w hen he. saw the passenger train an
preaching he swung his lantern across
the tracks, but the engineer, he said.
paid no attention to him. He could
not swear that the torpedoes which he
placed upon the track exploded.
His Evidence Disputed.
W. I. Ginther, engineer of passenger
Tram NO. LOG, said he was running at
forty-fve miles an hour outside Of En-.
derlin. He did not see the signal Given
by the f1agman until he had passed
him. He then Immediately but on the
emergency brakes, but otwithstand;n1
was going thirty-ive miles an hour
when the crash came. He swore that
the fagman was not more than ten car
lengths distant from the freight en-
CINE when the collision occurred,
Glnther's fireman gave corroboratino
evidence and John P. Nelson. fireman If
thefreight engine, as we'll as Moore the
engineer, testified that they saw the
f1agman not more than ten car lenoths
ahead Of the freight engine when The
headlight Of the passenger train flashed
upon them. 1'A 1A'''noo
Other witnesses were W. W.~sbaw
the conductor on the passenger train:
George Baxter Of Enderlin, superintend
emit, and several local men whose testi-
mony was taken to prove that the dead
bodies came from the wreck. N