Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-05
INQUIRY UNDER WAY
Investigation of Recent Acct
dent on Southern Railway.
HEARING AT LOCAL OFFICE
Operator Mattox, Charged With Neg
ligence, in Attendance.
HE DECLARES HIS INNOCENCE
Col. Andrews to Act as President of
Company Until Successor
is Named.
HEARING AT LOCAL OFFICE
HE DECLARES HIS INNOCENCE

noon at the offices of the Southern Railway
Company in this city to determine Off
cially the cause of the wreck last Thurs
day, in which President Spencer and seven
others lost their lives. Operator G I.
Mattox, who has been held responsible for
the disaster, was present, as was Operator
Jacobs who is stationed at Lawyers. Va.
and both testified.
The hearing began at II o'clock before
Mr.. c. H. Ackert, fourth vice president Of
the company and general manager of the
road and Mr. E. H. Coapman, general SUI
perintendent of the northern district of the
Southern railway. The investigation was
held behind closed doors, in the office of
the fourth vice president and all the tes-
timony was recorded stenographically. All
the employees of the railway who had any
thing to do with the handling of the two
trains that were In the collision are here
and will give their testimony.
Operator MattoX asserts he did not let
train No. 81 into the block until he had
been given a clear track by the operator at
Lawyers, the next signal tower beyond.
Operator Jacobs of Lawyers denies state
ments of MattoX. and declares that he
ceived no report of the movements Of train
No. 33, which was struck by the Atlanta
express.
Col A. B. Andrews. first vice president.
will act as president of the Southern until
successor to the late President Spencer if
elected.
The hearing was still in progress at late
hour this afternoon and officials of the
Southern say the findings will not be given
out until tomorrow.
Telegraphers Here as Witnesses.
The two young telegraph operators G. d.
Mattox. who was stationed at Rangoon
and r. ]. Jacobs. whose post of duty was
at Lawyers, came to this city last night
over the Southern railway. Although the
men Travelled on the same train there was
no Communication between them and they
Cid not meet face to face untfl they appear
ed before the investigating commission fo-
day. Each man was accompanied by friends.
This keeping apart was no doubt due to
the fact that in their former statements
each had accused the other of being re-
sponsible for the wreck with its fearful
consequences
Mattox went directly from the depot to
a boarding place at GO Pennsylvania ave-
nue. last night, and soon thereafter retired,
declining to be interviewed. Just before TAX
ing the train for Washington yesterday he
Is reported to have said he would make
full and complete statement at the hearing,
without the slightest reservation. He as
serts that he is in no way to blame for
the wreck in which President Samuel Spen-
Ger 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.
Failed to See Signal.
The statement was made at Lynchburg
yesterday, it is reported, that owing to the
twilight Engineer Mckinney, who was run
ming No. 81 did not see the light of the
fagman from train No 80. and that the flag
man 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 1t was too light to see the
lantern and too dark to distinguish the
fagman's signal Some railroad men be-
ieve the investigation will develop that
Mattox's action made the wreck possible,
and that the fiagman was late in hurrying
back to warn the oncoming train.
Mattox has never been arrested, nor has
any charge been placed against him. This
has been impossible, owing to the laws Of
' ,rginia, which do not make criminal negli-
gence a felony. Otherwise it is probab BILE
that he would have been taken into custody
some time ago.
The operator at Lawyers. R. ]. Jacobs.
age, and has remained at his key since the
wreck, while 1t Is said Mattox has not
been on duty since Thanksgiving day, when
the disaster occurred. Jacobs did not de-
nounce Mattox, but is reported to have
said:
IT was on duty Thanksgiving morning
he said. I never received word that train
No. 33 was in the block. 1 got the report
from Mattox that train 81 had entered.
When this was reported the thought &C.
Cured to me: Where is 1872 Naturally 1
thought No. SO had been set out some place
and that No. 81 had been run around her.
"Then 1 heard OF the wreck. That was
the first 1 knew that No. 80 was in the
block. 1 never received word that the
train having President Spencers car at
tached CNo: 49, had entered my block, and
as 1t was the duty of Mattox to notify me
when she passed him. 1t is plain that am
in no way to blame"
Independent Inquiry.
A report has been received from Rich
mand to the effect that the Virginia state
corporation commission is preparing to
make an exhaustive Independent inquiry
into the causes leading up to the wreck
Officials Of the road and Operators Mattox
and Jacobs have been summoned to an
pear. H. c. Ackert. third vice president.
has been called, and will be required to
bring the other necessary witnesses with
him.
Col. Joseph E. Willard of the commits
sion said yesterday that no date had been
set for the investigation. He added that
it would not result in any criminal pro-
ceedingS against any person, or the rail-
road company, so far as the commissioners
are concerned. An effort will be made to
arrive at the responsibility Of the Southern.
PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS