Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1906-12-06
STATEMENT OF oPERAToR.
Says he is Not Responsible For
Wreck. and Could Prove Claipa If
Given Opportunity to be Heard.

WASCn' duu Oouuu fIoVe Clalnn IL
Given Opportunity to be Heard.
Lynchburg, Va, Special.-Opera.
tor q. ID. Mottox, who Is charged by
officials of the Southern Railway
Company with being responsible for
Thursdays wreck, ten miles below
Lynchburg, when seen Sunday at his
home, eight miles from here, by the
representative of the Associated
Press, made the following statement
i'll his own behalf:
1.-The statement of officials OF the
Southern Railway that | have been
missing since the wreck Of Thursday
morning and could not be found, al
though detectives of the company
were securing the country FOR me, is
without the slightest fourdation. l
have been at my boarding place prac-
tically all of the time since the acci-
dent. This is the first statement I
have been asked 10 inakte about tho
matter and you (referring TO the re-
porter) are the first person that |
know of that has asked foi 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 to
the Office about midnight The night
being chilly the operator. l.. Clemmer,
decided 10 remain at the Office until
e o clock. He returned at and lie.
lieved me, suggesting that | go home.
because 1T was apparent t. him that
| had passed through in the previous
hour. | did this and remained at
home the entire day. About 8 o'clock
getting my usual midnight lunch j
started for the station to report for
night duty. Reaching the office |
saw large crowd congregated out
side and from what / heard L coll
cluded ii would be best for me not
to go in the Office i learned from the
day operator that another operate,
bad 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.
II am not to blame for the wreck
and i think / would have no trouble
TO substantiate this claim II given the
opportunity to be heard. Operator
Clemmer and a student operator were
both in the Office and heard the oper-
ator at Lawyers give me a clear track
for No. 33 (the train to which Presi-
dent Spencer's ear was attached.i )
This was at 6 O'Clock, as the block
sheet in the office will show. If my
recollection serves me tight, No. 33
passed Rangoon at 6:06 and l report
ed this to Lawyers. i cannot recall
that the operator there signed Tor the
report, but ii was his business TO be
there to take the report. | let No.
33 Ill the block because Lawyers CAV,
me the fright 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 was
nearly i'll sight of my office and got
Lawyers just as 81 was coming IL.
sight. He gave me clear block for
No. 81 at 6:12. / remember the time
very distinctly and the train passed
the block at Glib. As No. 81 was
passing Rangoon / was talking to the
operator at Lawyers He wanted 10
know when No. 33 was by me. / told
him at the time my sheet shows, but
l cannot recall the minute.
"Then l asked him, "When by
YOU, and he said 'by," but did not
give me the time. did not give No.
81 a clear block until the operator at
Lawyers gave me authority and | can
prove this by Operator Clemmer and
by the student operator, who has been
studying at the Office for the past
year. When No. 81 had entered the
blcck Lawyers told me that No. 33
was by and when | asked him tie
tine so / could record it, he opened
his key and did not reply No. 81
had gone then.
81 do not feel respcssihle for the
accident and / have oeen and am
new where the railway detectives or
authorities can find me at any time
| have no desire to get away, but
would court an investigation to clea'
tNe matter up"
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