The Washington herald., 1906-12-03

shifting the blame TO r.. j. Jacobs, the
telegraPher at Lawyers. Jacobs last
night refused to reply 10 the charge or
make statement of any kind.
Special to The Washington Herald
Lynchburg, Va. Dec. Operator c. ID.
MattOax, who was in charge of the Ran
COON telegraph Office when the wreck oc-
CURED on the Southern ten miles south of
Lynchburg Thursday morning. was seen
this afternoon for the first time by cor
respondent
He was found in his boarding house, a
small one-story structure, typical rather
OF Georgia than of this section. 1t is in
the foothills Of Sanders Mountains, a few
hundred yards from the main line of the
Southern, although a mile from the tele
graph Office. Mattoax is twenty-five years
Old and is intelligent looking.
He talked freely although carefully, Of
the incidents surrounding the wreck, and
disclairned absolutely any responsibility,
holding that r. J. Jacobs, the night opera
tor at Lawyers. was at fault instead.
MnttOax's Explanation.
"On the night preceding the wreck"
said Mattoax, L went to a party and re-
turned home. and stayed there until the
time TO go TO work. which did. l think
can easily substantiate this fact. OPP
orator Clemmer and a student heard the
operator at Lawyers give me a clear
track for No. 80 (the train to which Pres
ident Spencer's car was attached. This
una Of 90 II. 81.
office will show.
If my recollection serves me right, No
% passed Rangoon at 600, and reported
this to Lawyers. cannot recall that he
signed for the report, but it was his bush
ness to be there to take it, I let No. 80
in the block because Lawyers gave me
the right Of way for the train.
When No. 81 (the train which crashed
into the rear OF No. 80 left Winners, the
first block station north of Rangoon. I
began to call Lawyers. / continued to
call until the train was nearly in sight Of
my office, and got Lawyers just as 81
was coming in sight. Lawyers gave a
clear block for No. q at 6:12. 1 remem-
Der the time very distinctly, and the train
passed at STA
AS No. 81 was passing RaugOOn, I was
wanted 70 know when No q went by
me. 1 told him the time my sheet
showed, but I can not now recall the min
ute. Then I 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 told ne he
was by. 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. q had entered
the block, Lawyers told me that No. %
was by and when / asked him the time,
so I could record Il. he opened his KEY
and did not reply. No. g had gone then.
Il do not feel responsible for the acct
dent, and the railway authorities can find
me at any time I have no desire to get
away, but would court an investigation TO
clear the matter up"
MattOaX says he reported for work on
Thursday afternoon, but found another
operator in his place and he went back
home.
still Thinks MnttOaK to Blame.
General Manager c. H Ackert, of the
Southern Railway Company. was shown
Operator Mattoax's statement last night.
He said
1T IS impossible definitely to place the
responsibility for this regretabIe acct
dent at present, owing to the lack OF
authentic information now in our posses
sion. To the observer, however, It ap-
pears as if the fault lies with Mattoax,
the block operator. in giving the limited
express a signal for a clear track"
Mr.. Ackert refused to say whether the
Southern would take any cOgnizance of
MattOax's claim that the fault lay with
Jacobs, the operator at Lawyers. He in
sisted that no definite action could be
taken or no positive charge made until
after the official investigation. which will
be held in this city on Wednesday At
that inquiry both dispatchers viii be
called upon TO explain.
Il have no information" he declared.
other than that in the possession Of the
public, and consequently do not Ike to
give an opinion until I have heard more
Of the details. The investigation which
begins on Wednesday will be thorough
and complete, and every phase OF the
question Will be carefully considered.
Doubtless many new features will de-
velOp through the statement Of Mr. Mat
tOax. Undoubtedly many Of the facts pre-
viOusly withheld will be brought to light"
Southern Is Not Vindictive.
Mr.. Ackert was evidently affected by
the recent disaster and the funeral of Mr..
Spencer yesterday. He talked nervously
and showed marked agitation. He reiter-
ated several times;
Somebody is TO blame for this awful
accident; somebody is to blame. think
it must be the block operator. We will
find out. and we will do what we can to
get justice. We must find out who is to
blame"
Mr.. AckeTt said that the Southern was
not vindictive, and had no reason for
experimenting the operator excepting a
desire TO know the truth and to fix the
responsibility. He added that the officials
were not seeking the arrest of Mattoax
but wished to find him merely to get
his story and an explanation OF why he
let the express into the block. He did
not think he would be prosecuted, and
said he did not even know whether he
was guilty Of violating the law
No official action was taken by the Of
ficials Of the Southern yesterday At the
Offices it was said that no information
had been received from the company's
representatives at Lawyers. The matter
however. will be taken up to-day
- AELE 1olszL IL