The Oskaloosa herald., 1907-10-31
JUDGE GROSSCUP
(. IN GRAND JURY NET
INDICTED WITH OTHER TROLLEY
ROAD OFFICIALS FOR WRECK.
WARRANTS ARE ISSUED
True Bills Found at Charleston, Ill,
Charge Criminal Negligence
Tending to Produce
Manslaughter.

Chicago, Oct. 30.-Judge Peter g.
Grosscup of the United States circuit
court and Marshall E. Sampsell, one
Of the receivers of the Chicago Union
Traction company, with other mem
bers of the board of directors and OFF,
GERS of the Nation & Charleston In
terurban Railroad company, are de-
PENDANTS In true bills voted at Charles
ton, ILL.,, in connection with the wreck
on the electric railway last August.
The true bills charge criminal negli-
gence tending to produce manslaugh-
ter. Bonds of $4,000 have been fur
nished in each case.
Warrants for the arrest of the de-
PENDANTS on the charges alleged In the
true bills were issued at Charleston.
Judge Grosseup Affected.
Judge Grosscup was deeply affected
by the news he received from Charles
ton and made no effort to conceal his
feelings He said
: "Of course this hurts. To say that
do not care would be untrue. Like any
right-minded man, do care. My
friends, am sure, know that have
tender regard for human life and suf.
fering, and a desire tG deal justly with
all men. In 80 years Of busy life !
have never once been sued, even in
civil action. Beyond this there is moth.
ing that can now be profitably said ex.
cept that the accident at Charleston
was due to no defect In construction
or machinery-was due solely to hu.
man error in carrying out orders--and
that my sole connection with the acct.
dent is the fact that at the time 1t oc.
Cured ! happened to be director of
the company"
The following is list of others who
have been indicted besides Judge
Grosscup. and Mr.. Sampsell:
Charles Bolts, Nation, motorman.
Frederick Moore. Nation, director
and superintendent.
Edgar A. Potter, Chicago and Mat
toon, president.
L. C, Rose, of the Colonial Trust
and Savings bank. Chicago.
A. w. Underwood, of Chicago, secre-
tary.
Penalty Is Prison Term.
The penalty for involuntary man
slaughter in Illinois, in case of convic.
ton, is penitentiary sentence of from
one to fourteen years.
II the indictments are brought to
trial the case promises to be one of
the most bitterly contested actions in
the history of the state
Whether Judge Grosscup will con-
tinue to sit on the bench in the event
of his arrest is question which arose
at the federal building following the
spread Of the news of the action OF
the Coles county grand jury.
That would be matter for Judge
Grosscup to decide for himself" said
one attorney in reference to this ques-
ton. There is no written rule gov.
erning such a case and 1t Is almost
without precedent"
Eighteen Killed In Wreck.
The wreck on the Nation &
Charleston interurban line occurred at
1880 a. m, August 20 Ninety-nine
persons were passengers on an cleo.
trio interurban car going from Mat
toon to Charleston to attend the Coles
county fair at the latter place. When
entering the mouth of deep cut,
about a mile and half from Charles
ton. the loaded passenger car was met
head-on by an interurban express car
speeding in the opposite direction
Eighteen of the passengers were killed
and all of the others were injured,
more or less severely.
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