Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-15
Ex-FIRE CHIEF JONES is DEAD
Engineer Held BIamabIe by tn
C~OrOner,e Jury.

Engineer Held BIRmabIe by the
Jury.
Robert w. Jones, former chief of the
Council Bluffs fire department who was
caught and crushed between two freight
cars while making a coupling Friday night
in the local yards of the Rock Island Rail
road company, where he had been employed
as a switchmans since last January, died at
an early hour yesterdy morning in Mercy
hospital where he was taken after the
accident.
At the inquest held yesterday afternoon
by Coroner Treynor, the jury, composed
of H. G. MCGEE, Divide Wen and Frank
Compton, brought in the following YER
dict;
That r. w. Jones came to his death
while in the discharge of his duty as a
s~witchman in the yards of the Rock Is
land Railroad company in Council Bluffs,
and we believe the engineer, d. c. Keasey
who had charge of the engine at the time
OF the accident was negligent and recon-
mend that the coroner hold said Keasey
for further investigation.
In accordance with the recommendation
Of the jury Coroner Treynor issued a war
rant for Engineer Keasey and he was
taken into custody by Constable Baker Of
Justice Cooper's court. Keasey's prelimi-
nary hearing was set for Tuesday morning
by Justice Cooper and in the meantime he
is at liberty on a $1,000 bono with State
Senator C. G. Saunders, local attorney for
the Rock Island railroad as surety.
The only witnesses examined at the
inquest were the members of the switching
crew. They were James Jensen, fireman;
ID. C. Keasey, engineer; C. A. Shultz,
switchman and w. ]. Taylor, engine fore
man.
The testimony OF these four witnesses
was conflicting and there was a dispute
as to whether Engineer Keasey was given
a signal to back the car which resulted IN
the fatal accident to Jones, as he claimed
he was.
Jones was a member OF the fire depart
ment for several years and IN 1906 was APP
pointed by the city council chief OF the
department. In 1907 on the appointment of
the Fire and Police commission under the
new law Jones was dismissed from the pos
ition Of chief after charges had been filed
against him. Jones and his friends as
cribed his dismissal to politics and Jones
instituted quo warranto proceedings to
test the right Of the commission to dis
place him. In the district court the de-
cision was adverse to Jones who appealed
to the supreme court where the case is
now pending.
Jones was an athlete, who always kept
in perfect training. He and his brother,
II. l.. Jones, who was also a former mem
Der of the fire department, were well
known for their horizontal bar and
trapeze performances. They exhibited
under the name OF Herbert brothers and
for a number Of years worked through
Iowa, Nebraska and neighboring states.
He was SO years of age and leaves, be-
sides his wife, four brothers, Henry
Jones of Rockwell City, Ia; Edward
Jones of Anthem, Ia; Charles Jones and
II. L. Jones of this city and one sister,
Miss Cora Jones OF Omaha He was a
member OF the Fraternal Order OF Eagles,
the knights of Pythias. the knights OF
the Maccabees and the Woodmen of the
World.
The funeral will be held Monday after
noon at 4 o'clock from the residence, S2s
Scott street. The services at the house
viii be conducted by Rev. +. A. Case
pastor of the First Baptist church. while
the Eagles Will have charge of the serv'
ices at the cemetery.