Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-05
BLAMED FOR WRECK
Motorman Said to Be Respon-
SibIe for Illinois Disaster.
FAILED TO OBEY ORDERS
He and Conductor of the Local Are
Placed Under Arrest.
THIRTY-SIX IN DEATH LIST
Collision Occurred at Bottom of Ra
vine, With Trains Going Forty
Miles an Hour.

STACNTON, ILL.,. October 5.-With the
inquest over the bodies Of the Illinois
traction wreck victims at Carlinville
under the direction of Coroner Doris
Karnes of Macoupin county. and the pre-
limnary investigation by the railroad and
warehouse commissioners here today. the
responsibility for the disaster which cost
thirty-six lives and injured thirty-one
others at Dickerson curve two miles and
half north of here, yesterday after
noon, may be fixed.
That Motorman John Herman of local
No. IA, northbound, ran wild despite
orders to meet limited second section of
No. 73. southbound, at Wall, Is the charge
made.
'Motorman John Herman of the north
bound car admits he alone Is responsible
for the wreck yesterday said II. +
Chubbuck, vice president and general
manager Of the Illinois traction system.
who investigated the wreck.
Herman was noted for his careful
ness, and there seems to be no reason
for his fatal Observation-Disclosures by over
running a meeting point at Wallis Siding.
Train Orders Clear.
Both train orders are absolutely clear
to the minutest detail, showing the dis
patching to be 1awless. AS far as l can
find out Herman had no trouble on his
mind
"Motorman Herman and Conductor
Leonard are responsible for the collision
said c. F. Handsley. general superin-
tendent of the system. They received
orders to meet the second section Of No.
73 at Wallis Siding. They failed to obey
orders"
Herman and Conductor Leonard, in
charge of train No. IA. were arrested this
morning and held for the coroner's in
quest.
Both men were arrested by Deputy
Sheriff Valentine and Policeman Stiff Of
the Staunton force. Each man was at
his home. Herman was found In his
little sitting room with his wife and chill
dren, all crying piteously
For Gods sake. how many were
killed." said the motorrnan. addressing
the deputy sheriff. as he was arrested.
Herman made no effort to escape the
officers and offered no resistance when
asked to accompany them.
Conductor Leonard also went with the
officers without trouble. He had suffered
severe scalp wound. and had been
treated by a local physician and taken
to his home.
He, as we'll as Herman. was In pitt
able state of mind The men we're not
placed in Jail, but were taken to house,
where, guarded by an officer, they were
held until taken to Carlinville later this
morning.
The task Of removing the debris con-
sumed the greater part of the night and
it is expected that traffic will be resumed
today.
death were w. w. Street. superintendent
Of the St. Louis s-Springfield division of the
company; John E. Berry, land commis-
sfoner. and D. E. Black, master mechanic
of the system.
Identified by Ring.
One of the dead women was identi-
fed today as Mrs. F. W.. Reed, Peoria.
Ill A ring with "F. w. r." engraved
on it was on one of her fingers.
Members of the state railroad and
warehouse commission, who took i'm
mediate cogniZance of the calamity on
telegraphic advices. are expected to ar
rive here today, when an investigatio
into the cause Of the disaster will be
commenced.
1t is said that on the reading of a
few words scrawled on q bit of flimsy
tissue, three inches wide and flve inches
long, depends the responsibility for the
wreck. That bit of paper is being jeal-
ously guarded in the dispatcher's Office
here. A duplicate of the order was
taken from Conductor Leonhard.
Dickerson curve is at the bottom of a
ravine and just at the edge of a cut, and
the track winds sharply to the right.
Both trains were going at a speed esti-
mated at nearly forty miles an hour. So
short was the warning that the trainmen
hardly had time to escape, and as the
crash came there was no opportunity to
reduce speed. The local literally tele-
scoped the limited, and the impact drove
both cars down the track nearly hum
dred feet and piled them in a mass of
wreckage, beneath which the dead and
injured passengers were pinioned OF
the passengers In the southbound car not
one escaped uninjured and very few In
the other car.
Both Motormen Jump.
Both motormen jumped as the crash
! impended, Herman from the local and
Young from the limited. Conductor Dun
can. on duty on the limited. was seriously
injured.
The dead were taken to Carlinville and
the injured to Granite City.
A gruesome sight met the relief workers
when they arrived at the curve. Many Of
the bodies were so mangled as to be un-
recognizable The few who escaped with
out injury heroically went to the rescue
beneath the wreckage
General Manager Chubbuck arrived at
the scene of the disaster three hours after
it occurred and took charge of the relief
work. He and his assistants were greatly
aided by the farmers of the vicinity, who
brought mattresses and blankets in their
wagons and assisted in caring for the
living and in removing the dead.