The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-10
BERKELEY MANS DEATH
INCREASES FATAL TOLL
w. B. Burton Succumbs to
Crushed Chest After Endur-
ing Hours of Agony
EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD BOY
MAY BE AMONG DEAD

TWELVE dead. one missing and
eleven injured is the toll paid
in the wreck on the Northwest
ern Pacific railroad near Ignacio Mon
day night, when, through the negli-
gence of Conductor George FIaherty, a
work train crashed into the Santa
Rosa north bound passenger train.
The death list was increased by one
yesterday, when W. B. Burton Of
Berkeley, after hours of frightful
agony, caused by crushed chest and
other broken bones. died at the North
western hospital in McAIlister street.
That the wreck may have claimed
another victim became known yes
terday. when it was reported that
Charles H. Fisher, an Is year old boy
of Brooklyn, N. Y, and cousin of Pin
Gus Levin of Santa Rosa, was miss
ing. Fisher had just come from the
east in company with Levin, and, ac-
cording to NJ. Levin, brother of the
dead man, was with PincuS Levin on
the i'll fated train. NJ. Levin came
to this city yesterday in search of
Fisher. and failing TO find him. gave
it as his opinion that the boy had
perished in the wreck
Victims Are Recovering
1t is the opinion of the physicians
at the Northwestern hospital, where
the injured are being treated, that
there will be no more fatalities. All
of the victims are resting easily, and
now appear on the road to recovery.
While the wreckage was being
cleared away yesterday, General Man
ager w. S. Palmer of the Northwest
ern Pacific and other officials of the
road were busily investigating the
cause of the disaster, with the purpose
of absolutely fixing the blame
Palmer, from a conversation had
with Conductor Flaherty, gained the
impression that the latter had mis-
taken the Glen Ellen train for the
Santa Rosa train, and, believing the
track clear. had ordered the engineer
of the work train to pull out. The
Glen Ellen train, which usually pre-
cedes the Santa Rosa train by 20
minutes, was late Monday evening,
and reached Ignacio almost at the
time when the Santa Rosa train was
due 1t was Palmer's opinion. there
fore, that Flaherty had mistaken the
one for the other.
But the Call last night located Fla
herty at the home of his brother. L. S.
herty. 1897 Pardee street. Berkeley, and
obtained the first direct statement to
the public that has been made by the
engineer.
ii Forgot" Says Conductor
Flaherty told The Call representa-
tive that he had not mistaken the
trains-that he was fully aware that
the Glen Ellen train had reached IE-
nacio. and that for some inexpIicable
reason he forgot that another train
was following it. He declared that
the blame rested solely upon him. al
though he added that the engineer OF
the work train was inexperienced. and.
trusting solely TO him, was unable to
remind him that the Santa Rosa train
had yet to reach Ignacio before the
track would be clear. Flaherty's full
statement and acceptance of all blame
for the distaster appears elsewhere in
these columns
The bodies of most of the victims re-
mained yesterday at the San Rafael
morgue. where Coroner Sawyer is pre-
pairing to hold the inquest. Meanwhile
it was a day of mourning in Santa
Rosa and ePtaluma- where many OF