The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-01-11
CRIMINAL RECKLESSNESS
Three Lives Hurled into Eternity in a
Rear-end Collision, about Midnight
Sunday, January Ninth, Almost with
in Sight of the Union Depot.


It is only when an accident or some
horror is local that the fullest realiza-
ton of its occurrence arouses attention,
sympathy and condemnation as well
On Sunday, January 9, about mid
night, three lives were sacrificed
through the recklessness of the crew OF
Kansas City Southern engine No. 81.
The victims were Miss Cora Dunn of
Boyce, La.
John H. Cornwall of Marshall, Tex
as, conductor on the Texas and Pacific
passenger train.
Percy Parish of Shreveport, switch
man of the Kansas City Southern.
The collision occurred short dis
tance from the Murphy street bridge.
The switch engine crew intended to
make the run without coming in con-
tact with the Texas and Pacific train
then due
After having started from the Union
Depot at full speed, the switch engine
was run from the outward to the in
coming track.
1t has been stated that the switch was
spiked, but this is disproved by an ex-
animation which followed almost i'm
mediately after the collision.
In his evidence before the coroners
jury, Lon F. Irvine, engine foreman,
has admitted that he did not know he
was on the wrong track until after hav-
ing passed Wilson's alley.
Why was not the switch engine
checked and reversed and the track
cleared? Having plainly transgressei
one of the rigid rules of railroading,
the crew should have returned to the
track on which they should have been,
and there would have been no collision.
Regardless of the rule, the switch
crew proceeded and run into the rear
of the Pullman which was backing to-
wards the depot at the usual rate of
speed.
On the incoming Texas and Pacific
train the porter of the Pullman was
standing on the steps of the platform,
Conductor Cornwall was standing on
the platform, and beside him was Miss
Dunn, who was anticipating the reach
ing of the Union Depot when the
switch engine crashed into the rear end
of the Pullman. The Pullman porter
jumped, but Conductor Cornwall, with
Miss Dunn, had apparently Started to-
wards the front end of the Pullman
when they were caught. Miss Dunn
was held fast in the wreck, suffering
agonies for half an hour before she was
relieved by death Conductor Cornwall
| when recovered was lifeless, so was
Percy Parish, switchman of the Kan
sas City Southern.
In the moment of their extremity
Conductor Cornwall could have escaped
with his life by jumping from the plat
form, but he sought to save Miss Dunn,
and by this act of heroism his wife and
children are bereft of good husband
| and father, and the company faithful
employee who had been in service
Twenty years.
/ Miss Dunn had taken the train at
Boyce where she kept boarding house.
Parish, aged 23 years, was a resident
of Shreveport. His wife and child
and his relatives and hosts of his
! friends mourn his untinely end. He
was popular with railroad men and all
those who knew him.
| Engineer E. Maddox of the switch
engine was more or less injured. He
was conveyed to his home, where he il
under guard, since having been served
with a warrant of arrest on the charge
of murder.
| Others of the crew were slightly in.
II jured. So were number of passen
gers who were in the sleeper.
| This in brief is the narration of th'
most deplorable occurrence, tragedl
which has shocked this community iron
center to circumference.
The officials of the Texas and Pacif
and o fthe Kansas City Southern wer
dumfounded when apprised Of thi
catastrophe, and Immediately inaugu
rated an investigation.
In duty bound, Coroner S. Y. Alex
ander was also active. He summone
! jury of inquest comprising Erne:
Reams, w. B. Switzer, P. E. Tannei
w. j. Allen, before whom appeare
number of witnesses, whose STATE
nent justified a charge of murds
against Lon F. Irwin, engine foreman
R. F. Sebastian, fireman; W. II. Linz
say, switchnan, who were arrested an
are held prisoners in the parish jai
Engineer Maddox will be conveyed
1 Jail as soon as he has recovered su
Ificiently to leave his home.