The Prescott daily news., 1910-10-07
MOTORMAN HELD FOR WRECK WHICH KILLED THIRTY
 SIX PEOPLE.
CHARGES CARELESSNESS
Direct Disregard of Operating Orders Responsible for Terrible Loss of Life Near Staunton, Ill.,, H. E.
 Chubbuck Declares.

St. Louis, Oct. 6.-Motorman John w. Lierman, upon whom the McKin- ley system officials place the blame for the head-on interurban trolley col lision in which 36 persons were killed and 30 injured, was arrested as he entered his little home at Staunton, H., 40 miles northeast of St. Louis and one mile from the scene of the disaster.
 All of the dead were riding on the southbound limited on their way to St. Louis from Springfield, H., to wit ness the Yelled Prophets triumphal entry. Those on the northbound car, which overran the switch at Walls siding, were on the way to the Hi nois State fair at Springfield.
 H. k. Chubbuck, vice-president and general manager of the Mckinley sys- tenn, declared that Motorman Lierman had admitted he alone was responsi- ble for the collision.
 Contrary to his specific orders, Herman overran the switch at Walls siding, one mile north of Staunton," Chubbuck said. "Lierman was con sidered one of our most careful men. He has been in our service about five years. l can not account for his careless, if not criminal, absent-mind- edness"
 Towns along the Mckinley line pre- sented a varied aspect-at Carlinville corps of undertakers were embalm- ing the dead; at Granite City score of skilled surgeons deftly reset broken bones and dressed injuries; at Staun- ton officials of the Mckinley line and the Illinois railroad commission were placing the official blame for the col lision.
 None the less dramatic was the ar rest of Motorman Lierman when he crept into his home after a sleepless night in the woods. Detectives had been searching the country for him. while others were stationed at his home.
 Rumors that he had fled were gen. eral after Mckinley line officials learned he had jumped from his post when he saw the collision was inevi- table. and that he had run to Stauntoa and drawn his savings, $50 from the Wall & Quade bank.
 After escaping the crash, Motorman Herman ran back to Walls siding to Mckinley line telephone. "Head-on collision," he yelled into the receiver then hung up the receiver. Herman hurried to Staunton, changed his clothing at the locker and rushed into the bank. He told Banker Wall that he had overlooked an order, resulting in a head-on collision. He was not seen again until the time of his ar rest. A few hours before he had been happy over the recent birth of d child. When he was arrested he was a changed man.
 Of tho five Mckinley system em- ployes who lost their lives in the wreck, w. w. Street, assistant train master at Staunton sacrificed his life in an effort to push sounthbound pas sengers toward the rear end of the car. Street was standing near the front end of the southbound car when he saw the collision at Dickersou curve was inevitable Crews of both cars leaped but Street rushed inside and forcibly tried to push front-end passengers to the rear. In the crash his legs and shoulder were broken. He died before he was removed from the wreckage.
 Absolutely no blame is to be at. tached to any of the methods used in handling trains" said c. F. Handshy, general superintendent. "All orders were correctly issued, and had they been obeyed there could not have been any accident"