The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-01-29
Homer Chalfin, Dispatcher
at Losantville, Raving Be
cause Of Part He Played in
Wreck.
YOUNG MAN ADMITS
ORDERS NOT GIVEN
Coroner Of Henry County
Says Prosecution Will Fol-
low as Criminal Negli-
gence Is Shown.


Distracted almost to insanity by the
horror Of the G. and o. freight wreck
Of Saturday morning. about ! mile
east Of Biountsville. and the part he
played In II. night operator Homer
Chalfin Of Losantsville. who sdmits
his responsibility for the accident ~
the failure to deliver orders to fast
freight train No. rs. for II to be held
on siding. is on the verge OF collapse
at his home at Losantsville. Chat
fin was so overcome when news of
the wreck and the resulting fatalities
reached him at the tower that he had
to be removed to his home by friends.
His place has been taken by b. r.
johnson. an assistant operator.
In view Of Chalfin,s admission of
failure to deliver orders to the ili-fat-
ed train. the statement Of Coroner y.
j. Hiatt. Of New Castle. that II he
finds conclusive evidence that Chal.
fin was guilty Of criminal nesiigence
, In the performance Of duties, that he
will recommend III verdict that Chat
| fin be prosecuted, seems to make 4
certain that the operator win face :
hearing on the charge.
Chaiftn was III highIy ners0u1
state at his homo during the day, and
paced the floor I great deal 0f tho
time. his wife and friends belnD unable
| to pacify him. His statements regard
ing the AFFAIR were rambling and dir
connected. hut his explanation. -
gathered from them. Is that be hAd
failed to notice the order. which was
on q blank containing two others
lying on his desk, and becoming con
fused when Engineer Edwards of No.
| 73 whistled for the block. he raised
the white signal on the spur Of the
moment and let the train pass.
Realizing that he was not sure q
the step he had taken. he began look
ling for the order and found It after e
was too late to stop the train. The
order with the two others On the same
slip had been receiyed by the main
dispatcher at the Losantville station
and had been taken to the tower and.
laid on Chaifin's desk BY tho dispatch
er on his way home for supper.
| Chalfin offers no xplanatiOn Or
reasons Why he failed to notice the
order other than that II just missed
MIS- attention. 9.
SnaiIn Was l0s ule. W. ae1 = 3, =. =.
ooutn Emo st1uOn y lno I' -. q &.
Hicnmond He was t5ans.c1seu a'.sn i
there to Losantvine aoout tW0 mon.as
ago. His family = quite =!
coroner riau De.n - ~ a.'s. n.
..on ealy 0aeu.u.y ~n- .. > - $.
~ 80 .l..a.s- 10. 80. ~, 49,
Dul s'a.sa = ~ sss 1870. s's - .ss.
hasiuS yaAsn any uSpOss...ae 4. 10 D. '.s' .-
nor ready g announco n,s ss. ~ d.
rron nea.s4y ..A11In0l, - - sss.s ss.
appeaIeu 49, .lu -.I ".s - ~ r,s..ss.ss
the non-deiiseIy e. o1u0Is - ~.
but ne SAID ne ola NO. n'AAe sn's -
Official opinion q tnls un10.
I One oo0y 2 Wssck-
Despite announcen.ons' 5. losx
morning tnAt tne Douis. y -, 80 J. ss7
AWARDS ana rlremhn cn'0ck - fSs'. =.
I3 mad Dcen removed Ir0n tno IA - -
age, q report from LOsantviiie = ne
evening was to tne eHect snat sno
body q Edwards was sun unIounu
and that every enorI ~as De'ns 49,
to clear away 1ne deOl's y lno .~O e1'.'
wrecking crews to reach tne unloI-
tunate engineer
i Head brakeman q u Swishef was
removed from the wreck about 1879
!o'csock In the morning ana taken On