The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-24
ao,rd Of inquiry Places Blame for
the Illinois Central Wreck Up
On Three Members Of
Train Crew.
GUILTY OF NEGLIGENCE
cho,,d Have used the Proper Signals
and Reduced Speed Of Train
While Entering Kin
mundy.

ru,rted Press Leased Wire Seryice.l
CHICAGO, Jan. 24.-The board OF
;nouiry that investigated the Kin
,n,,ndy wreck on the Illinois Central
N which j. T. Harahan and three
ether railroad officials lost their
lives. today placed the blame
for the accident upon three mem
hers of the train crews, Conduc-
,or John II. Brainerd and Flasma-
Henry Broecker, Of train No. 20, and
engineer Robert Stuart of train No. 8,
All we're found guilty of negligence IN
the performance Of duty.
The members of the board agreed
,,pon their findings last night at Cen
tralia, after they had taken testimony
al Champaign and visited the scene
Of the wreck to determine just how
tbe collision occurred. The board
then came to Chicago today on q
special train in charge of Vice Presi-
dent Parks. The findings were signed
bv every member OF the board.
The decision holds Conductor
Brainerd and Flagman Broecker OF
train No. 25 responsible because they
failed to use the means they had in
their power to protect their train. I"
Engineer Stuart is blamed for hegli-
gencc in falling to take due precan-
tions when he knew that another
train was running but few minutes
ahead OF him.
The company is relieved OF any
blame for the accident by a clause in
the findings which states that its
rules governing the movement OF
trains are very strict and that had
the ordinary instructions been fol
lowed an accident would have been
impossible.
The board made complete review
Of the company's system Of handling
trains. 1t calls attention that no eft
fort was made either by flagman OF
conductor OF train No. 25 to throw ou'
a yellow fusee before the train was
brought to stop at Kinmundy wa
ter tank. This is a slow down sigma
and would have put the crew of No.
the train following, on its guard, thu
report says.
The crew of No. 25 was also sup
piled with red fusees, stop signal fo
the train following These signals
could easily have been used, yet, th'
report declares, no effort was mad
to use them and Broecker failed ev
en to carry out the instructions h
did receive from his conductor
Broecker had been ordered whel
train No. % left Effingham half al
hour before the accident, to be on hi
guard for No. 3 which followed No. 2
closely all the way from Champaign
The board found that he made no ei
fort to learn the proximity of trai
No. 8. until his train stopped at tn
water tank at Kinmundy. Then
was too late for No. 3 was SO nea
that Broecker did not get more tha
few feet from the rear of his ow
train before the crash came. Th
board found that the yellow fusee
should have been thrown out at reg'
lar intervals by the crew of No.
to let the engineer of No. 3 know tha
he was near that train. 1t is state
that the red fusees should have bee
used before No. 25 came to the Xii
mundy stop.
In determining Stuart's share
the responsibility, the board state
that it was his duty to have kept
closer watch on the track ahead, thu
ae should have seen the tail lights
the train ahead and that his orders {
Eitingham constituted a warning thu
ne must proceed with caution. Gene
al orders had been issued to all e
slneers requiring them TO redut
speed to ten miles an hour throua
hlnmundy. The board found th'
stuart had failed to observe this {
ner The investigators also state
mat on personal observation at tt
scene OF the wreck last night the
we're able to see the tail lights
.raln No 2o from point two mil
In the rear.
great mass of technical railro;
information is set forth in the fin
ihss In an effort to show that Il
railroad company observed every pI
caution at Kinmundy as well as
'ls general operations. Among the
poihts made in favor OF the compal
70 the statement that a semapho
uaa been placed at this station
suard against just such an accide
anu the operator of this signal h