Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-20
WOMAN SHO VS.
ERROR FOR WRECK
Tower Operator Repeats Story
of Misunderstanding of
Phone Order.
RLAMES THE ENGINEER
Mrs. Julia A. Wilcox Declares Re
Spouse to Signal Would Have
Saved Lives.

Chicago, July 20.-How her misun-
derstanding of an order over the tele-
phone resulted in the wrecking of two
Chicago. Burlington & Quincy railroad
trains Sunday morning and cost the
lives Of 13 persons was laid bare yes
terday by Mrs. Julia A Wilcox. tower
woman at Western Springs, in testi-
mony given before a coroner's jury at
La Grange
Il was in the right" Mrs. Wilcox
explained time and again in answer to
questions tending to show her at fault
Her story regarding the hating of the
limited Sunday morning was in fiat
contradiction of the version given by
the tlagman, Frank Woodwork, who
testified before her.
NERVOUS AT OUTSET.
Mrs. Wilcox was extremely nervous
upon taking the stand, when the cor
oner explained that the inquest was
conducted to place the responsibility
for the IS deaths. Once plunged into
the examination, however, she became
at ease and in answering questions
showed knowledge of handling trains
Mrs. Wilcox began her story with an
admission regarding the 'misunder.
stood order"
But that had absolutely nothing to
/ do with the wreck" she declared.
There was a freight train, No. "A,
down at Congress Park. and the opera
tor had asked me to notify him of No
As approach. l stopped No. 4. 1t ran
by L>y boards in the fog.
| 81 found out that the freight train
/ had cleared all right and let No. go,
but by this time No. 2. the Overland
Limited, was close and had to stop
it. No. rs tiagman came TO my tower
and then l told him that the block was
clear and gave him the board. He
went away in the fog | couldn't see
the point where No. rs engineer stop
ped after running past the tower. |
supposed the train had gone.
FLAGMAN GIVES WARNING
Then the fiagman came back again.
/ again gave him the board and called
that No. S, the mail train, was coming.
| pulled UP the signal to stop No. s. I
think the flagman ran down the track
10 flag it. In minute, though, No. s
flashed by and heard the crash AT
ter the crash | heard the flagman and
another man quarreling down on the
tracks"
What did the fiagman say on his re.
turn"
He said he Guessed there was some,
thing wrong with the engine"
Did you see him go out TO fiag?"
Yes, he had a flag. but no lantern"
you admit that it was unnecessary
TO hold No. 4. Don't you see that il
you hadn't held that train there would
| have been no wreck"
We'll, | stopped it because wasn't
sure, and, anyway, if the engineer or
the mail train hadn't run by my board.
there wouldn't have been any wreck
Don't you think that inasmuCh as
two trains had already run by your
boards in the fog it would have beer
wise 10 hold the mail train at Hins
dale?' asked one Of the Jurors.
We'll, the block was clear and the
engineer had no business to run by my
boards"
RECALLS FORMER EXPERIENCE.
If you had held that train there
. would have been no accident, would
there?"
We'll, | stop those trains lots O
times. I had the same sort of an ex
perience at L block one night and Their,
was no accident. The engineer on tn,
passenger stopped back of my boards.
I You were working in harmony will
the book of rules adopted by the rail
road in each Of these stops. Mrs. vii
, cCX?' asked W. D. Anderson. an insDec
. tor representing the interstate com
, merCe commission.
t Yes, sir
t Considering weather conditions, d,