Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-25
NEGLIGENCE
Of TRAIkMEN n
. CAUSED WRECK !
Investigating COMMITTEES
Blames Engineer, Conduc-
tor and Flagman for
Death of Rail Officials.

Chicago, Jan. 24-Negligence on tns
part Of three trainmen contributed to
the Illinois Central wreck at Kin
mundy, ILL.,, Sunday night In which ].
T. Harahan, former president OF that
| line and three other railroad officials
We're killed it was held by an inyesti-
/ eating committee here today. The
trainmen are:
Engineer r. J. Stuart, who was run
ming No. which crashed into train
No. 25
John H. Brainard, conductor Of train
No. rs.
Harry J. Boecker. a fiagman on
train No. 25.
Just what steps will be taken in the
trainmen's cases has not been deter
mined, said w. l.: Park, vice president
of the Illinois Central and member
Of the Investigating committee.
The report was given out following
yesterdays investigation Of the wreck.
The committee convened in Cham
paign and later went over the scene OF
the accident All of the accused train
men were witnesses. Z
| Findings Of Board.
Regarding the alleged negligence OF
| the trainmen, the committee said In
part:
THE board of inquiry finds that the
conductor and the flagman of train
No. 25 knowing that train No. 3 was
following closely, were negligent In
not using means they had at their dis
posal.
"The board also finds that tho
engineer of train No. 3 was negligent
in not discovering earlier his proxim-
ity to train No. 25.
1 The testimony showed that The
rules Of the company governing the
4 movement OF these trains were clear
and thoroHghly Il understood by the'
crews OF tho respective trains"
Human ff.llihi1ity and not mechArl-3
4 ical defects caused the wreck on the
Illinois Central railroad and the death
OF former President j. T. HarahAn OF
that road and three other railroad Of
flcials at Kimmundy. Ill., early on
Monday, according to testimony given
to an investigating committee com
posed of representatives of the ran
road, the state and the interstate ccm-
merce commission and technical ex-
rerts.
Airbrakes Perfect.
! IIAS oil uIohco VI LAS uH0uuft lluAAtSN
worked perfectly and Engineer Stuart
!: said he could have have stopped In
900 feet or more, but he did not see
the danger signal in time.
Conductor John Fl. Brainard Of the
express train, which was taking water
at the Kimmundy station when the
crash came, said that he had warned
Boecker to watch for the limited when
they left Efingham, as the limited was
| close behind He had faith In the
1agman and was surprised to find tnat
he had run back no further.
FIagman Was Scared
Harry J. Boecker, the flagman of the
express, was next, examined. He de-
scribed his attempt to flag the Panama
limited and said:
II was. scared when Hooked back
and saw the headlight. did not run
back more than 100 feet. swung
my danger lantern. The train seemed
to be three-quarters CT mile away"
Boecker admitted that Conductor
Brainard had cautioned him about the
limited, which had waited at Effng-
ham until the express had got out OF
the way. He felt sure that no had
run back more than sixty feet, but
said it was difficult to make time over
the tracks. He also felt that he could
accomplish more by quick signaling
than by running back
Engineer Battered.
Robert Stuart, engineer OF the Pan
ANA limited, was spectacle when he
took the stand. His face was a mass
Of wounds. He said:
81 could not see the tail lights on
train No. 25 (the express) because OF
the steam. saw only the west light
and supposed it was the interlocker
signal. It was too late to slow up when
I saw the danger lamps. could have
seen fuse for miles. / had shut or
steam to comply with the slow order
at Kimmundy."
The testimony OF the engineer de-
molished the inefficient airbrake story.
The battered and bruised engineer
said his appliance was working per-
fectly.
The inquiry committee last night
went to Kimmundy to inspect the
scene of the wreck during the Same
hours at which the accident occurred.
PRESBYTERIAN MEN
At KANSAS CITY