Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-23
James J. Harahan, Former
Head Of I. c., and Vice.
Pres. Melcher of r. l.,
Two Of Men Killed.
LIMITED CRASHES
INTO PRIVATE CAR
Express Was Taking Water
When Limited Crashed
Into it, Telescoping Mel
cher's Car at Rear.

Centralia, ILL.,. Jan. 22.-Four prom.
nent railroad men were killed at
kklln1lmundy, K twenty-three miles north
of here early today when an oficial
private car attached to the rear end Of
the Illinois Central train No. Is, known
as the New Orleans express was
crushed between the steel coach ahead
and the engine Of the train No. g, the
Panama limited travelling at high
rate Of speed.
The dead are:
JAMES T.. HARAHAN, SIR, former
president OF the Illinois Central.
FRANK o. MELCHER, second vice
president OF the Rock island
p. B. PIERCE, general solicitor Of
the Rock Island.
ELDRIDGE E. WRIGHT vice presi.
dent OF Rock Island bridge com
pany. son OF Luke r. Wright, former
secretary OF war. Il
The bodies were found near the
berths they had occupied.
-Four other occupants Of the private
car escaped injury. The bodies Of the.
dead were hoffibly mutilatad, the ton
OF Mr. Harahan's head being torn OH.
Most Of the victims lost their arms
and doctor said their legs are held
on by shreds. ~
Mr.. Harahan's body perhaps was
mutilated more than the others,
The bodies Of three victims were
taken to Chicago where they lived.
Mr. Wr1ght's body was forwarded to (
Memphis At a coroner's inquest the
fiagman, Henry Broecker OF Chicago.
OF the express train testified he went
back and tagged the limited and re.
ceived an answer that his signal had
been observed. A minute later the
train crashed into the express which
was taking water.
The flagman also testified that in
his opinion the towerman at Edgewood
failed to hold No. 3 sufficient length
OF time. All trains are under orders to
stop at Kinmundy for water
The responsibility for the wreck, ac-
cording to the deputy coroner, lies be.
tween BrOecker and the engineer Of
the limited. Three trainmen. Engineer
Robert Stuart and Fireman C. " Bert
OF the limited and Fireman Jesse Gil.
bert OF the express were injured
The engine of No. 3 plowed It's way
half through the private car which 1t
demolished.
The Limited carried sleeping cars
only and withstood the terrific smash.
The express was composed Of coaches.
built OF steel. The trains were due TO
pass south of Centralia, but because OF
No. 25 being late No. 3 met 1t at Kin.
mundy.
The cause of The wreck is ascribed
to scarcity Of water along the road.
A special order makes 1t necessary for
all trains to take water at Kinmundy
fand freight train which took water
before the express, held the express
longer than customary.
Stuart and Vert were a freight crew
lately put on passenger train It IL
believed they forgot about the order
for all trains to take water.
Harahan recently retired from the
presidency of the Illinois Central road
ON pension. Melcher lived at Vim
netka Ill, and Peirce in Highland
Park, ILL.,, suburbs OF Chicago. Mr..
Wright resided in Memphis.
Harahan Succeeded FIsh.
New York. Jan. 22.--James T.
Harahan came to the presidency Of the
Illinois Central railroad in 1905
through the influence OF E. H. Harri-
man, who had, after long fight, sue.
ceeded in ousting Stnyvesant Fish
from the presidency.
That fight had its beginning late in
1903, according to the late E. H. Har-
riman, who, testifying before the in
terstate commerce commission, al
legged that Mr.. Fish had been using his
position as president of the Illinois
Central ITO further his own personal
interests"
Mr.. Fish succeeded in retaining the
office of the presidency OF the Illinois
Central for time, but Mr. Hartman
continued his warfare against him. In
1906 Mr.. Fish was superseded by Mr..
Harahan as head Of the Illinois Gem
trail but the fight continued when Mr..
Fish sought through the courts to en-
Join the Hartman interests from vot-
ing Illinois Central stock held by the
Union Pacific. the Railroad Securities
Co. and the Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Judge Ball in Chicago later dis
solved a Temporary Injunction granted