Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-01-01
JURY indicted
HIGH OFFICIALS
OFFICERS CHARGED WITH THE
DEATH or THE WRECK
VICTIMS
HIRED INCOMPETENT MEN
Oniccrs of Two DlfIcrcnt Railroads
Are Indicted on Charges Of In
voluntary Manslaughtcr

INDIANAPOLIS, IND, Dec. 3l,-
Six officials and directors Of the Gin
cInnatl. Hamilton and Dayton rail-
road and two tralnmen were indicted
today on charges OF Involuntary man
slaughter by the Marion County
grand jury in connection with its in
vestigatlon of the wreck on that road
In a suburb Seven persons were XII
ed when passenger train ran into
an open switch and collided with a
freight train.
Those indicted are; Daniel Willard
president, Geo. +. Randolph. Vice
president; and Geo. NJ, Schrlver, sec
ond Vice president Baltimore; w. C..
Loree. Cincinnati. general manager
II. Il. Voorhees,. Cincinnati. general
superintendent; II. b. White, indian
apolis, division Supt o. G. Murray.
Geo, w. Perkins, l.. f. Loree, IL. i.
Davidson, Frederick w, Stevens, Jos
Wood. Il. II. Bacon, f. d. Underwood
Harry Bronner and Norman B. Ream.
officials OF the road. and Carl Gross
brakeman on the freight train, and
Wills York. engineer on the same
train, both of Indianapolis.
Division Superintendent White was
out OF the city tonight on an inspec-
ton tour. 1t was said at his ONCE
that there was no one who could give
out any statement for Mr. White or
any other member of the boards.
No arrest has been made tonight
on the indictments. Carl Gross. whose
leg was broken in the wreck. still Is
IN u local hospital. Yorks wife said
today that he had left indianapolis
shorty after the wreck when the rail-
road company dismissed him. Gross
and York were held responsible for
the wreck in the verdict returned by
Coroner Durham few days ago.
Evidence brought before the coro-
ner and grand jury showed that York
after consulting with his conductor,
to clear the main line Gross was
ahead doing the flagmans duty. When
the track was cleared, Gross was
whistled In. He Is alleged to have re-
ported that the switch was set for
clear track and York, who under the
rules of tho company was responsible
let 1t go without making an examlna-
ha FRI In n "a
bearing down at u high speed In an
effort to mako up lost time, the col
lislon occurred
The indictment OF the roads OFF,
cials, according to states attorney
Baker, connects them with the death
Of 16 wreck victims because 1t In
charged incompetent men were en-
ployed. The local company officials
and the county coroner placed the
blame for the accident upon the mem
bers OF the train crew.
Upon the facts the grand Jury bas
ed its charges that the officers and
directors Of the road we're responsi-
BILE directly for the employment OF
trainmen and responsible indirectly
for the wreck and deaths.
Discussing the indictments. w. j.
Wood. chairman of the Indiana r r..
commission, tonight said:
The commission believes that in
order to prevent such fatalities whero
the officers and men Of these com
panles, including their directors care
lessly and negligently do or omit to
do any act from which the death Of
passengers or employees results, they
should be prosecuted and convicted.
I'VE think not only the man who
forRets, but the official who employs
an incompetent man and the director
who dlverts revenue that should be
appropriated to securing a good man,
should be held criminally account
able"
The railroad commissioners were
active In getting evidence before the
grand jury. Indiana has no crimin-
al liability law.