The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-11-04
Investigation Of Agawam Wreck
Again Taken Up Before Justice
Fuller; 0'Neill Appears
as Attorney
TRAINMEN ARE
CALLED TO STAND
Testimony Shows Powell Careful
Engineer; Operator Tells About
Orders; Original Delivered
to r. |. Official

iHt lhNcSilEdtlOH Oh lHe ABdWam
wreck on Oct. 10 was resumed this
morning at 9:45 o'clock before Justice
Fuller Colonel O'Neil appeared at
request of the relatives of Engineer
Powell OF train No. II and took part
In the examination Of Witnesses.
County Attorney venable conducted
the direct examination Of the wit
nesses and Assistant Attorney Swan
took down the testimony in short
hand 81
]. T. Meadows testified that he was
a resident of Chickasha and was a
fireman in the employ of the Rock
Island railway. Stated he knew Pow
ELL; that he considered him as rank
ing 100 per cent as a careful engineer;
that he had frequently fired for Pow
ell; that Powell always either read the
orders to him or gave him copy; that
he did not remember OF ever having
known Powell TO fail TO do this that
II was Powell's habit to talk over or
discuss the orders With his fireman
along the road and at various points.
Witness explained the different kinds
OF orders issued to train and engine
men. Said "19" was helper order"
and did not have TO be signed for;
that a "s1" was an order which had
"a be signed for; that the wait order |
given that night was a "3l." That
order No. and order No. 2. calling |
for meeting OF train 9S at Agawam or |
Rush Springs and train No. IL at Dun
can we're both "S1" orders. Witness
stated that accompanying such orders |
a pink bulletin" was always given en-
pineer: that this bulletin only in
formed crew OF conditions generally |
OF track: that clearance card accom-
panied the orders. Witness then made |
out a clearance card from hypothetical |
orders. such as Powell and Cowan
were supposed to have had that night,
IN showing the jury what he meant
John Fleener testified that he was
a fireman; that he knew Powell; that
he had fired for Powell; that he con
sidered Powell very congenial. safe,
discreet and cautious engineer; that
he had known Powell for ten years.
Upon examination by Colonel O'Neil
witness stated that he considered it
would have been impossible for the
tramps riding the blind" at the time
OF the wreck to have reached and
closed or opened the air valve; that
the valve was so located that this ac-
tion would have been impossible; that
could the valve have been reached and
"monkeyed" with 1t would have had
the effect OF stopping the train.
2. C. Kell testified that he was oper-
ator at Chickasha on night Of wreck;
that he gave Conductor Cowan of train
No. IL orders l and 2 against trains
9S and 10; that order against train
No. 9S read: "Wait Agawam 1:15,
Rush Springs 1;25"; that clearance
card accompanied those orders; that
orders l and we're 81 orders; that
pink bulletin went with orders; that
he had repeated the orders to dis
patcher at El Reno and compared them
with him and his o. k.': that Powell
came into his office some time before
his train arrived here and reported;
that he was not again in his office that
night: that Cowan received and signed
for both his own and Powell's orders; /
that he gave Cowan two copies OF
those orders: that he had repeated the .
orders with the dispatcher at Duncan
that night: that this was done because
the dispatcher at Duncan seemed in >
doubt about the orders; that their
orders thus repeated corresponded.
William Bledsoe testified in the !
main that he was fireman; that he !
had fired for Powell that he consid-
cred him safe and a careful engi- (
neer: that Powell never failed to read
or show his orders to his fireman
r. L. 10y testified that he was
claim adjuster for the Rock Island rail-
way; that he received Powell's orders