Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-03-13
iHND FI.NGNAN IN FAULT.
Engineer Nicely and Conductor Mcr-
edith Displayed Bad Judgment.

ciith Displayed Bad Judgment.
Columbia, March 7.--Primary re-
sponslbility FOR the wreck near Frost,
small station about six miles and
half west OF Columbia, on the South
ern Railway, February %, when l3
persons lost their lives and 81 we're
injured, some Of them severely, was
placed on liarve Locklicr, OF Colum-
bia. llaGman on train No. Is. operat-
ed from Grecnville to Columbia, by
William Maxwell, superintendent Of
the Spartanburg division OF the Sou
thcrn Railway, under whose super
vision the accident occurred. this
afternoon at an investigation here,
conducted by the South Carolina
Railroad Commission. The nagmau,
contends the superintendent. had
failed to observe the tagging rules
promulgated by the General Mama
gers Association and adopted by the
Southern Railway for the guidance
Of the employees OF the transporta-
tion department. He also claimed
that Engineer B. Frank Nicely, Of
Columbia, and Conductor J. A. Mere
dith, Of Greenville, Of train IS, did
mot display good judgment" in
blowing in 'Flagman Locklier. when
the rules required him to protect
against train ~, operated from Spar
tanburg to Columbia, which collided
with the rear Of their train. although,
he said, this whistle signal did not
absolve the flagman from tagging
against the Spartanburg train, as it
was due in less than ten minutes.
Lasted All Day.
The investigation by the South
Carolina Railroad Commission, held
for the purpose. if possible, OF plac-
ing responsibility for the wreck, last
ed throughout the day. The hearing
was commenced at 10 o'clock this
morning and concluded at Z o'clock
tonight. with short intermission
for dinner. The chairman of the
commission, Major John G. Richards,
announced tonight that the decision
of him and his colleagues Of the COM
mission, Frank w. Shealy and James
Canslcr, would be reserved.
1t was brought out in the hearing
by Snpt. Maxwell and Trainmaster
Geo. NJ. Bishop that. in their opinion,
had both trains been composed of
under~frame cars the result
in dead and injured would not have
materially been changed. The steel
frame car skidded, they testified. and
shaved off tho supcr-structure on the
wooden coach Of train IS, where
twelve of the deaths occurred and
the majority Of the passengers were
injured. The sub-structure on the
wooden coach was undamagcd. they
asserted.
Admits He Violated Rule.
Flagman Locklier. in his testimony
before the commission. admitted that
he had violated the rules in not stay
ing behind the tagging train ~ even
after he had been blown in bv Elgi-
neer Nicely, and that he probably
had not gone back the proper dist
anc1 in placing torpcdoes OF the
tracks according TO regulations. Va
rious members Of the crew OF train
~ testified that they heard no torpc-
does explode. and practically every
witness said that defective signal cx-
plosives are extremely rare in rail
roading.
1t was brought out in the deposit
ton Of Conductor Meredith. w..o has
not sufficiently recovered from his in
jury sustained in the wreck to attend
the hearing, that he had requested
Eralnmaster Bishop to "pull down"
the train to wait on Flagman Lock-