I' Newport Daily Independent.''
^LuM^IvT^ NEWPORT, ARKANSAS. WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER, 23 I9C4, NUMBER ISO.
_ _
WHOfe TO BLAME
FOR AWFUL WRECK
Not IDetermined By Coroner’s
Jaly.iB Inquest Over Body
' If Dead Fireman, Har
vey Weils.
^ Me masgled remains ©f the
bra«e fireman, who stayed with
thefengineer at his post of duty
f ' in* noble attempt to save his
I tra|ri and lessen the loss of life
an| limb to a hundred passen
gej|s in their joint keeping, as
lay exposed to view in a
Ighboring field to the scene of
terrible catastrophe, await
; the arrival of the proper
srson to .take them in eharge,
ade the heart of many a fellow
orkman and outsider well up
resentment of the carelessness
If another responsible in a meas
re for his death.
] Coroner Frank Harrison of
'Tuckerman reached the scene
| • j shortly after the wrecking train j
agmM- from Newport and the body of i
k®/ I Harvey Wells was conveyed to,
m M Hartease, where a jury was em- i
panelled and evidence introduced
.J showing the cause and manner j
fl of the wreck. The jury did not:
I fix the blame, however, and re- j
I turned a verdict merely stating
I how the fireman came to his j
j death.
The remains were brought to
the undertaking rooms of R. F.
Drummond late in the afternoon
and there prepared for shipment
^ I that night to Poplar Bluff, where
| / interment took place,
j .J No fault can be attached to
if the passenger crew, for chey
’*■ ~Vwere running in accordance with
orders and without knowledge
of the imminence of danger.
Even then the fireman and engi
neer had about four car-lengths
in which to leap, but they pre
ferred to stay at their posts and
9 _±.T_
1CV Cl OC V/HV. au.
The flagman on the freight hadj
been sent forward three-fourths
of a mile to Swifton and there
did his best with what he had, to
stop the oncoming train. But
according to the regulations he
should have carried three torpe
does on his lantern and used
these on such a night, when the
i fog prevented the transmission
^ of lantern signals. The smoke
X and fog made this duty impera
■ tive on such a night, and even
B though he did al! he could with
lanterns and allowing for the;
W..,{'act that his fusee failed to work
X at the critical time, he can hardly.
B escape the responsibility for a
■ wreck, miraculous from the fact j
B that so few passengers were in- j
1 jured when only two rear sleep
\ers were not completely demol- j
'shed.
*' DENSITY OF FOG.
To one who has not recently
visited that center of raging for
5 est fires the density of smoke
and fos is inconceivable. At
the Boas hotel in Hoxie.the front
* '’"fence, only a few feet away,
could not be seen from within,
and at Swifton on the morning
of the wreck people standing on
the porch of the Jones hotel,
thirty yards from the track,
could not distinguish a light on
the train that was soon to plunge
through a moving freight, and
had knowledge of the train pass
ing only by the rumbling.
SETTLING WITH INJURED. _
As previously stated, the claim
agents were soon upon the scene
of the disaster, and as a delay of
ten hours ensued before a train
left for the south ample time was
given these adjusters to settle
all claims.
To the credit of the railroad
company let it be said that they
were in. most cases very liberal,
and passengers with only a
scratch and many without any
.apparent injury received $50 to
sign articles of settlement in full
for personal injuries.
Fruit renders did a profitable
business, as the noon hour and
afternoon passed without a
ehance to satisfy hunger in a
more substantial way. After
bananas were passed the claim
agents took advantage of the
good feeling prevalent among
the discomfited and hungry pas
sengers and were more charita
bly received and more leniently
handled.
WRECK WILL. COST $100,000.
Hoxie, Nov. 22.—On receipt
of the news from Swifton, Vice
President Clark, Manager Sulli
van and Trainmaster Walton
went to the scene of the wreck
on a special train. These officials
say it is one of the worst wrecks
they have seen in years. The
estimated loss is $100,000.
BABY CONTEST
ON A BOOM.
Vote Increases as Month Draws
to a Close—Ernest Theodore
Phillips Again in Lead.
Ernest Theodore Phillips. 576
Jas. Edward Wilmans. 573
Edwin Johnson. 527
Wm. Wallace Dutton. 505
Charles Jones Brandenburg 488
Jeannette Henry. 257
Dorothy Stephens. 186
Thelma Smart. 25
/
There are a bunch of changes
in the vote as published today
and several babies, as can be
seen, are now wearing their run
ning clothes. Ernest Theodore
Phillips has succeeded in passing
James Edward Wilmans, who
has been in the lead for some
t-imo i<5 now sptfino- thp nace.
Wallace Dutton is again coming
to the front and rounds the 500
mile post, ranking fourth in the
totals. Little Miss Henry shows
a remarkable gain, and passes
her sisters in the race by quite
an easy margin. She may show
the boys yet that for sweetness,
beauty and popularity combined,
the fair sex must ever be taken
into account.
Independent: Enclosed find 116
votes to be cast for Miss Jean
nette Henry. One of the girls
should win in this contest, and
here is a lift for my favorite.
R. T. Simmons.
GRIFFIN-DURHAM
NUPTIALS ANNOUNCED.
Married at the residence of Mr.
L. Murphy on Sunday, Novem
ber 13, 1904, Mr, Joseph C.
Griffin to Miss Nina Durham.
Mr. Griffin comes from Jackson
county, Arkansas, and Miss j
Durham is one of the most highly
respected young ladies of Duck
Creek township. A number of
friends and relatives were pres
ent and were treated to some
real nice cake and apples. The,
occasion was one of pleasantness
and will be long remembered by
those who were present. This'
makes the one hundred and
fourth couple married by the
writer. Who will be the next to
swell the number?—W. S. Clubb
in the Puxico (Mo.) Index.
The Independent would join in
these congratulations to the
newly wed. The groom was
formerly an esteemed citizen of
Weldon and expects later to re
turn to his old Jackson county
home, where his friends take
pleasure in learning of the good
step he has taken.
CROSBY PREPARED
FOR THE GALLOWS.
Everything in Readiness for Ex
ecution ©f Sheriff Morgan’s
S ayer I r day at Bates
vilie— Says He’s Ready.
Batesvflle, Nov. 22. —Every
thing is in?, readiness for the exe
cution of Robert Crosby, the
murderer o*f Sheriff Jeff D. Mor
gan, at this place next Friday.
The scaffold will be completed by
tomorrow night and the new
sheriff, J. A. Kaneaster, who
was appointed by Gov. Davis,
will spring the trap which will
send Crosby to eternity.
Crosby is a young man about
21 years of age. He has recent
ly professed religion and says he
is ready to meet his fate Friday
morning, when he will see the
sun rise for the last time upon
earth.
Dr. Z. T. Bennett, pastor of
the Methodist church, and Elder
Allen have been going to the jail
and talking and praying with the
; condemned man.
Qnly twenty-five persons, the
number allowed by law, will wit
ness the execution, but several
thousand people from Indepen
dence and adjacent counties,
friends of Sheriff Morgan, will
be here. Several sheriffs from
over the state will also be here
and a large crowd from Izard
county will be in attendance.
- I
EVENING CARD CLUB.
Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Bond were
host and hostess to the Evening
Card Club upon Tuesday evening
of this week and that the affair
proved a pleasure to each invited
guest and in keeping with the
reputation of their home for de
delightful entertainments, was
concurred in by all.
Mrs. Gus Martin won the
n ^ rMii'rrrt o Lnonf lTnl nnf
Li VI1VU JJ A. M 'V' V^VV L» W1J. Ml * VI V
bowl and the gentlemen’s honors
were carried off by Mr. G. A.
Hillhouse in a pretty scarf pin.
An unusually fine luncheon of
delicacies was nicely served and
consisted of deviled crabs, chick
en salad, sandwiches, mint punch
and coffee.
Those present included a num-1
ber of invited guests, whose'
names with those of the mem
bers present are appended;
Messrs, and Mesdames E. B.
Wilmans, 0. D. Watson, W. W,
McMinn, J. L. Jones, A. G. And-.
erson, W. W. Dutton, Gus Mar
tin, C. G. Henry, Mrs. Robert
Cox, Misses Lucy Brandenburg,
Mary Laird, Mabel Stayton, Dr.
C. E. Carroll, Messrs. J. M.
Berger, Jr., B. W.Stainback and
Alcorn Ferguson.
MULHERON’S ESCAPE
SERIOUS INJURIES, j
C. S. Mulheron, wife and little j
daughter, drove to Swifton Tues- j
day, when near the ball ground in
that town, the team became
frightened by Mr. Mulheron in
jumping from the buggy.
The horses ran away and over
turned the buggy when crossing
the railroad track, throwing the j
two occupants. Luckily, how
ever, Mrs. Mulheron sustained
only slight bruises and the baby
a small cut. The buggy was
badly damaged and the family
returned home by train that
night.
See our new crushed plush
belts and bags. In burnt orange
and brown. Just out. Bowen’s!
Cash Store. 66btf
I
I u *3
r •
’’
1 !
Correct Clothes
^ S''
For iSale Only
by Uhe
_ ... - .—
Don't Travel;
Talk.
S CHEAPER
The use" of'the Long
Distance Telephone lines
of this company will save
you many a journey, long
and short—Every town
of importance in Texas,
Arkansas, Oklahoma and
Indian Territories within
reach. Also far distant
points in the North and
East.
The Southwestern Telegraph
and Telephone Co.
DR. IRA H. ERWIN
EYE, EAR, NOSE
AND THROAT..
OFFICE-8 and 9
Wishon Building
NEWPORT, ARK.
Wm Be
Your Hf oney
In this Bank. S^ve
your motley and
time by having an
account with a good
reliable bank.
Arkansas Bank anti Trust Co.
Capital $100,000.1311
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS.
J. W. Grubbs, President. Nathan Graham,‘V.-Pres.
Chas. G. Henry, Cashier.
B. B. Bond, M. D. Campbell, S. D. Campbell,
G. D. Clements, R. F. Drummond, W. D. McLain, ,
F. D. Fulkerson, C. J. Saenger, Abe HeilegersJ
0. D. Watson, L. Minor. L. E. Willis,
J. S. Wilmans.