Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 254, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1918 — WAS BRAKEMAN MURDERED? [ARTICLE]

WAS BRAKEMAN MURDERED?

INVESTIGATION BRINGS OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FOUL PLAY. An inquest was conducted over the body of Earl Hughes by Coroner and Sheriff, M. M. Hughes, at’Monon, and the body was interred Sunday afternoon. Coroner Hughes said he found the Monon brakeman to have been killed by being run over by a train, but stated that further investigation would be conducted. . ~ Earl Hughes, of Monon, was rear brakeman on local freight train No. 45, which runs between South Hammond and Monon. On Thursday night, the night on which he is supposed to have met his death, Dan Hartnett, of Lafayette, a switchman, boarded the train at Shelby, which is about half way between South Hammond and Monon. Hartnett, it is said, showed his switchman’s card to Conductor Fred Ball, of Monon, who was in charge of the train and he permitted Hartnett to ride in the caboose. • - / ■

Hartnett is a member of the switchmen’s union. Hughes was a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen and Conductor Ball is a member of the Order of Railway Conductors. For years there has been feeling between the switchmen, who are known in railway slang as “snakes,” and trainmen, who are called “stingers.” Ball, being a conductor and member of neither, is supposed to, be neutral. Hughes, the brakeman, is said to have protested to Conductor Ball at different times during the trip about Hartnett, a “snake,” being carried on the train. Train 45 is a local and stops at every station to do switching and other work. At Pleasant Ridge the train went into a side track to permit the milk train to pass. The engine was cut off from the rest of the train and with the two head brakemen , went to McCoysburg to do some switching, while Conductor Ball, Brakeman Hughes and Hartnet remained an the caboose. The investigation shows that for some reason Conductor Ball left the caboose and went along the > train. Hartnett claims he was asleep at that time and that Brakeman Hughes woke him up, told him his train had reached MonOn and to get, off. Hartnett got off and Hughes locked the caboose door. Hughes and Hartnett walked along the side, of the train and met Ball. Ball, the investigation shows, told Hughes to go back to the caboose and stay there. After that the three men returned to the caboose and it is said an argument edLater the engine came back from McCoysburg, coupled onto the train' and while it was moving towards Monon a fight occurred. Chairs and lanterns figured in the fray and what afterward took place will no doubt develop later. The train reached Monon and Conductor Ball registered in about 7:35 o’clock (Thursday night) but made no report of any trouble whatever or of Brakeman Hughes’ disappearing. Conductor Ball told Night Yardmaster Luther Lutes that he wanted to las off the next day (Friday) and Lutes replied that he would let Hughes have charge of the run and get an extra brakeman to take Hughes’ place. When the caller went to Hughes’ home Friday morning to call him to take charge of the train he found that the brakeman had not been home and upon making inquiries learned that Hughes was last seen at Pleasant Ridge on Thursday night. Maiintainer Mason, Night Yardmaster Lutes and Hughes* father left Monon on a motor car and found Brakeman Hughes’ mangled body, lying face downward in the center of the tracks, one mile and a half south of Pleasant Ridge. This was about 7:15 a. m. x The brakeman’s head and face were badly cut and mangled, one leg was broken and his clothes were practically torn from his body. Thursday night was foggy And it is believed several trains ran over Hughes’ body before it was found. Without thinking to notify the coroner of Jasper county, in which county the affair occurred, the men loaded the body on the motor car and took it to Monon in White county. Dan Hartnett, the switchman, who had boarcred the train at Shelby, and over whom the fight might have occurred, on leaving the train at Monon met Monon Special Officer John Weinhardt, a brother of Sheriff William W. Weinhardt, of Tippecanoe county. This was about Bp. m. The men are well acquainted <and have known each other for some time'. About four hours later Hartnett again met Spefciai Officer Weinha and to him that Conductor Ball and.. Brakeman Hughes had had a fight on the train. ' Weinhardt did not pay mueh atteht:cn to Hartnett’s story until Friday morning when he saw Hughes’ mangled body being brought to Monon. He then notified Monon Special Agent John A. Hayes, of Lafayette, to come to Monon at once. He arrived about 10 o’clock Friday morning and Weinhardt explained the circumstances to Hayes, who then went to Rensselaer and notified Sheriff of Jasper county/'and advised, him to notify the coroner of Whnte county that the body had been taken to Monon. Special Agent Hayes then went in search of Hartnett and apprehended him at Frankfort through the aid of Chief of Police Harry Burry. They took Hartnett before Prosecutor liartar, of Clanton county, and obtained, a sworn statement. * This and other facts regarding the matter obtained by Special Agen Hayes were presented t ©Sheriff McColly and Prosecutor Sands, both Jasper couftty officials. It is said that Conductor Ball does

.not deny having an altercation with Hughes, but does deny any knowledge of how the brakeman left the train. It was said that Hughes had been drinking. • Prosecutor C. M. Sands, of Rensselaer, said Saturday night, that he had taken no action in Jasper county. Dan Hartnett is well known in railroad circles, having been employed several times in Lafayette yards. He has also been employed in the Clover Leaf yards at Frankfort. He is now in the Tippecanoe county jail, where he was placed Saturday night by the Lafayette authorities. He is charged with intoxication.