Heber - John
Source: Crawfordsville Review 24 Oct 1896 p 3
Christian Heber, father of John Heber, one of the men killed at Walnut Fork bridge near this city on the Vandalia railway last August has entered suit for $10,000 damages against that road.
Source: Logansport Reporter Thursday 1 Oct 1896 p 8
The details of the terrible wreck on the Vandalie at Walnut Fork, July 28th have been revived by the filing of a damage suit against the railroad company. Fireman John Heber of this city, Conductor Robert C. Fowler and extra brakeman Charles McKinsey of Terre Haute, lost their lives in the wreck and now Albert Fowler, adminsitrator of the Fowler estate has brought suit for $10,000 against the Vandalia for causing the death of the decedent. The complaint after setting forth the condition of the track over Walnut Fork and reciting the fact that it was rendered dangerous on occasions of high water, states that on the evening of July 28th the decedent in the capacity of a freight conductor was at the Crawfordsville Junction with his train. A very heavy rain had fallen and Roadmaster JS Brothers ordered him to make an inspection run to ascertain the condition of two dangerous places. When Walnut Fork was reached the engine went down and the decedent lost his life. It is stated that Mr. Fowler had no way of knowing the unsafe condition of the Walnut Fork trestle, and took the roadmaster's word as authority. The plaintiff further recites that decedent left a wife and two children who were dependent upon him for support. It is not at all unlikely that other suits on similar grounds hinge upon the result of the Fowler case.