Gammon Report Regarding Explosion Location

BRITISH COLUMBIA POLICE

"B" Division.
District, West Kootenay,
Detachment, Nelson.

REPORT

re: Explosion on Kettle Valley Train, West Bound, Oct. 29th, near Farron, B.C.

Since the explosion on the Kettle Valley Train near Farron, B.C., Oct. 29th, 1924. I have endeavoured to ascertain the cause of same, and whether it was a plot to kill the late Peter Verigin, President of the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood Limited. It has been the assumption among many that the explosion took place near where Mr. Verigin was sitting, the engineer and fireman of the locomotive, (Harkness & McLeod) stated in their evidence at the inquest that they saw a hole in the floor of the "First Class" coach near where Mr. Verigin was alleged to have been sitting. My contention has been right along that the explosion took place on the other side of the coach. Mr Verigin was sitting according to the evidence of the witnesses at about the centre of the coach, on the right or North side, and his body was found on that side of the track, his two coats which he was wearing at the time, are blown to almost ribbons from the waist down on the left side, the right side of the garments are scarcely touched. On the left side and nearly to the rear of the coach was sitting a "Hindoo" who was killed, his body was mutilated worse than any other, and was thrown a greater distance, his body was found on the South side of the track, and some considerable distance ahead of where the explosion took place, therefore the explosion must have taken place behind the "Hindoo" to have thrown his body to the place where it was found, if, it had occured near where Mr. Verigin was sitting it would naturally have blown the "Hindoo" in the opposite direction.

At the inquest held at Nelson on the bodies of W.J. Armstrong, Harry Bishop, Mary Streleoff and Neil Murray, there was seventeen witnesses examined, this evidence was taken down by the Court Stenographer on instructions issued by Dr. Mackenzie, Coroner, apparently this evidence has not yet been transcribed, for future reference I would like a copy of same, so that the statements of the different witnesses can be checked up, and I respectfully suggest that this office be supplied with a copy.

To the,
Officer Commanding,
"B" Division,
B.C. Police,
Nelson, B.C.