The official Illinois Central investigation concluded Jones was responsible for the accident, having failed to heed multiple signals—a flagman, warning torpedoes on the tracks—while pushing to regain lost schedule. This complex truth adds depth to his folklore: a dedicated man whose professional error set the stage for his personal sacrifice. His legacy was cemented not by the company report, but by a heartfelt blues ballad from Wallace Saunders, a Black engine wiper who knew him, a song of grie