The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-02

effort behalf of the democratic candidate Of 1852
TO indulge in at least comparative retirement refer 70
this not only as excuse to for not replying in
more ample detail but also in order to give to the few
sentiments have expressed their rghtful force, of
Irng of cool and unimpassioned reflection. am, dear
sir, your felow-citizen and friend, g.. N. DALLAS.
DR. AIFRkD +. WRIGHT.
30th October, 1854
STATEMENT OF THOMAS +. MEAGHER.
From the Detroit Tribune, Oct. 28.l
We called this morning Thomas Francis Meagher,
the well-known Irish patriot, who . passenger
the passenger train which came in collision with the
gravel train yesterday morning From him we have
ceived the following detailed statemene of this depora
BILE affair, which can be relied upon accurate being
from eyewitness and active participant in all the
terrible scenes that ensued after the collision He
We came with extreme caution, the night continu-
ing extremely dark and foggy SO much so that it was
impossible to discern any object either side Of the
road Nothing could exceed the vigilance of tho conduc
tor and the baggage master, Mr. Tenk Tench-both
constantly the watch and passing to and fro
peately. The engineer, Smith, observed the same
ton and diligence following the instructions Of the
ductor implicitly Indeed the train proceeded slowly
that it gave rise to much rdicue and merriment and
subsequently to downright complaint among the passen
gers From not few, could be heard at the da
torness of the train The lamps in the cars soon after
became extinguishod and no lights were left except
After the accident to the engine Mr.. Meagher fire.
IN ns the is. u
behind the forward door Of the last on the train but
it crowded principally by passengers from YER
he left that and passed through the Others which
equally crowded. until he reached the front first
stated was occupied chiefly by second class
the two second class cars not being found sufficient to
accommodate them. He found the centre seat on the
left side vacant and took it. The train left Chatham at
80 A. NJ and reached the fatal spot at 10 A. NJ He
had been asleep about twenty minutes when he was
heavy spent wave as It subsidies On coming clearer
consciousness he distinctly heard the crashing and rip
ping Of tmbers all around him, mingled with the most
fearful shreks and groans and the noise Of escaping
steam. The floor under him vibrating while
he crushed in the seat, the root faliny
down Immediately before him, striking him in
the face with large torn fragment He
made instant effort to get clear from the ruins but
found his right foot caught beneath the seat and the
broken floor Upon making second trial he succeeded
in drawing out his leg leaving the boot in the ruins
in boot-jack. He succeeded in reaching the rear
the brakeman at that end Of the He had been evil
IDENTITY at the brake at the moment Of the collision and
ing lamp little after he found that Martin had both
thighs and both arms broken-the latter above the ell
bows His head, too appeared to have been drcadfuly
bruised though no wound could be perceived. This
noble fellow deserves especial mention. Upon going to
him when the morning broke and Offering to remove him
to comfortable situation he answered, "Never mind
me-help those who are living, for / am done for"
Somewhat later, upon bringing him drink of water he
asked Meagher to turn him on his side little MORE
that he might die quietly
Fires were Immediately kindled by the passengers,
which afforded light by which at glance the awful
The passenger engine and tender lying at the
Of the observation-disclosures 20 feet high-bottom side up
wards to into nj with the smoke stack
point baptist eek stretches away both sides of the
road The fire had been thrown completely out and the
hot cinders smoking in the wet grass. The first
baggage perfectly unhurt but the second one
dashed into the first secondcass car and with the
latter formed immense mass Of splinters woodwork
ironwork, bones, brans mangled flesh, torn Clothes
broken rifles loeves of bread and other eatables jum
bcd together il mine Of gunpowder had blown them
class had been driven right upon the roof of the for
ward rstclass car, than half way in length The
weight Of had crushed in the fore part Of the be-
meath It, leaving the rest of it uninjurcd though
On both sides Of the embankment, below these cars
violently from the wreck others having crawed down
with broken legs while yet others had been carried to
o sns a. :. Is
describe the various wounds and hdeous uations In
aicted upon the poor sufferers Lying Immediately
saw the 6rst corpsethat Of child about three years
Of age: The head was frghtfuily swollen and dscolor
seven inches long and shaped and sharply pointed like
an arrowhead had entered behind the right ear and
passed through the right cheek and out by the
fragment but unable to do so. The child was
stone dead An old LADY,. with gray hairs, whom he
s below ~ .n the loot Ines Of o sns
open with gashes seven or eight inches in length
and an inch and half in breadth. The bone Was
ance Of being given by some heavy, bunted fragment
The protruding flesh was jagged and torn. colorcd
man Of large and powerfully built frame lying
little below the first baggage car with both legs broken,
the bones being thrust through his panaloons though
cut of with cleaver. His mouth was filed and his
to be the pures white foam He was one of the brake
men the gravel train Another Of the colorcd brake
S tsa train was found nF his face
with heavy mallet into the gravel His left leg had
been literally torn of from the middle Of the thigh and
har,o
falling the sole of the boot being uppermos and the
anew arteries Of the limb and shreds Of flesh dripping
and dangling about From the forward window Of the
halfcrushed car the neck and shoulders of muscular
man thrust out the head having been cut of IL
with guiotlne. He looked for the head but could
One thing which attracted his notice was the dscoor.
alton Of the bodies buried up the ruins bearing the
appearance Of bruises and suhocation.
Upon the conductor and others cutting their way
through the foremost FIRST class into the wreck and
clearing away the @ they found some twenty
with the fragments Of the The slain at the bottom
of ditch in front Of battery Of cannon, could not
two three layers Of these bodies and ruins and they
were packed and pressed together II heavy slab Of
iron had fallen upon and crushed them There very
little blood flowing from any wounds, but the tongues
and eyes were forced out from sockets and mouths
as though they had been choked In this car occurred
stoutly built had been flung up against the
roof Of the car which forced of at the time and
his left leg and arm were pushed outside but the
platform OF the next car forward had fallen upon him
ct the moment, and had tightly fastened him. The
leg and arm were outside Of the car, with the rest
OF the body hanging inside Of the with the face
looking dowHwards The conductor was the frst
finding him alive, that he must be saved. Making
their way through the ruins and the dead bodies
the conductor and the party with him reached the spot
where the POOR fellow cnched and riveted between
the tmbers He was full Of heart and babe them work
on and that nc could hold out II they could He must
have been three hours and half In this position
before he was discovered and found TO be alive After
half an hours work q saw found, and three men,
Mr. Edwin A. skcele OF st. Louis man from Vermont
and Mr. Meaehcr relieved each other in saving him out
This was accomplished In about threequarters OF an
erfo tuton In xr6f