Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-16
From Sullivan Democrat
Shocking Railroad Accident.

Shocking Railroad Accident.
Last Saturday night Governor Morton with a
party of friends lett Indianapolis to visit the bat
tle-teld at COrnith where fight was expected.
They came down on special train, leaving Ter
re Haute about midnight. just above the depot
al this place the train ran into box fre sht ear
which had been standing on the switch, but was
found with its forward wheels just of the end of
the switch rails on the ground. The train was
rum NJ at the rate Of - miles an hour, the Oh
struction was not seen by the engineer until too
late to even check the speed of the engine, which
struck the with fearful force, breaking and
almost demolishng il and the locomotive The
car WAS driven backward on the switch and the
train rushed on
Prof Miles j. Fletcher, State Superintendent
OF Pubic Instruction, was aboard and on hear
ing the alarm attempted 10 look out the window
The edge Of the Lox car as it was pushed of on
the switch. struck the unfortunate gentleman on
the lett side OF lis head lifting up the top OF his
skull He died instantly, of course
The tram was running at such speed that the
impetus carried it several hundred Yards before il
stopped Another tram was procured from Ter
re Ii lute and the party proceeded their way.
leaving the &Ody OF Professor Fletcher nc the
house OF DR.. Mesrick. in charge OF DR. Bobbs, OF
Indianapolis. An extra train from below took
the body up during the afternoon.
The scene of the disaster was visited bv large
numbers OF people during Sunday. We are told
that the opinion was freely expressed 10y some
that the ireg ht ear was putpOsely run To it, po-
sition by some secession sympathizer or some po-
tical enemy OF Gov Morton. We learn that
his Excelleney freely expressed the opinion that
II was purpOSely done 10 DESTROY his life We
cannot believe that we have n citizen of this
county Who would be guilty OF so heiuous
crime. Ii such there he no one would be more
ciamorOus for his summary punishment than we:
and 40 punishment known % the law would i'm
our opinion, be commensurate with the crime
Still, we cannot believe we have anv such demon
among ". We believe that the bows who are IN
the habit of playing on and about the freight
cars have lOOsened the brakers and the car hns
run down the grade and off the switch An ex-
actly similar instance occurred once before at tie
slme place Or they may have done il from that
strange freak Tor committing senseless mischief
or "devitry" which is 50 often developed in bows
suffered to be ont at night. II I'd such AN acct
dent happened at any other period, no one would
have thought of an incendlary mOtive-nOr do
We believe it would have been preached had it
occurred in any other county; but the systematic
lying which has been res0red to by unprinciplel
men against this county has doubtless induced
many TO believe that Sullivan cOuQty is full of
seces,ionists, against whom nothing y too vile to
be said
A coroner's jury was empannelei before NJ.
Malott, Esq. to investigate the causes OF the ac-
cdent AT present writing they have not conclu
ded their labOrS.
How the came there is still wrapped in
impenetrable mystery Should they fail in un-
raveling il. there Is still 10 evidence of a Grim
inal purpose on the part OF any one; and We Sug
eeSt TO those who either express or entertain that
belief that il Is not only their privilege but also
their duty to 20 before that inquisition and reveal
all the facts they know the grounds Tor their
beei-or else hold their peace.
LATER The facts in the case have at length
been ascertained. The affidavit of james r.
Dooley, which i corroboratel by the testimony
of Mrs Worries and Miss johnson, i sufficient
ly explicit We give Dooleys testimony:
james Dooley being duly sworn. siys That
Milton Belser came to him at John Easter's
about o'clock. and asked him to 20 with him to
Mrs Voorhees, and see the girls, on last Sttur-
day night, the lOth inst; went there. and the
girls We went 10 see were hot there: SlmI Sin
clair came directly after were there start
ell home; Milton came aud told me 20 STAY few
minutes, ami he would 20 with me: waited
about half an hour; we then started and came To
the car here IL WAS standing on the switch Milt
said. LET Us take a ride on the ID old car"
We pushed az the car To run it towards the depot;
could not move II; | then lett Il and walked on
about twenty steps: stopped and told him TO
come on; NO said he, Il am going TO have a
ride . He was then standing on the track ana
pushing the car al the southeast corner: ! think
the brake WAS loose as he moved the car: when
II started. he got up the car ami tried 70 stop
H.: the car then run on the main track or on the
ties, where il stood when il was struck. | did
no, know that train was expected that night,
neither do ] think he did The car doors were
closed: 10 not know OF any woman being in 10;
u wJs.as ueir ~ ! can recollect about 10 o'clock
spoke 20 him about getting the back; he
SAID % morrow was SUNDAY. and that no train
would come down. and Kelley could get il back
ON sunday; siw no pencil writing on the car;
there one pushing at the car but Beser;
the car, think. WAS standing nearly opposite the
north end OF the woodshed
lSi-nell JANss r. DooLEY.
Young BeIser remained until Monday noon,
when he took the Grsi train back for the army
during that time allowing his political friends To
throw the blame Oh Democrats, without reveal
ing the facts
The following is the verdict OF the coroner's
jury:
State Of Indiana County of Sullivan:
We, Tie undersigned Jurors, enlanneei and
sworn OF the lth day OF Nav. 1862 at the town
OF Sullivan. Ia the county and State afore.aiI.
by Michael Ma.ou, an acting Justice ol the
Peace. ana acting Coroner ia and tor said
tN1tttf - INC 'itt ttu fttrfHtulcit Nthts i
what manner ana by whom Miles J Fletcher
then ana there found dead, came TO MS desth
Alter having heard the evidence, and examined
the BODY, We 10 bad that the deceased came to
hs death by collision oE special train OF cars
Oh the l. aud {. k. X with = box car standing
on the cross ties on the main truck of said road
"a hich occurred about / o'clock \ VI. on the
llih OF MAY. lo62; that when the collision &C
CURED the deceased lui his head oui OF tire ear
he in. aud struck by the box car stand
ing on the track a. aforesaid, which caused the
! nime,liaie death OF said Miles j. Fletcher. who
VAS found dead aforesaid
And We the jurors 40 further find that one
Milton Belser. soldier in Captain Walls com
pny. 5lsl regiment of Indiana volunteers. did
unla~lully remove the said box car that caused
the collision and death of the said Miles Fetch
er. from the switch Side track. where ~iid car
~as standing. on 10 the main track. aud left it IN
that pos ton. where the same struck by the
ira.a Aforesaid. which the cause OF the col