The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-09
The LATE RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

An Unheard- -Of fAtrOCity-BaR Iron, RaAI-
upon the Track Of the Pennsylvania
Central lRailrOsd-FeRrful Accident fn
Consequence Arrest Of the Perpe-
traitors of the Deed, Etc.
From the Pittsbur0 Chronicle of last eveninO
A piece Of diaOOlism more frlghtful and cold
blooded than anything we have been called
upon to record for long time, was perpe-
tTated yesterday on the Pennsylvania Railroad
this city. The results of the deed, so far az
human life and limb are concerned, are COM
paTatively small, but it is only by an apparent
miracle that we are spared the necessity of
recording awholesale slaughter OF men, women,
and children.
The Cincinnati express train, consisting of
one baggage and one express car, three passen-
ger coaches, and sleeping car, LETT the Union
depot yesterday morning, at IL o'clock. The
train was filed witd passeng forty Of whom
had arrived during the forenoon from Cincin-
natl Wnen the train had gone about three
quarters of o mile beyond Turtle Creek sta
ton, and was near Spring HILL the engineer,
Robert H. Kerr, discovered an obstruction on
the track. The obstruction was placed upon a
curve OF the road, and could not be seen until
hetrain was close upon it. The engineer i'm
mediately reversed the engine and whistled
"down brakes" but could not sufficiently check
the locomotive to prevent the collision. The
engine struck the obstacle and was thrown from
the track, together with the tender, the ex-
press, baggage, and two passenger cars, leaving
only one passenger coach and the sleeping-car
on the track
THE KILLED.
The cars, as we have said, were filled with
passengers, and were thrown about helter
skelter, yet miraculous as it may seem, not
passenger was killed, and none were injured
beyound a few bruises and scratches. The en-
ployes on the train did not escape so fortunately
Martin Pracken, a brakesman, was found Sc
surely wedged in between the first and second
cars In obedience to the signal he had tight
ened his brakes when the crash came, and the
platforms of both cars were smashed he being
caught and held between the iron railings OF
the platform and the end of the car. An axe
was employed to cut him out, but IL soon be-
came apparent that the railing would have to
be cut oil, work which occupied over thirty
minutes, during which the unfortunate man
a11ff "a n6 a " Ypr1
His left thigh was found to be terribly crushed
from the knee TO the hip, and he sustained in
ternal injuries OF serious nature. He was
brought to this city and taken to his boarding
house, No. So Walnut treet, where he has been
He was attended by DR.. Hamilton, who had
been called to the scene OF the accident and
who came In with the unfortunate man.
THE INJURED.
Peter McCanley, an engineer on the road was
on the train proceeding TO his home at Latrobe
He had his right foot badly crushed, and he re-
ceived some cuts.
Robert II. Kerr, the engineer of the train, was
badly scalded, received several cuts about the
head. He resides at Latrobe.
w. Wilhelm, the baggage MASTER had his
juries, but not very serious. He lives in Phila-
delphia. The injured men went on to their
homes in the first train.
THE OBSTRUCTION
The cause of this terrible accident was easily
ascerta1ned Five cross ties, a bar of railroad
iron, some kegs Of spikes and other articles had
been laid upon the track. They had evidently
been carefully and skilltully placed with a view
TO accomplishing the purpose which had been
so well subserved. The ties and one end OF the
rail lay upon the South track, while the other
end Of the rail and the spikes were placed on
the north track, so as to make sure work of
whichever train should come along first. The
perpetrators apparently not being certain that
the fist train would be eastern or western
bound.
THE CRIMINALS.
Three persons are supposed to have been con-
cerned In the perpetratlon of the diaboical
affair Mr.. Stone, who was on the locomotives
with the engineer, informs us that they saw
standing near the obstruction a man. who as
soon as the collision took place, jumped the
fence and ran. He was pursued and captured
and during the afternoon brought to the ciLy by
q agentleman named John Duff, residing at fur.
tie Creek. Mr.. Stone accompanied the prisoner
The man is an evil-looking person, having
the precise appearance OF a North Carolina
soldier In the Rebel army in the last year of
the war. -
His name is thought to be Patrick ManabaD.
and he is the same man who was arrested ON
Wylie street some two months ago be1oin@
food and money, throwing away the food and
pocketing the cash. He played dumb then, but
was brought 10 speech eventually. About
o'clock this morning two other men named
Paul Howard and Paul Price, were arrested AZ
the coke.ovens1n The Ninth Ward and brouRht
In. They say they are strangers from Harris-
burg: They were locked up, and await pro-
Ceedings. - FAS-