The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-07-06
Serious Accident ON the Baltimore
and Ohio Raflr0ad-A Diabolfcal
Attempt at Wholesale Murder.

\ Inc Clnclnndtl express ualn ehsl, uue
| in this city at 8:45 o'clock last night,
met with q serious accident GU the Bal.
timore and Ohio railroad when about
four miles this side of the Relay House.
The train was coming in on time, and
was running at rapid rate, when all
of a sudden the engine jumped the track
and dashed ahead for at least seventy.
FIVE yards. the wheels Of one side rum
ming on the sleepere, and those of the
other side between the two tracks, un-
til that side became so embedded in
the earth that the engine was com.
PEELED to stop. Fortunately the engine
did not turn over, and the damage done
to it is not very considerable. The cars
that Immediately follow the engine,
however, were terribly smashed.
The tender was thrown across the
two tracks, the baggage car turned
completely over on its top, and tossed
off on the north side of the track. In
this car was Conductor Taylor, who
had charge of the train, and was en-
gagged at the time in putting away his
tickets. He was badly bruised on his
wrist, leg. and head, the conclusion
stunning him at the time, but no bones
were broken, and his injuries are not
considered any way dangerous. The
baggage-master was not in the car at
the time.
The next was the smokers car, which
was dragged along the south side Of the
track, and one end OF it driven into an
embankment. In this car the most in
jury was done to the passengers, one
OF whom was found covered with the
debris, smashed seats, &c, and it was
with difficulty that he could be taken
out He was badly bruised and cut
about the head, and evidently very Sc
1iously wounded. He remained in an
unconscious state, occasionally opening
his eyes, but too much hurt to speak.
He had the appearance Of being a rail
road laborer, and Conductor Taylor says
he got on the train at the Relay House.
About six other passengers were con-
siderably bruised in this car, none, how
ever, very seriously. The lights in the
car were all put out, and seemed as if it
were about 10 turn completely over,
when it struck the bank and came back
on it's bottom. The trucks from under
this car and the baggage car were all
torn away. The second passenger car
ran off the north side Of the track up
against the baggage car and by the
side Of the smoking car. In it were
only three or four passengers and Mr.
Joseph Hummer, the agent OF McClin-
tock's Baggage Express, who was bad
" hurt in the side, and it was thought
perhaps one of his ribs might be broken.
lie was taken to house near by and
properly cared for.
The third and fourth passenger cars,
which completed the train, remained on
the track, and the passengers in them
were uninjured. In these cars were a
few ladies and children, the only ones
on the train. All Of them were badly
iolted, and Of course much frightened,
but nothing more From the appear
ance Of the wreck OF the cars, heaped
together in such inextricable confusion,
smashed and torn, it is miraculous that
no lives were lost.
Being Sunday train, thare were for
tunately not many passengers. Con-
ductor French was in the smoking car,
and was bruised on the head by being
thrown about in the car. He and Con-
ductor Stewart were returning from
their homes to report for duty this
morning. A brakeman, named Litch.
field, was hurt in the arm. a colored
man complained Of his head being in
jured. Engineman Shipley, of the un-
fortunate train, remained at his post
until his engine stopped.
After the accident, man was lmme-
diately sent ahead, and gave the signal
for the Washington bound train, then
due from Baltimore, to stop, just in
time to keep it from dashing into the
ruins. Soon after this the Western
bound train, also from Baltimore, came
along, and was also warned to stop in
time. The Washington bound train
seemed to be crowded with passengers.
Both trains were obliged to return to
Baltimore, unable 10 proceed on ac'
count of the wreck which numbered
the track.
The passengers Of the wrecked train
were transferred to the Western and the
Washington trains and brought safely
TO Baltimore, but the baggage and mails
were left in a confused heap in the
wreck. The Cincinnati express was
due in Baltimore at So P. NJ; the pas
sengers did not reach Baltimore till
about 10 o'clock. Wrecking trains pro-
ceeded Immediately to the scene Of the
disaster, and it was expected that by
midnight the track would be cleared up
for travel, as usual. to- day,
The engineers Of the trains which
came out of Baltimore, among them
Engineman Butler, who has run a loco
motive for thirty years, and Conductor
Taylor went back to ascertain the cause
OF the disaster, when they found some
one had taken out what are known as
the KEYS OF the switch at that point, and
placed one of the rails in such position
that the flange of the locomotive would
strike right in the centre of the end OF
the rail, which the marks on it show
was the case. That any one could do
so malicious an act could hardly be be.
lieved, except for the evidence, of which
there is hardly any doubt.
The switch key could not be found,
and it is thought the villainous deed
must have been done by some one who
knows something of railroad construc-
ton. Any how, he adopted the surest
plan of throwing the train off the track,
and succeeded completely.
The badly wounded man on the
snnkers' car. whose name could not be