Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-10-01
SEASHED AND KILLED.
Fourteen Louisville Railroad Cars
Smashed in Deep Cut.
One Man Killed and Fourteen Wounded
The Section Boss 70 Blame.

A fearful smash-up Of a freight train
occurred in the cut just south Of the
National Cemetery, on the Louisville
and Nashville road, at about eleven
O'Clock yesterday morning, says the
Nashville Banner of Saturday, in
which one man was killed, the en-
gineer's ankle broken, and several per
sons bruised. The train was a special
one, under the charge Of Conductor
Patrick Kelley. 1t was composed Of a
locomotive and fourteen box cars, and
was to run by telegraph. it LEFT Edge
field at ten O'Clock thirty-fve minutes
in the morning, and was proceeding
down heavy grade Just south Of the
cemetery, when the engineer, Alfred
Strother, discovering that a rail was
lacking on the road, in the cut
mentioned, whistled down brakes.
They were Immediately put on,
but the train was so close upon
the break that the effort to check it
proved Intellectual, and it rambied on
ward TO destruction. Strother saw that
crash was inevitable, and, fearing the
worst, jumped from his engine and had
his ankle broken. When the locOmo-
tive struck the break it careened and
went over on its side, striking with full
force against the jutting rocks in the cut.
The fourteen cars were thrown forward
with a powerful momentum, which
drove the most Of them, with fearful
crash, square across the track, COM
pletely blocking up the cut. Eleven of
them were crushed into fragments, and
the remaining three badly wrecked. 1t
was the work of moment. Samuel
! Green, the fireman, had stuck to the en-
gine in preference TO jumping into the
rocks, and escaped with slight
bruises. George DeLee, who had
ridden upon the locomotive from
/ Edgefeld, was thrown overheard
by the concussion and killed. It is said
/ that seeing the danger ahead, be had
attempted 10 run from the engine over
upon the train. Patrick Kelley, the
conductor, was thrown violently to the
/ fiOOr Of the cabOOse, his head striking
against box; his head and side were
bruised. William Davis, the front
brakeman, after putting on bis brakes,
jumped off and was cut about the face
and somewhat bruised about the body.
/ William Ray, the middle brakesman.
stayed with the train, and though the
cars were jammed together all about
| him, he escaped unhurt. BENJAMIN
Austin, the rear brakeman, after hav-
ing put on as many as possible, was
about 70 brace himself in order to save
himself, bat the shock proved so violent
that he was thrown over the brake on to
the forward car. He fortunately escaped
serious injury. The body Of De Lee,
crushed and mangled, was found under
rail, upon which rested the trucks
Of the third car from the engine. 1t
was extricated by means Of jacK-screW
His remains were brought into the cit
in a blanket and taken to DR. II.
Groomes's undertaking establishment,
where Justice Cassetty held an inquest
Nover them. Conductor Kelley and
brakesmen Davis, Austin ana Ray were
summoned and testified as witnesses.
1t appeartd from the testimony that
Conductor Kelley was not aware that
De Lee bad been on the train until
after the accident, and that man
was seen in the cut motioning the
train ahead. The jury rendered a
verdict that De Lee "came to his death
by the dereliction Of duty on the part Of
the section boss between Nashville and
/ Edgefield Junction, near the National
Cemetery, on the Louisville and Nash
vile road.n The remains OF De Lee
were taken to his friends in Edgeheld.
He had been sick, and it is said that he
got upon the engine in Edgefeld TO ride
70 the meeting point Of the first train,
upon which he Intended to return. The
engine Of the train was not badly dam
aged. The wreck will be gotten out OF
the way early to-day. Passengers and
baggage were transferred last evening.
-
Two men In Columbus, Ohio, night