The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-08-19
THE LAST RAILROAD A I'D
MURDER.
The People Indignant ut the Kali
way officials for their Action In
Keeping Back Information Re-
gardIng Saturdays Disaster.


SPRINGFIELD, August lS.-There is a
great deal of indignation expressed here
by citizens over the action of the offi-
cials both great and small OF the Chi"
cago and Alton Railroad in keeping
from the public, and even from the
friends of the victims, the news OF the
slaughter of Saturday night on that
road. Although the collision occurred
at thirty minutes past ten the fact was
telegraphed to the Superintendent OF
the road at Chicago, and within
an hour thereafter not a word
was sent to the friends OF
any of the wounded, and the mat
ter was studiously kept from the press
until it could no longer be silenced.
The passengers on the ill'fated train,
and who came down last night from
Chicago, state that until the arrival OF
the relief train in charge OF Superlnten-
dent McMullen, everything that was
done to release from the wreck and
alleviate the sufferings OF the scalded
victims, had to be done by the uninjur-
ed passengers. The conductor, they
say, LETT the wreck be.cra q single per-
son was extricated, aud wen, o Lemont
TO telegraph to the superintendent, while
the passengers carried the wounded and
diving from the wreck, and with such aE-
pliances as they had, ministered to THEN
wants, tearing up the pillow cases from
the sleeping cars for bandages and in
provising beds for them. Two physic-
ians came from Lemont soon after the
collision occurred, but they brought
nothing in the way Of medicines or in
struments with them, and were there
fore of little use. Miss Tracy, daugh-
ter OF the editor OF a Houston, Texas,
paper, who was with her father on the
train, is spoken OF in terms OF the
highest praise for her noble attention to
the wounded, whose condition was so
horrible az to cause the stoutest heart
to grow sick and faint.
When the relief train from Chicago
arrived it brought everything necessary
for the comfort Of the poor victims,
several OF whom, however, had by this
time found relief in death. Some OF the
passengers state that it was $50 A. NJ.
before the relief train arrived, and one
gentleman asserted that it was 3 A. N.
The greatest interest is felt here in re-
gard to the condition Of Major Smith
and Mr.. Furry, both OF whom were old
citizens OF this city. The entire public.
join the families of Captain Little and
young Develbliss in their grief.
CHICAGO, August lS.-The engineer
of the coal train accounts for his share
Of the responsibility by saying that the
hands OF his watch had caught and
stopped, deceiving him with the belief
that he had abundance OF time to reach
Willow Spring before the southwark
bound train was due. This singular
circumstance with the fog and the delay
to the express train constituted three
purely accidental conditions which con-
tributed largely TO make the accident
what it was. But Notwithstanding
these circumstances and aside from the
almost incomprehensble peryersity of
the conductor, it would seem that there
is grave responsibility attaching to high.
er authority.
Jas. O'Neil died at four o'clock this
morning. Lemont, Of Philadelphia,
and BrIdger are go badly injured that
they cannot live long. Poor Bridger
besides being badly cooked was hurt on
the head and last night became deleri-
Gus from pain and injuries to his brain,
and 1t was found necessary to tie him TO
his couch. Lemont was also scalded
and had both arms broken. The suf-
ferers received every attention from the
hospital surgeons and from the warden
Of the institution. Mr.. Bross, Of this
city has died. Capt. J. W. Smith who
died to-day was formerly Mayor of the
city of Springfield where he lived many
years.