Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-11-27
THE WRECK ON THE VALLEY
= RAILROAD.

Three parties, Isaac Powell, Dewitt Ettin-
ger (aias Glover,) and Samuel Ludholtz,
have been arrested for wrecking the train
near Cowan's Station on the Valley Branch
of the b. & o. r. r., a brief account of
which appeared in our last issue. Ettinger
confessed his guilt and implicated the others.
Earrisonburg (Va.) correspondent of the
Baltimore Sun, under date of the 22d in
slant, says:
The grand jury for Rockingham county,
now in session, have promptly indicted De
Witt Ettinger, alias Glover, one (and it is
believed the chief of the parties charged
with placing instructions upon the track of
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, near Cowan's
Station, Saturday evening last. The indict>
ment was made mainly upon the testimony of
Issaac Powell, who was first arrested for the
offense. Ettingor is represented as a great
ly demoralized man, to say the least. He
had been drinking pretty freely short time
before the develish deed was done. No pres
sentiment was made nor Indictment found
against Powell and Ludholtz, arrested and
committed for the offense. The motive as
signed by Ettinger to Powell was revenge
for being, as he said, clicked off the train"
for wanting to ride without ticket. The
Virginia law, is death, which is just pun
ishment.
The Staunton indicator, which sent
reporter to Harrisonburg, gives the follows
ing account of the diabolical deed:
Saturday afternoon, about O'Clock,
mixed train, carrying eleven loaded cattle
cars, two house cars, q gondola and passen-
ger car, left the Staunton depot of the Val-
ley Railroad. The engineer was Thomas
Chidlow, of Sandy Hook, a married man,
with wife and two daughters, and the fire.
man was Jno. l.. Thompson, of the same wills
lage, who has been but few months mar
ried. Both men were in the prime OF life
and health. Among the passengers was Mr..
Jos. Pelter, of Augusta, on his way to Bal
timore with load of stock. The evening
was clear, and the moon shone brightly as
dusk gathered, the train running at the speed
of twelve or fourteen miles an hour. AT
Harrisonburg more passengers were taken on,
among them some ladies, and the coach was
gay with conversation.
About nine miles below Harrisonburg the
road runs through rolling country, and at
this point there is a cattle guard in the track.
Into this guard, thirty minutes before the
train reached it, two or three men inserted
number of cross ties cnd>wise, the ends pro-
iectng above the track, and then left the
road One Of the men stood on the rising
ground, some distance off, to watch the disas-
tor. In a few moments the light Of the
coming locomotive appeared around the curve.
The passengers were conversiDg or looking
out at the bright moonlight, without thought
of danger, while the train rushed Oh. Then
there came crash The passengers were
thrown from their seats with violence, and
the car stopped on the track. A conductor
called out to the gentlemen to take the la
dies out-that an accident had occurred.
Outside, the scene was frightful. The cat
tie in the cars were believing; three cars
were lying wrecked on the side of the track,
and ahead lay the engine completely envel-
oped in q black cloud OF smoke, from out of
which came the shrieks of the two men be-
ing scalded to death under it. 1t was some
time before the engineer and fireman could
be extracted from under the engine, which
was of the camel>back pattern, and had in
turning pinned them securely to the ground.
When they were finally gotten out they
were taken to neigh boring house, and med
ical aid sent for. The engine had left the
track directly after striking the obstruction,
and had run about hundred yards before
capsizing. There being no telegraph station
between there and Broadway it was some
time before Superintendent j. II. Averill,
whose headquarters are at Winchester, could
be notified of the accident, but directly he
received the telegram he started on special
train for the scene, and arrived there about
O'Clock Sunday morning Both the en-
gineer and fireman had been scaded internal
ly. Thompson died quietly about A NJ,
Sunday. Chidlow was rational through eli
his night of agony, and towards the end re-
marked to Mr. Averil that he felt little or
no pain now, but did not think there was
any chance for his recovery as the doctor
would give him no hope The absence of
pain was the precursor of death, and he ex-
pired at A. NJ. While the two men lay
the line from Sandy Hook from their half
frantic wives, entrcuting for news from their
husbands. 1t was sent them, and the last
message of Sunday morning was sent to two
widows. Superintendent Averill purchased
neat dark suits, in which the bodies were
dressed, and after placing them in handsome
collins sent them to their homes The
greatest horror and indignation was expressed
by the country people, who rushed to the
scene on getting news of the accident, and
every assistance was offered to discover the
murderer.
There was one person in the vicinity, that
while all the country'pcoplo were rushing to
the scene, staid away from tho sight, nor
could he be gotten to 60 to where the wreck
lay. It was boy of nineteen, named Rich>
ard Powell, whose father is a respectable
farmer about six miles from Hagerstown,
Md. A lady informed Mr.. Averll of his
strange conduct and he put man on his track.
To this pan Powell stated that the ties were
put On the track about half an hour before
the train arrived by Dewitt Ettiuger who had
asked him to assist him, saying that "ho had
been kicked off the cars By the train hands