The Morning herald., 1878-07-01
FOUR MEN KILLED.
ARREST ON SUSPICION!

THE ENGINEER AND FIREMAN DIE
AT THEIR POSTS.
On Saturday night last the southern ex-
press train, due in this city at twenty-five
minutes past ten was thrown from the track
near Claymont, and the engineer, freman
and two other men killed outright.
;. - THE ACCIDENT.
The train consisted of eight cars, in the
following order: Pennsylvania express car,
United States postal car, Adams express
car, baggage car, three passenger cars and
one sleeping car. There were quite num-
ber passengers on board, perhaps as many
as one hundred and seveDty-fve or two hun
dred, and the train was running at good
late of speed.
When the train was about quarter of a
mile this side of Clayment, and three or
four hundred yards from where the accident
occurred, some of the passengers felt the
air brakes being put on. which did not to
any great extent slacken the speed, and the
next moment there was sudden jar as the
engine and some of the foremost cars struck
an obstruction which caused them to jump
the track, and the train dashed forward
humping over the ties at terrible rate
The scene which followed
BATTLES DEs CRIPTIoN,
And can only be realized by person who
has passed through the awful excitement
of similar disaster. The locomotive hay
ing ran over two hundred yards from where
she jumped the track, plunged into the
bank alongside the road, while the cars, as
they continued on. scrapel against the hind
er part of the engine, tearing the sides out
of them as they passed, and were only stop
ped when the head car, having lost her
trucks brought up by plowing deep into the
bank some thirty yards further on 1t was
q moment of the widest conceivable excite
ment and terror; men shouted and trembled,
women shrieked and tainted, and husbands
commenced the search for their wives and
parents for their children, fearing each
moment that they would find tnat some
dread injury had befallen their loved ones.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
The excitement. however, was chiefly
confined to the passengers, while the en-
ployees acted with commendable coolness.
The freight train which is not run on any
schedule time, but which generally follows
this train was forgotten for the time being,
and was not thought of until whistle In
the distance announced her rapid approach,
and man was sent back with red lantern
to signal her to stop. Meanwhile the freight
train was coming on rapidly a short dis.
tance above Claymont, and the agent at
that station, Mr.. E. VI. Lawson, saw the
red light, and rot knowing at the time of
the wreck, hung out a red lantern also, as
an additional precautlon, fearing that an &C.
cident might occur. This action on the
part of Mr.. Lawson, perhaps saved dou-
BILE calamity, as the freight was not stop
ped until within short distance of the
wrecked cars. 4
There is no telegraphic line from Clay
mont, and communication with the other
stations had to be gained by going to the
nearest station, and Mr.. VIM. II. Hurley,
Jr., who lives near, harnessed his horse and
drove to Linwood, from where dispatches
were sent to Philadelphia and Wilmington
for help. As soon as the widest part of
the excitement was over the 4
SEARCH FOR THE DEAD
was commenced. After the lapse of some
time dead body was found lying In the
gutter by the side of the locomotive. This
proved to be the body of the engineer,
George Babe, who was not quite dead when
found, but who died soon after. He had
terrible wound in the forehead, and two
long sickening wounds in the abdomen,
from which the intestines were protruding J,
In addition to these he was otherwise man
gled. The next to be found was the body
of George Babe, Jr., the fireman, and son
OF the engineer. He bore no wounds and
lay completely concealed from view under
the engine. His death probably resulted
from internal wounds, and his face ard
hands were horribly burned.
The news came to Wilmington at twenty
minutes of eleven o'clock, and the wreck
ing train left soon after having on board
Drs. Ogle, Dreper, Kane, Bullock and Short-
lidge, the Coroner and Special Officer Legg
and many others. When this train arrived
at the scene at 11.30, no other bodies save
tbooa of thu an oiraor and firaman had haan