The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-15
CRUSHED TO DEATH.

FIVE PERSONS KILLED IN COLLISION NEAR
ATLANTIC CITY-GRoss NEGLIGENCE THE
cAusE-FoRTUNATE PRESENCE OF MIND OF
TWO ENGINEERS.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
PHILADELPHIA. August IA. 1879.
A terrible accident occurred the Philadelphia
and Atlantic City Railway this afternoon. near a
station called Cementon about twelve miles out OF
Camden. n. j. There to be magnificent and
elaborate pyrotechnic display at Atlantic City this
evening and it had been very widely advertised As
consequence there was an unusual rush OF Wis
itors to the seaside to-day. especially during the
afternoon. ana both lines of railway ran extra
trains to carry the crowds OF excursionists.
The Philadelphia and Atlantic City line is the
narrow gauge railroad which hastily and cheaply
laid two years ago. 1t has always been unfortunate.
financially and otherwise. During the construction
of the road several workmen we're killed. and the
very first passenger train that 1t met with
serious accident. Since then other lives have been
lost but o. the casualties have been terrible
that OF to-day. Five lives sacrificed. but It
is simply marvellous and miraculous that the dead
were not numbered by the
AN EXCURSION TRAIN.
At half-past two this afternoon special excur-
sion train OF nine left Kaign's Point below
Camden, where ths passengers are conveyed from
Philadelphia by boat. The Simmer Yacht Club. of
this ety. had organized excursion and about three
hundred tickets had been sold. About that num-
Der OF persons the train. mostly men.
Fortunately, it afterward happened,
ora of the nearly empty. the
company having attached them to the train
to send to Atlantic City for returning passengers.
The conductor of the train Z. A. Worthngton,
the engineer Thomas Pennypacker. the fireman
John Lafferty. and the three brakemen were E.
Wood. Jacob De Ginthes ana Jacob Griffin. The road
has a single track. with sidings.
AN APPALLING SIGHT.
The train had been under way about twenty min
utes and had reached Clementon station. twelve
miles from Camden, when, just the engine was
rounding curve. the engineer suddenly
saw freight train approaching him. The
passenger train running at thirty
miles IN hour the other running at about half
this speed. Engineer Pennypacker seems to have re-
tanned his presence OF mind and acted promptly.
He blew for down brakes" and reversed the lever
quicker than it be told, and he and his firemen
had just time to jump Cor their lives.
When the signal for brakes was heard Conductor
Worthington and three brakemeu sprang for the
brakehandles. As the opposing engines struck with
terrific force the passenger coaches telescoped suf
Hcleuty TO crush into spnters the platforms ana the
canopies Of every car in the train.
A TERRIBLE DEATH.
Tho conductor and two of the brakemen Wood and
De Ginther. were caught between the heavy timbers
and instantly killed. Charles Schaal, passenger.
who had been sitting the steps Of of the cars
was also killed, and J. Smith. q salesman for the
Union News Company, who had taken hold Of o
brake to assist met similar horrible fate. The
forward ends Of the three front coaches
were crushed and telescoped rs far as the second
third seats and the Of the passengers from
death is regarded wonderful No one except those
on the platforms seriously hurt. Many were
slightly. few quite badly. bruised, but ser-
ously. The engine Of the passenger train lifted
up on top of the freight engine and the two were
mingled in an inextricable wreck.
GROSS NEGLIGENCE.
The freight train left Atlantic City at Quarter to
twelve o'clock A. NJ. The conductor John King
and the engineer E. s. Johnson. They jumped
and saved their lives. receiving only few scratches
They state positively that they had orders where
to wait TOR the down passenger train All they knew
was that the excursion coming, but they were
not instructed where TO look out for it. 1t
is admitted at the Office of the company at Kaighn s
Point that the train orders not properly given
In fact, the of the accident the grossest
criminal negligence on the part of some subordinate
at the railroad Office. The general manager Of the
road who has recently entered upon his duties is
Mr.. Ellis Clark, experienced and careful
railroad man. for many years with the
North Pennsylvania Road. He is much distressed
at the accident and intimated that investigation
will be made to Ak the responsibility where it be-
longs. Railroad men declare that only the exceed.
ingly prompt action of the two engineers in in
stantlv reversing their engines prevented the com,
f~et ha fruiv apdfh r,f
hundreds.
The bodies OF the dead were removed to Camden
tonight in terribly manged condition. The Coro-
ner will begin inquest at once. Schoal the pas
senger who killed, deaf mute. It is
declared by several witnesses that during the half
hour that he lay wrthing in agony before death
to his relief the gift of speech suddenly
turned to him. and he able to give directions to
those who were helping to extricate him from the
debris.
LIST OF THE KILLED. SCENE OF TERROR.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, August IA, 1879.
The following are the of the persons who
were killed in the accident at Clementon:-
A. +. wORTHINGTON. conductor.
L. WOOD. brakeman.
JACOB DEGINTHER. brakeman.
j. SMITH, news agent.
CHARLES SCHOAI.. deaf mute.
SCENE THE CARS
There very great excitement in the cars when
the collision occurred women screamed and 1t
was with difficulty that they could be prevented
from jumping OF the windows After the train
had stopped the men compelled to get out
through the windows and drag the women and chill
dren after them in the same way. In about two
hours after the accident occurred trains arrived. and
a number of the passengers took train for the
xvbi oil tonk fha train h;cb
brought them the city shortly after eight O'Clock
this evening The engine of the passenger train was
completely smashed. Nobody was injured on the
freight train. There were two physicians on the
train who rendered all the assistance possible and
,,hx sicians from the city went down To Aid theIn