Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1879-11-03

The men presented ghastly pic
ture as they lay there uncovered, the
several members being wrapped up in
clothes and placed on the bodies to
which they belonged. After examin-
ing the bodies the jury left the dead
house and repaired to the Directors
room at the depot where the inquest
was held, and the following witnesses
examined:
Thomas DeCamp, engineer of shifter
No. 8, was first called; he testified that
about 1870 on Saturday evening he
took the extra Wilmington freight
train down the road towards the juno.
ton, at BrOwntown several of the cars
we're cut off and placed on their proper
sidings. The balance of the train, ten
cars, was then showed back OH another
siding, and left standing there. These
cars did not all go on the siding bat
some remained on the main track. At
ter leaving this batch, his shifter, No.
S, proceeded on down to the junction tc
receive orders from the foreman at that
point. Saw sbifter No. 6 at the juno.
ton, the engineer, John Gallagher, was
standing beside his engine ap.
parsntly oiling it. The shiftel
was standing on the North bound track
l was ordered by Mr.. VIM, Gallagher
the foreman, to take car over to the
Western Road, crossed over to the
north bound track and started off with
the car. Shifter No. 6 then crossed
over to the south bound track and came
down that track at rapid rate. Gal
lagher, the engineer Of No. 6, was shift
ing on the Delaware, Road and We had
come down to help him. | was taking
the car l had over to the Western Road
did not see the accident don't know
who was on Gallagher's engine; hi
run No. 6, and l run No. e;I did no
return to the scene of the accident bu
came in town. Have not seen The
three men since they died.
WIN. Gallagher sworn-I am employ
ed by the p. W. Il B. R. r. Co. as fore
man of shifting engine between Viii
mington and Delaware Junction; over
see the shifting at night; last nigh
about 1910 o'clock / took eighteen O.
twenty cars out to Browntown; l stop
ped there and started one of the cars il
on siding; l then told the rear brake
man that l would cut loose behind No
2292, did so and ordered DeGamp, th'
engineer, to shove the cars back a little
then went to the junction to see how
Shipley was fixed; Shipley's the fore
man of No. 6. Upon reaching the juno
tion Igot off my engine and got on No
6, and asked Shipley how he WIS get
ting on; be said he had got the Balti
more and Chester cars out and the Will
mington cars shifted, and he would
now take the ears | had
said all right; then told him how
had left the cars, (witness here agair
described how he had placed the cars;
some on the siding and some on the
main track,) asked Shipley what cal
he had and he said a Lamokin stone
car; coupled on to that, and before
started Harry Meredith came to me and
asked me for lamp globe" Told him
had none.' We then started in on the
north bound track and got some six or
eight car lengths away before the
other engine started; they then crossed
over to the south bound track; Edward
Shields fireman of No. 6, was then on
our engine; Gallagher came down the
track at . very rapid rate; when near
Latimer's crossing waved my lantern
as signal for Gallagher to stop; can
not say whether he did slack or not;
they passed us at a rapid rate; sparks
we're flying thickly from the engine;
my impression is that instead ofshut-
ting down he had opened the valve
to 20 faster; he could not have mis-
understood my signal; as they
passed by US l called out to Gala
CHER, -" Look out for those cars !"
nsant the cars that were standing part
ly on the siding and partly on the
main track; after they had passed us
could see that Gallagher had reversed
his engine, but the wheels would not
hold, and they just slid along right in
TO the cars; he was not over six car
lengths from the cars when he rever-
,ed; the moon was shining very bright
" and cars could be seen at long dis
.auce; after they passed l saw Edward
Reed jnmp off engine No. 6; he came
Town right between the two engines,
md as he fell jumped off my engine
% catch him as was afraid he would
yet under my engine; Just about this
line No. 6 struck the car; ran up as
oon as could get there and found the
hres men John Gallagher, Harry Meri-
lith and Edward Sasse, mashed up in
he wreck of the cab; Noe was running
backward at the time Of the
,ccident; l caught hold of sasse
f Sssse the brakeman, and tried to pull
i'm out but could not as his legs were
vedgsd in, one Of them being mashed
gainst tho coal box on which he was
itting; l then went to Meredith and
7hen | caught hold Of him he said,
MY God Billy get me ont of this" |
ould net get him out however, as his
sgs we're also wedged in by the wreck,
nd could not examine on account of
he escaping steam; then tried to tear
ONE of the cab away from the engineer,
ohm Gallagher; he was at his post ly-
ng partly out of the window with his
sgs jammed in the cab; but could
Of get him out; up to this time was
he only one at the wreck; Shipley
hen came up; l told him to get an axe
nd cut the men out and would go
,r the doctors; I got on my engine
hen and came into town bringing Reed
,ho was also hurt in with me; l asked
eed whether he had seen my signal to
Top, and he said "yes;" ! asked him
hy they did not stop, and hs said he
i'd not know; Reed was suffering very
inch: when | arrived at the depot