The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-06
DEATH OF arR. PETER A. KEYS.

met his death on the preceding evening
in collision upon the Air Line Rail-
road, where lie had been engaged as an
engineer for tue past seven or eight years.
When the recent fast mail train was put
on this Road, Mr. Keys, being one of the
best and most experienced engineers,
was placed i'll charge Of one of these
trains, but on last Friday, tho oath of
December, he procured on exchange to
the regular passenger, in order that he
might spend Christmas day with his
family in Atlanta. Upon this train lie
would without accident have reached his
home by one or two o'clock in the after
noon, but such wns l. OF the doom in store
for him by fate. The Air Line was start
ing freight train out from Atlanta in
two sections, and in order TO prevent
accident the master of transportation
telegraphed the operator at Norcross,
whose name was Burgess, the station Mt
Which the passenger and freights should
pass each er. Four dispatches were
sent him on the subject, and eacli time
he was required 10 telegraph them back
to prove that lie correctly understood
them. The two first expired before the
passenger arrived, and the two last re-
mained of force. At 1890 the passenger
train arrived, and the operator gave to
conductor Sims aud engineer Keys one
telegram instead of two, which entirely
misled them, and they proceeded, sup
posing that they had the entire Road to
Atlanta open TO them. The result is
given rs follows by the Atlanta (onstitu-
tion:
From passengers aboard it was learned
that conductor Sims left Norcross in ODE
dicnce to orders above given. When the
train was approaching Peachtrce creek
the freight train rounded curve, and in
nm instant the two engines had colided
and the work of death was done.
The engineer in charge Of the freight
train says he did not see the passenger
train until he had turned the curve, when
he blew down brakes and reversed, but
the passenger came rushing on, and in an
instant the collision was over. Tho
freight train was running about eight
miles per hour, consequently the engineer
ard fireman had abundant time to jump
cG Gaad thus escane. Tho nnssenger train
was running about forty miles an hour,
and when the engine struck the shnck
was terrible. The mail coach, which
was just in the rear of the tender, was
''telescoped" by it. The baggage car
was next to the mail coach, but the
Miller platform saved all but the plat
form itself. Besides the injuries to these
cars and the engine, but little hurt was
done the passenger train
When the cause of the quick stop was
known, Captain Sims rushed to tho en-
gine, where he found Keys dead under
1 The side of the engine, and Collins (the
freman), the lower portion Of whose
body was buried under the debris, strug-
Cling for freedom.
At once every available hand went to
work with will TO extricate the dead
and dying, and after quite an amount of
labor their work was rewarded, but the
sight that met their eyes was indeed har-
rowing. Keys was horribly mutilated-
his left leg being torn to shreds and his
face and body literally cooked and scald-
ed. A stick of wood entered his abdo-
men and was driven into his body, tear-
ing 1t almost asunder. The bones of his
leg were broken in pieces, the ends OF
which protruded through the mutilated
flesh. His foot was almost detached
from his leg, and the sight made the
stoutest turn with shuddering from its
contemplation.
Over his left eye was terrible bruisc
and the side Of his face was badly
mashed. There he lay, his full. hand
some beard matted with the blood bruised
from his body, which, but moment be-.
lore, was iuii OF life and health.
During tho greater portion of the nf.
ternoon Mrs. Keys awaited the arrival
of the train which she looked for her
husband to coma on: aud eD:':i avi no
answer rs TO the cause of the delay, ex-
cspt that the train was behind time, and
it was not until after night that she heard
the terrible news. Mr.. Keys remains
were carried to Atlanta, where they were
prepared for intcrment, and on the
following day - Christmas they were
brought to Anderson,
Mr.. Peter Keys was at the time of his
death in th . ength of q mature man.
hood, which had scarce touched its
zenith. being forty years of age. He
was raised il our midst, and spent by far
the greater portion of his life here, where
he was very popular and highly esteemed
for his upright life and his manly and
genial qualities. The news Of his death
brought with it sad Christmas TO the
hoases of many families of relatives and
friends in and around Anderson. On
Sunday afternoon the remains were in.
tered ii i; tho Baptist cemetery, with tho
Masonic burial rites, aftel- solemn fine-
y ra: services, conducted oy Kevs. j. s.
Murray and VIM. II. Strickland. A
large conccurse of people gathered to
pey this tribute to their departed friend.
There has never been but one expres-
sion as to the occasion of the accident.
& Itwas wholly due to the criminal care,
iesSness of the operator at Norcross.
Mr.. Keys, therefore, met his death while
at mis- post, performing his duty in a
faithful and efficient manner, which
leaves bis memory honored and respect
cd, even by those who did not know him.
The Laurens Railroad was sold in Col
llnbia on HAT Monday. nnder tlerree of