The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-06
DEATH OF a1R. PETER A. KEYS.
The citizens of Anderson we're great

DEATH OF AIR. PETER A. KEYS.
The citizens of Anderson we're greatly
shocked on Christmas morning by the
sad news that Mr.. Peter A. Keys had
met his death on the preceding evening
in a collision upon the Air Line Rail-
road, where he had been engaged as an
engineer for the past seven or eightyears.
When the recent fast mail train was put
on this Road, Mr.. Keys, being one OF the
best and most experienced engineers,
was placed in charge Of one of these
trains, but on last Friday, the oath of
December, he procured an exchange to
the regular passenger, in order that he
might spend Christmas day with his
family in Atlanta. Upon this train he
would without accident have reached his
home by one or two o'clock in the after
noon, but such was not the doom in store
!. for him by fate. The Air Line was start
ing a 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 at
which the passenger and freights should
pass each other. Four dispatches were
sent him on the subject, and each time
he was required to telegraph them back
: to prove that he correctly understood
them. The two first expired before the
passenger arrived, and the two last re-
mained of force. At 1880 the passenger
train arrived, and the operator gave to
conductor Sims aud engineer Keys one
telegram instead Of two, which entirely
misled them, aud they proceeded, sup
posing that they had the entire Road to
Atlanta open to them. The result is
given as follows by the Atlanta Conststu.
tion
From passengers aboard twas learned
that conductor Sims left Norcross In obe-
dience to orders above given. When the
train was approaching Peachtree creek
/. the freight train rounded a curve, and in
nm instant the two engines had collided
and the work of death was DONE.
The engineer in charge of the freight
4 train saws 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. The
freight train was running about eight
miles per hour, consequently the eengineer
and fireman had abundant time to jump
off and thus escape. The passenger train
was running about forty miles an hour,
and when the engine struck the shock
was terrible. The mail coach, which
was Just in the rear of the tender, was
sstelescopedo 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 the en-
CINE. where he found Keys dead under
the side of the engine, and Collins the
fireman), 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 it 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 brulse
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 a moment be-
fore, was full of life and health.
During the greater portion of the af-
ternoon Mrs. Keys ass led the arrival
of the train which she looked for her
husband to come on, ard could get no
answer as to the cause of the delay, ex-
cept that the train was behind time, and
it vas not until after night that she heard
the terrible news. Mr.. Keys remains
were carried to Atlanta, where they we're
prepared for intcrment, and on the
following day Christmas they were
broughtto Anderson.
Mr.. Peter Keys was at the time of his
death in the strength of a mature man
hood. which had scarce touched its
zenith, being forty years of age. He
was raised in 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
houses of many families of relatives and
friends in and around Anderson. On
Sunday afternoon the remains were in
tered in the Baptist cemetery, with the
Masonic burial rites, after solemn fune-
raj services, conducted by Revs. j. S.
Murray and VIM. H. Strickland. A
large concourse of people gathered to
pay this tribute to their departed friend.
There has never been but one express
sion as to the occasion of the accident.
I! Was wholly due to the criminal care
lessness of the operator at Norcross.
Mr.. Keys, therefore, met his death while
at his post, performing his duty in
faithful and efficient manner, which