Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-27
THREE MEN KILLED,
Thres Fatally Injured and Seven Se-
riOusly Wounded in an Accident
to Sells Circus Train.
Great Destruction of Property.
cOurisr-JOurnal. Is.

COurier-JOurnal, 26.
A number of very wild rumors wild
ened as they went yesterday about an
accident on the branch of the Louis.
vile and Nashville railroad. The first
report that reached a Courier-J our.
nalist was that the second section of
train carrying portion of Sells Bros.
circus had run into the first section
near Paint Lick, and fifteen men were
reported killed, great many wounded
and the wild animals freed from the
demolished cages. Nothing more
definite was learned until the after
noon, when an employe OF the company
was found who had seen a man from
the wreck. His information was that
three or four men had been killed by
collision, the cause OF which he
didn't know, and that
SIXTY PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED.
Following up the line of develop
ment, reporter talked with Colonel
Fred de Funiak, General Manager of
the road, who readily gave what facts
were in his possession.
He stated that as one section of a
train containing a portion Of Sells
circus was going from Richmond to
London a break beam on one of the
cars dropped down as the train was
descending ninety foot grade, near
SUBMITS, and that six or seven cars
were thrown into the ditch. Two or
three men we're reported killed and
three or four wounded. One of the
tigers was liberated.
A wrecking train left the city yes
terday morning for the wreck. DR..
George W. Grifiths, surgeon of the
road, attendants and investigating
party took the afternoon train for the
scene of the disaster. The road was
cleared before night.
LATER NEWS.
The following special from Lancas-
ter confirms the best part of what was
written above:
LANCASTER, September 24.-About
$50 o'clock this morning, as the first
OF the, three special trains conveying
Sells Brothers circus from Richmond
was coming around a curve about 300
yards from Paint Lick depot, the
fourth car from the engine, from some
unknown cause, jumped the track
aud rolled down fifteen foot embaDk.
ment, followed by the balance of the
train In its rear, consisting OF about
fifteen cars. The cars were loaded
principally with the baggage of the
company, the tableaux wagons, electric
light machine and a cage containing a
tiger, Several attaches of the circus
were scattered along on the train, and
the destruction to both lie and prop
erty was fearful. Three men were
instantly killed, three probably fatally
injured and seven or eight wounded.
Two Of the killed were attaches of the
circus, and the third, William Under.
wood, boy from Mt. Vernon, Ky, ,
who was stealing a ride on the train.
The cage containing the tiger was
burst open and the fierce animal turned
out, creating
CONSIDERABLE CONFIRMATION,
everyone being afraid to 90 near the
cage until daybreak, when the door
was opened and the tiger, which was
crouching near by, crept back once
more into his prison and was secured.
The electric light and tableaux wagons
we're completely destroyed, the track
was torn up for over one hundred
yards and the cars piled into con
fused mass upon each other. The
engine, with the three front cars, es..
capped uninjured and we're Immediately
dispatched to Lancaster for surgeons
and collins. Drs. VIM. Huffman and
JAS. Kinnaird returned on the engine
arriving on the scene before six
O'Clock, and proceeded to dress the
wounded. A wrecking train from
Louisville, with DR.. Geo. W. Grifiths
on board, arrived at ten o'clock and
rendered additional assistance to the
Lancaster surgeons. A force Of men
we're Immediately put to work, and by
FIVE o'clock this evening the track was
cleared. but Mr.. Sells declined to 90
on to London to fll his engagement
there tomorrow, and will rest at Sill
yer Greek tonight and go to Lebanon
to morrow to fill his engagement there
Tuesday. The exact cause of the ac
cident is not known, there being sev
erAl reports about it. An official
investigation will be necessary to
arrive at the truth.