Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-23
The Ceroner's Inqaesf-A Survivors
8fafeifa ers.

DAN i FRANCISCO, anudry "a Aenicni
pa dispatch says: The coroner's jury found
! a verdict in the train disaster case, thst the
| victims came TO their death by the neglect oil
Conductor Reed and Brakeman Patton. The
verdict has not yet been approved by the
4 coroner The two bodies are identified az
! those of Thomas Keegan and Ferdinand
| Gromfolt, discharged soldiers OF Company ID
| Sixth Cavalry.
John F. Cassell, one OF the sleeping car
passengers, arrived in the city yesterday.
He reports: ~ think it must have been a
few moments after we started that woke up
and realized that we were in danger, but
how could not tell. We were rushing
along the moantsin side at a fearful veloc-
iIy, and IN 4 few seconds The crash came,
ever We went, aud 1000 splinters and piece
of debris completely buried ns. As quickly
as possible was on my feet, working to
make an exit through the masses un.
der which we were buried, 10 save
myself and the other occupants of the train.
Everywhere found myself hemmed in by
masses of wreckage. Ny wife, think, was
killed by the first shock, as her hsnds were
cold when touched them, and my calls re-
manned unanswered. / cleared passage
way along the hog chains for some seventeen
feet, till reached the place near where Miss
Squires was imprisoned. l heard her scream
for sucoor. She told ME she was unipjured,
but merely unable lie get out OF the window.
The flames began breaking through where /
was working; no hope for exespe existed,
and retreatiDg merely 10 avoid fiery death,
l went back TO my wife Tor the fourth time,
snd now could only grasp her hair. Again
and again called 10 her for one sign Of life,
but all to no purpose. The flames now
drove me from her side, and as last
resort / buried myself in the debris. When
all hope had left, the men working outside
suddenly and accidentally came upon me
and drew half OF nv body out, but there /
became lodged, their combined efforts prov
ing unayailipg 10 free me from The debris.
Finally succeeded 10 dropping through the
hole made for me BY my rescuers. l was the
only Uur who ever reached the light OF day
from underneath that heap OF ruius."
PORTER ASHES STATEMENT.
Porter Ashe, who was on the train wrecked
at Tehichipa, telegraphs as follows; "My
wife, maid and myself were occupying the
drawing room of the sleeper. We were
awakened by The swayicg Of the cars going
at about the rate of seventy miles an hour
We had just brsced ourselves when the crash
came. The maid was buried in the debris,
my wife and / falling on top OF her. The
car Immediately took FIRE. was forced TO
tEke Inc ilHlDSr ana Durnlng DOarC6 OH Inc
maid piece by piece. The car became en-
yeloped in smoke. By the breaking of win
dows at the top Of, the car / succeeded in
rescuing my wife and maid, pushing them
through the window. We were climbing off
from the cars, nearly suffocated by the smoke,
when / heard man calling for help and
besseching Us not 10 leave him. / reached
down through the broken window and sue
ceeded in getting hold OF Gov. Dswney's
b aud and pulled him out, nearly strangled.
While helping the maid to the ground my
wife stepped on a window and fell
through into the car again. The car
by this time was burning rapidly. Il
is impossible to cell how / got her
out. dumped with hee to the ground and
run down the hill 10 avoid the
aames. Before leaving the car pushed
through the window a zeal skin cloak dol
ian lined with fur, two blankets and one
mattress. had no other clothing except
night shirt, and the wind was blowing strong
and intensely cold; surrounded by dead and
lying. Gov. Downey, Mr.. Csssel, my wife
md maid and Mr.. Howard Titon, who rem
Tered Us great assistance, acted splendid |
y. child Of Mr.. Wsterhouse and myself |
occupied mattress and were only protected |
~ blanket till assistance came from Tehi-
,hipa. The railroad did every hing in their
power to relieve the distress, and from super
niendent down to brakeman acted with the
Utmost !deiicacy and courtesy. We were pro-
7ided at Tehichipa with warm clothes and
housed"