Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-04-26
A Rail Removed from Bridge and
the Train Precipitated Into the
Miami.
Two Coaches and Sleeper Hurled Down an
Embankment-The Engineer kiiIeG-De.
velopmenis in The Panhandle Disaster.
Dayton, o., Dispatch.


Of the Panhandle Road, about four
miles this side of Xenia and one mile west
Of Beavers Station. The night express,
which arrives in this city from Richmond at
O'Clock, was wrecked at the Miami RIVER
bridge at the point designated, resulting In
the loss Of life and Eeayy damage to the
railroad company. Train No. 207, consist
ing Of engine, baggage car, two coaches and
sleeper, pulled out OF the Union Depot
at 9.10 and forty minutes later formed
scene Of ruin the extent OF which
is difficult to contemplate. The train was
in charge OF Conductor Steve Plerson and
manned by Engineer John Thomas Of Xenia,
Fireman John O'Connell and George Coop
er, baggage e-master, OF the same place, and
an express messenger named Smith. or
these the engineer was killed instantly being
buried beneath his engine, and was taken
from 1t horribly mangled and scslded.
None others except the conductor were IA
tally injured. At the time Of the accident
the train was running at the rate Of thirty
miles an hour, when, without signal or
warning Of danger, the disaster occurred.
1t occurred ct the end of the bridge, which
is heavy structure 800 feet long and some
thirty feet above the water. The cause Of
the accident could be easily seen by the alb
sence of a rail on the west end of the bridge.
1t was clearly the intention Of the miscreants
who planned the crime to heaye the enti.e
train headlong into the deep water below
THROUGH TIE BRIDGE.
In this they were partially frustrated, for
only the engine and tender went through
the bridge, while the remainder OF the train
was thrown from the track down a steep
embankment thirty feet high. The baggage
car rolled almost into the water but was
crushed by the shock. The Panhandle and
Narrow-Gauge have parallel tracks through
the bridge, and the half used by the former
is unprotected by girders. A rail was re-
moved, so that the engine fell squarely with
its side upon the narrow-gauge track and
crushed through the iron and beav- '-uberS
1.h- 90 rr--' So. y
both lie in heap OF ruins at the uvV, an
this mass of iron the engineer lost his life
while holding TO the throttle. Fireman
O'Connell went down In the wreck with
him, and when taken out by rescuers was
terribly scalded and msngled. He was
taken to his home in Xenia, where he rec
ognized folks but soon after became un-
conscious and can not live. The bleeding
remains Of the engineer were also removed
to Xenia, where an agonized wife awaited
the news from the wreck. The baggage car
lay on the north side Of the track and is
crushed out OF all semblance Of car. Bag
Cooper and Express Messenger
Smith were seated in this car at the time OF
the accident. How thsy escaped instant
death is a wonder. Both were badly in
jured, and it is thought that the former can
not survive. Behind the baggage car, In a
crushed and battered line, lie the coaches
and the sleeper where they rolled from the
track, all turned on the sides, and shattered
from end to end.
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
How the passengers, thirty-fve In num-
ber, escaped with their lives Is a mystery.
Many OF them were slightly CIT and bruised,
but none seriously, so far as could be ascer-
ained. There were no Dayton people on
board. and as soon as a relief train arrived
rom Xenia all were removed to that place.
The Narrow Gauge is heavy sufferer. The
rack for a distance of twenty feet is des-
troyed. A portion Of its half CT the bridge
Is completely broken through, and IT will
require several days to repair IL. The Pan
hsndle will be able 70 save little but broken
and twisted iron. Skinner, Superintendent
of the Little Miami Division of the Pan
handle; A. T. Lee, Chief Dispatcher, OF
yenia, and others, were on the scene and
themselves to your correspondent
rs satisfied that the wreck was the work OF
iends who were prompted either by malice
Dr. an intention TO rob passengers. Had
hey moved the rail further along on the
bridge it is quite probable that no life would
have been saved. The rail must have been
displaced between the hours Of and 0
o'clock in the night, as the west-bound
yenia Express passed this point at O'Clock.
Every effort will be made by the railroad
authorities to ferret out and punish the
and the public will join them.
LATER.
There can now be no doubt that the Pan
handle wreck was the work Of a miscreant
who had grudge against the road. De-
tective John Murphy, Of Columbus, who is
here. was met by your correspondent, and
stated that every indication points TO this
conclusion. The rail which wrecked the
train was loosened by the spikes being
drawn from the outside. 1t was evidently
done by an experienced railroadman. To-day
there is clew to the man, who is described
IS about 35 years old, heavy set and wearing
q dark mustache, who was seen about the
place of the wreck short time before 1t oc.
CURED. He broke into the tool.house near
the bridge, and with the implements Sc
cured there loosened the rail. The tools
were found in the woods, 100 yards from the
scene Of the wreck, covered with leaves,
etc. IL is supposed that he came TO this
city. There Is an intimafion that the wreck
is the work OF Narrow Gauge strikers In
this city, but there IS no proof to indicate
the truth Of II.
Frazier, mail wsigher, who was On board,
states thar be believes the wreck chargable
10 track repairers, who failed to fasten the
bolts in the rails lastevenirg, but bis theory
Ia not generally supported. He says thai
be realized On the instant that the train WIS
of the track, aud warned passenger sittiDS
with him to "Look out, we are goin@
oyar.D II was the worst plsca on the di'
vision, excepting the Dayton aEc western
bridge fll.