New-York tribune., 1884-11-15
CARS THROWN INTO A RIVER
TRAIN WRECKED BY TRAMPs IN TEXAS.
TWELVE PERSONS KILLED AND TWENTY INJURED
SPIKES REMOVED AND THE RAIL TWISTED
TEIRGRAP APU To TIE rRfpuynI


GALVESTON. Nov. 14.-Bctwcen four and five
o'clock this morning the through express on tho
Houston and Texas Central Railroad was wrecked
at BrazOs River bridge near Hampstead, Texas
and twelve persons instantly killed and
twenty injured. The disaster was the work Of
tramps as an examination of the track showed
that spikes and plates had been removed and the
rail- twisted so that the train would topic down
nm embankme thirty feet deep The intention of
thosc who planned the wreck was to
plunge the entire train into the river, which at this
point is deep and has a rapid current. The scheme
was partly successful and this accountsfOr the large
loss of life
A heavy fog hung over the river and obscured
the moonlight as the train approached the bridge.
The locomotive crossed the rail in safety. The bag
gage car jumped the track and the coupling to the
tender parted. The locomotive reached the
other side in safety but the baggagc-ca trembled
for an instant the brink and then dashed
over into the Brazos. The express and
smoking-car followed, crashing into each other and
ping the wreck high above the surface of the
water. ladies' coach and sleeping-coach followed
the smoker, but the had only a few passengers,
most of whom were killed outright. Many of the
passenfiers were asleep at the time of the disaster
and the exact number of the dead cannot yet be
ccrtained.
JUMPING TO SAVE THEMSELVES.
When the baggage-car went over number of the
passengers who were awake realized that some
thing was wrong. They rushed to the back plat
form of the smoking-car, and when they
saw the forward part of the 90 down they
jumped into the rlvcr and saved their lives. Org
man went down between the cars while trying to
reach his wife in the ladies' 1t is believed that
two passengers were drowned, but their bodies
Al.
little could be seen. The wreck had formed a dam
half way the river and the
cries of tho wounded could be heard
for long distance. 1t was only
few feet from the bank to the first and, armed
with axes from the locomotive, Il rescung party set
to work and in short time recovered twelve dead
bodies, and rescued nearly twenty passengers who
had been seriously injured. One body was found in
the baggage fonr in the sleeping coach and the
remainder in the ladies' coach.
Most of the injured were in the sleeping while
those who jumped for their lives did from the
forward ears. messenger was sent to Hampstead
and shortly after daylight aid arrived. Physicians
took charge OF the wounded. and the relatives of
the dead were Informed by telegraph.
TIE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
The list of the killed is a. follows:
Lewis CadOza passenger agent, Georgia Central.
Miss Mary Ihorp Fort " Worth.
J.. +. LOWS, baggage master. New-Orieans.
Harry Thomas. wood contractor
Green Lewis. of Hearne, lex, porter.
Leonard Lake, newsboy.
Peter Bulger, emIgrant
Mrs. Sarah stark Kansas.
One Scandinavian Immigrant.
Two bodies are supposed to be at the bottom of
the river as there half dozen passengers still
missing.
Following are the wounded
c. +. Wallis, Galveston.
John Aston, Austin. cut In head and leg
broken.
Lorenzo McMullen, express agent, internal inju-
ries
NJ. FOrtran, Galveston, cut in thigh and leg.
The Rev. j. G. John editor of The Christian Id
rOcate Galveston, badly injured-will probably die.
William Rodgers, Mississippi, fractured skull
John Canes, Houston, arm broken.
John Edwards England, scalp wounds.
II. Victor Galveston long cash IN head.
William GImerck, Galveston, hip injured.
James Calvin, New-York, back injured.
John Arlington scalp wounds.
Mary ManIon, Jefferson, Texas, internally in
jured.
Ellen Wilson. Tcxarkana cut face
Mrs. James Barton, spine injured.
One child badly injured and one imm grant whose
name could not be learned. The people greatly
excited over the outrage, and parties are now
securing the country for the men who committed it.
1T caught they will be lynchcd