St. Landry democrat., 1884-02-09
A PLUNGE TO DEATH.


The accommodation train from Monon
due here at 1890 O'Clock a. M, had made
| the last stop before reaching Indianapolis
and was just getting under Roadway wher
it began to cross the bridge over White
River. The train consisted of an engine
baggage and express car, smoking-car and
ladies' coach. Conductor w. S. Losey was
IN charge, and John Bremen was engineer.
The latter, after leaving the station, how.
ever, had gone into the baggage-car for
some purpose unknown, leaving James
Nonan, the fireman, in charge of the engine.
The bridge was of the ordinary Howe trusse
pattern, consisting of two spans, each $50
feet in length.
A speed of about fifteen miles per hour
had been attained, and the train had pulled
its full length on the bridge, when Nonan
telt the baggage-car sinking. He had his
hand on the Unbelievable at the moment,
and instinctively pulled her wide open. As
the engine shot forward the baggage-car
plunged downward, and the tender was
separated at both ends from its connections
and the engine fairly climbed into posi-
ton OF safety on the remaining span. The
Jerk lifted the tender off the rails, and it
ers without leaving the bridge.
The first break in the bridge occurred di-
rectly under the baggage car, which
seemed to be pressed down by some super
natural power, and it dropped like lead in
to the water below. The smoker forged
ahead few feet and dropped squarely
upon the forward car The rear coach
went down through second break in the
span and the channel was choked with the
debris of the bridge and of the forward
part of the train.
News of the disaster reached the city in a
few minutes. The railroad officials acted
with the most commendable promptness in
dispatching relief and wrecking train.
inside OF an hour after the accident occur
red the train was on the ground, but little
could be done owing to the want of pecuI-
lar facilities with which to work.
The sight that presented itself was suffi-
Gent to justify the narrowing rumors that
rapidly found their way into circulation
through the streets. Half the bridge was
down and with the debris of the cars in
flames, which originated from the stoves in
the coaches, nothing but the wheels and
other iron work remained. A dozen men
were endeavoring to quench the flames with
buckets of water, but unavailingIy. Soon
a large bucket brigade was formed of vol
lnteers on the relief train. and the burning
wreck was rapidly cooled so as to permit
he work of recovering the bodies to begin.
Lhe dead and seriously injured were all
in the ruins of the smoker and
baggage ear, and these lying one on top of
he other were in deep water near the pier,
The river was high and the current strong
md lew adding to the difficulties of the
work, which was quite tedious, there being
'nly one skiff to work in. 1t was sicken--
ng and heart-rending labor. Five form
esS and almost unrecognizabIe trunks or
ther portions of the human body were
AIKEN from the smoldering pile. The
ames of those dead, together with their
esidences, were:
John II. Brewer, engineer, Lafayette.
j. u. Rlcketts, baggage master, Monon.
Abel Smith, American Express Messen-
.er, Madison.
George Lowry, brakeman, Buena Vista.
John Bray, Daming, Ind, passenger.
Lynn Clark, Westtield, a passenger, in
ured fatally.
The others injured, all of whom were pas
eDgers save White and Parker, are:
"; Z. Houk, WestfieId, Ind, head cut
William A. zamars, ex-Sherif of Hanil-
On County, arm broken, face cut, side
ruised.
William T. swiggart, Carmel, skull frac-
lred and hip hur5.
B: j. White, bridgeman, bruised.
Charles Parker, bridgeman, face and head
ut.
Mrs. Sullivan and baby, wife and child
section boss, bruised.
J. 3. Horton, slightly scorched and
ruiSed.
Thomas ParT, Superintendent of Bridge
epairs on the road, who was working on
le bridge when it went down, is missing,
ad it is believed his body is underneath
e wreck at the bottom of the stream.
The ladies' car was thrown ON end, and
!ghtful scenes ensued. Mrs. Sullivan,
18th her babe tightly and securely clasped,
God on her head, wedged in between
ats. She was released and all made their
ay out, only to hear the frightful cries of
e more unfortunate in the front cars. In
e smoker We're instances of unparalleled
Herings and of great bravery. From this
7 there was no escape for the unfortu-
ties, whose injuries did not allow volun-
ry motion.
The suspicion raised by statement of
Losey that three unknown bodies
9 yet in the wreck is strengthened by the
port that several persons are missing.
mong them are EIwood Moon a merchant
Hortonville, who is said to have been on
g tEain aud has not since been seen. Ho
S a wife and ten children. Another pas
niger of whom nothing is known is Mat
ayes, of Louisville, a travelling agent for
.irbankss Scale Company His wife is
9 daughter of M. McCord, Secretary of
3 Indianapolis Car Company, who drove
t to the scene of the wreck in search of
son-in-law.
Although the bridge was being repaired,
.y-bolts being frightened and nuts re--
wed, no signals were displayed calling
caution in running over the structure,
d the most ordinary precautions against
niger under the circumstances appear to
We been neglected.
those of the wounded who are so badly
ured that they could not be moved were
ed for in the village, Dir. j.. w. Bates'
idence being turned into a sort Of hospi--
Lindley Clark, of Hadem, Kan, for~~
rly resident of WestfieId, is fatally Inc
ed, his hurts being internal and on the
I'd. He has a family.
V. A. Seemans, proprietor the West
d Mills, and VIM. {. Swiggart are in a.