The Red Cloud chief., 1884-06-20


No. 40, in charge of conductor Pat Ly-
man, and Alex. Stewart, engineer, left
this city per schedule time for Kansas
City, loaded with human freight, not
one of whom ever dreamed that they
we're running with lightning speed in.
to the jaws of death. On, and on, went
the train, the careful eye of the engin-
ecr scanning the track in the distance
as far as he was able to see by the aid
of the headlight. All ofa sudden, VIII en-
nearing the bridge five miles east of
Chester, an exclamation fell from his
lips that "the rail had been misplaced
and before he could reverse the engine
it left the track. and with it the entire
train of five cars, down to the depths
below. A scene of confusion followed.
As soon as the passengers became
clear of the wreck they, or those that
were not injured, set about to relieve
the sufferers, and with willing hands
soon had them in as comfortable places
as possible, while the fireman. who
fortunately escaped, made haste to
Hubbell, where the operator was in
formed of the catastrophe, and word
was at once sent to this city and Lin
coin for aid. The officials here at once
summoned the train hands and at II
o'clock n. IN. the wrecking train and
DR.. Hail were on the road to the scene
of disaster. The facts as CLEANED by
our reporter are substantially as fol-
lows: The place where the wre ok oc-
cured seemed to have been well sci ect-
ed for the preparation of such an IN
fernal deed, as the track Is some thirty
feet above the level of ground, and on
an open bridge. The train was max
ing its usual time when as above stat
ed the engineer saw a short distance
ahead that the north rail had been
loosened and bent half way to the
south and firmly held in that position
The momentum of the train was so
great that the engine was forced seven
tv feet beyond the bridge and then
turned over twice down the embank-
ment, the cars being piled IN the
ditch under, or in close proximity to
the bridge which Vas an entire ruin
along with the cars. Out OF about
thirty on the train, but
THIRTEEN WE'RE INJURED
and are as follows, as near as could be
as~certained:
Conductor Lyman had both legs
broken and will probably lose both.
Engineer Stewart had one leg broken
and otherwise injured.
Express Messenger McNaughton was
fatally injured, and mangled be-
vond recognition, almost the entire
train falling upon the express car.
The balance were more or less In
and it is thought that some two
or three of those will die from their
injuries. The wounded were taken to
Wvmore where the best of medical
aid was brought to their relief. 1t Is
impossible to tell, or vel surmise who
the guilty parties were, but several hard
locking men are suspected of being
implicated in this damnable crime, and
in fact a stranger who had been loafing
around that section for two or three
days, has been arrested and is now IN
iail awaiting his trial. The excitement
at the scene of the wreck was simply
intense. and q large number of people
viewed the ruins Wednesday and
There seems but little
doubt but what the guilty parties when
caught will be melted out quick and
Justice without the usual
formula of a trial.
The Williams seemed tn have concoc-
ted their plans very quietly with Il
desire to make the wreck as
FEARFUL AS POSSIBLE.
On the night before the wreck the
robbers stole a claw-bar and a monkey
wrench from the railroad tool house at
Chester. and armed with these, 1t be-
came an easy matter to displace the
rail. and on tuesday night they came
from their hiding place and repaired
to the place of the disaster where they
at once proceeded with their deadly
trap that was to wreck the passenger
train with such fearful results AS have
already been stated above. 1t seems
that they first pried the spikes out
that held the rail in position, then loos-
ened end to which they fastened a
long niece of barbed wire and when
the cannon ball came rumbling along
at a speed of forty miles an hour, they
pulled on the wire it ia supposed, and
the rail in the position us when
first observed by Engineer Stewart.
All kinds ofreports are flying around
in reference to the primary cause OF
the deed, but the one that seems the
most plausible, is to the effect that the
robbers were after swag, and supposed
that the express messenger would
have plenty on board that night from
Denver. However, be that as it may,
their design on the express car was
foiled. as the rear cars fell upon the
express car in such a manner a. to
preclude the possibility Of their rob-
bling it until the debris was cleared up.
The B. & NJ, Company have very
properly offered a reward Of
$1,000 for their arrest and conviction.
Late Wednesday evening two suspic-
ious looking characters were arrested
in this city, but on going to trial they
we're released, having proven that they
came from the west. All trains were
abandoned on the Kansas City route
on Wednesday, but resumed Thursday
running to the wreck and transferring.
ANOTHER WRECK.
Train No. SO, Denver cannon ball,