Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-10-20
AN OPERATORS ERROR
The Cause of the Frightful Wreck
in New Jersey.
FULL DETAILS OF THE HORROR
The Telegraph Operator Did Not
Wait for the Safety
Signal.
LISTS OF THE DEAD AND WOUNDED

LISTS OF THE DEAD AND WOUNDED
NEw YORK, October l9.-This morning
after the tracks had been cleared at the
scene of last nights disaster at the Mead
ows trains commenced to run and the
! wreckers began the lifting and removal oi
the disiointed big Lehigh Valley engine
which had crashed into the rear Of the
emigrant train, and which lay on It's side,
half buried in the Meadows. They began
work on the cowcatcher first. Directly be.
meath it they found the torn and mangled
bodies Of two boys and q woman. They
were lifted tenderly and placed in car.
From their garb they were emigrauts, but
/ their faces were so cut, bloody and be-
| smeared with the black mud that imme-
diate recognition was impossible. They
we're removed to the Jersey City morgue
At 3 o'clock this morning Chief Of Police
Murphy, OF Jersey City, placed Thomas H.
Pratt, the telegraph operator at the east
end OF the Hackensack bridge, and whose
error is ssid 10 have caused the accident,
urdtr surveillance. At o'clock, when he
was relieved from duty, he was arrested.
He said that while he had been advised by
operators sll along the line to run away,
he had determined TO say at his post and
take the consequences of his terrible mis-
take. He said he had allowed three min
utes for the emigrsnt train to cross the
bridge, aud without waiting for the return
signal, 20. X !" had permitted the South
ern express to pass. He is now in jail
awaiting the result OF the Coroner's in
quest.
1t is thought that when the engine is re.
moved, work that will take several hours
to complete more bodies will be found
The following additional victims have
been identified: Karl Henry Grommer,
aged SO; Mrs. Grommer, aged 3d. VIM.
Grommer, aged 8. There have been eight
deaths IN all, but most OF the wounded, it
is thought, will die.
The following is full list Of dead and
wounded as far as known;
KILLED:
Karl Henry Grommer, aged 30 years
Norwe2isn, head taken of; had three
tickets from New York TO Battle Creek,
Mich, aud papers showing he arrived By
the steamship Elbe.
An unknown boy, aged 8 years, horri-
bly, crushed.
An unknown woman, head off.
Eulonia Arneores, aged 26, who was on
her way 10 Madison, Wis, where her father
resides, died at St. Francis Hospital.
Four bodies were found this morning
under the Lehigh Valley locomotive, who
were not identified.
Two unknown boys were found under
the pilot truck, one aged eight and the
twelve.
Unknown woman with head and arms
gone; remains badly scorched.
Unknown man; trunk burned to
crisp; found i've feet below the surface Of
the wreck.
The bodies were sent TO Speers morgue.
THE WOUNDED
were sent to St. Francis hospital. They
ere: Marinus Kinger, l8 year5 old, Nor
W, gian, reported dead, but still living.
He had both legs and his skull fractured,
and will die
Owen Hall, engineer Lehigh Valley
train, severe contusions about head and
neck, but still alive.
Stuart A. Bowers, fireman Lehigh Val
ley train, aged 30, skull fractured and in.
ternal injuries. Believed he can not live.
Ralph Curry, Enghshmsn, aged %, in
iured about neck, not dangerously.
Christina Bolsts, Norwegian, 10 years,
leg broken and injured internally, condi-
ton considered critical Was on his way
to Minneapolis, MINI.
Laura Rederson Melannio, Norwegian,
32 years of age, severely injured about
head and back, not considered dangerous.
Her 2.year.old child had its leg broken.
She was on her way to join her husband at
Norwood, Ia.
THE OPERATOR ARRAIGNED.
Thos. Pratt, the telegraph operator, was
arraigned today on charge Of msnslaugh-
ter. BE waived an examination aud was
held TO await the action Of coroners jury.
Norman L. Rowe, counsel tor Pratt,
made the following statement.
Pratt WAS Stationed in the Marion Signal
Tower near the station at that time. He
controlled the end Of section OF the road
known as q block, extending from Marion
to the fish house, on the Hsckenssck
meadow. three miles distant. lC was his
duty to record the passage Of trains aud
their passing the fish house upon q tally
sheet. The emigrsnt train had passed his
station thirteen minutes before the western
express approached. Pratt glanced
a. his sheet and mlstook
another entry for the record
of the emigrant train having passed the
Fish house. The emigrsnt had not lett
block, however, having backed down to
pick up two cars which had broken loose
from the train. In his statement TO Chief
of Police Murphy, Pratt admitted that he
had not received the signal from the hsh
house but took it for granted that
the block was clear, because OF the
thirteen minutes which had elapsed
Superintendent Crawford, of the New
York division, states that an investigation
shows that Pratt alone is responsible A
white flag denoting clear track was shown
and justified the engineer of the express
train running upon the block.
The uniDjured emigsnts have been for.
wsrded. County Physician Converse is
sa,is6ed that there are about seven bodies
at the Morgue. The supposition that there
were eight was caused BY the mixing up OF
the dismembered limbs of the woman
found this morning.
A Train Robber Arrested.
LAMAR, Mo-, October l9.-Ofhcers last
pioht arrested Bunk, leader OF the gang
thst attemnied 10 rob the Santa Fe passen