, 1886-04-09
A NIGHT OF TERROR.
A NIGHT OF TERROR.
Further Particulars of the
Greenfield Accident.
Terrible Sufferings of the Ill
Fated Passengers.
Valuable Works of Art
Destroyed by Fire.
The Greenfield Railroad Wreck.

The Greenfield Railroad Wreck
GREENFIELD, April s.-Merritt Seeley
superintendent of the National Express
company, injured last night in the acct
dent. died this morning. Brakeman
Spencer was the one whose body wal
found last night with the bodies Of two
unknown travellers. Engineer Littlejohu
cannot live till night Two bodies were
brought here this morning by the wreck
ing train; one was f. Il. Hayden. The
other man was about 65 or 20 years old,
and was identified as j. R. Gould, OF
Abingdon, Conn. John Crowley, OF
North Adams, was on the train, and is
insane. These bodies have been found,
and are at Shelburn Falls. Viola Little
john, Z. +. Whitehouse, of Boston, Marx
Spencer, brakeman. and Charles Temple.
The body of Whitehouse was found in the
river under the cars. The body just
found at the wreck is believed to be that
of Agent Whitebouse, of the New Eng
land 4 Boston line. The bodv of Charles
Durkin, of Boston, has also been recov-
cred.
Since last night not less than 10,
persons have visited the spot, some of
them walking from six to ten miles to
view the wreck. AS viewed by daylight
the scene is far worse than reported last
night. 1t is considered marvellous that
anyone escaped alive. The descent was
1870 feet by actual measurement Crowds
Of people lowered about the precipice to-
day, and hundreds descended to the river
by means of strong cables, which the
wrecking crew had stretched to the river
bank. Four cars were thrown into the
river, among which was the sleeper. The
tender was thrown to the very bottom of
the precipice, a mass of twisted and
broken iron and steel, robbed of all sem.
blance of their former shape,
Frank Lane, Of Boston, was standing
on the platform of the rear car at the
time of the accident. He was startled by
a humping OF the cars along the ties. He
knew they had left the track and jumped
Just as the train went whirling down the
awful. chasm. 1t was an awful night
Not q star was to be seen and no light of
the neon Illuminated the fearful black
ness over the scene. To add to the
misery of the situation snow soon com
menced to fall and in the fullest sense, it
was a plight of terror. The shrieks of
the wounded rent the air, and their
cries and groans were terrible. The
wailing of a mother over the death
OF her little girl was heartrender-
ing. Penned in the wreck, unable
to effect her escape, and expecting each
moment to be crushed by falling boulders,
or debris from the track, she passed an
hour of fearful agony. Mr.. Lane stood
rooted to the spot, his blood fairly chilled
in his veins. Far below in the rush Of
the wbirling pool he could hear shrieks
for help, but be was powerless to re-
spond. The red flames shot up among
the shattered mass and spread with start
ling rapidity, and the shrieks of agony
were redoubled as the imprisoned passen-
gers faced the fire fend's breath. One
cry was heard above the rest, one shrek
Of agony and a piteous pleading for help,
as E. L. Hayden, held fast by a mass Of
debris felt the scorching flames upon his
face and he sank into an insensi bility Of
death.
A. X. Warmers cries of agony brought
landlord Hagar, Of Greenfield, to his side.
Tenderly be took the wounded man upon
his lap and loudly shouted for help. but
the knocking echoes of the neighboring
hills were for nearly half an hour all the
response his cries evoked. 1t was a night
for heroism. Conductor Foster. though
badly wounded himself, was to-day so
concerned at the deaths and sufferings Of
the others that he was mildly insane. He
did all in his power to recover the dead
and rescue the dying.
Hundreds Of excited persons crowded
around the depot, some Of whom are anx-
ious for the safety of friends who were on
the fated train, and when the bodies were
brought in for Identification, hundreds
thronged around dreading to look at he
dead, fearful Of recognizing among them
bodies of friends. Every possible means
has been taken to clear away the wreck,
aid the suffering aud recover the dead.
SPRISdFIELD, Mass. April Sight
bodies from the wreck at Bardwelrs Ferry
have been brought here up to 10 o'clock
this morning.