Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-10-28
HE WAS A HERO.
TERRIBLE DEATH OF A CHEsAPEAKE
AND oHIo CONDUCTOR.
Eis Train Goes over IN EnbaskmsEt and
He Burrs TO Death Trying to
sava q comrade.
rspec,n ,elorrnm o tho pispa.cn.l

CHARLESTON. W.. VA, October 27.-The
west bound passenger train due. at this city
at 40 WIS thrown over &c embankment this
morning. II was about thirty minutes be-
hind time and was coming AZ q good rate OF
speed when the accident occurred. There u
sswitch and n very short side track al tba,
Toini. The switch bad been set Tor the side
track and The signalllght, which stands about
FIVE iea above the track. bad been taken
down and get on the cross-tse. The brake
man had Just called the name OF the station
when the accident occurred. The tram
consisted OF sn engine, tender, baggage snd
mnil-car, ~smoEiug-ear, coach, and one sleeper.
The entire train with the exception al tue
sleeper ran of the eud OF the side-track, Tue
engine falling \ distance Of several feet aud
the bagVage.car going forward about bali its
length by the eide Of the engine. The engt-
ueer, II. T. Smith, Of Huntington, was
thrown from The cab aud severely bruised
about the head and body, but Is not seriously
injured. Firemsn joseph Eigins WAS caught
between the baggage-csr and tender and was
burned 10 death. His cbarred remains we're
taken from the wreck about 7:lj o'clock by
the crew Of The construction train, which
arrived on The scene Of the disaster % soon
as possible. lie was : married man, re-
siding At Hinton, and leaves a wife aud two
children. All the passengers escaped with
out injury except q few scratches aud
bruises hardly worth mentioning.
The wreck took fire shortly sfter the acct
dent and was entirely consumed, together
VITA q great deal Of the baggage and AL tue
mail matter aboard. J. L. Saunders, the mail
and baggage-cleTk, YVES slightly cut about
the head, but not serlously. The conductor
10 Charge OF the train was Is. Il. Netherlsnd,
- - - n - 49, fr.fwufrn nara apcn
shortly after the accident. II was believed
that Fireman Elkins was the only one killed.
bur about 8 O'Clock this morning another
bedv, charred beyond all sembisnce OF hu.
menity, was found between tue tank and
bargage.car. Investigation showed that
Conductor Netherlaud was uOwhere to
be found, and inquiry developed the tact That
Engineer Smith and 4 number 81 others bad
Inst seen bin In The baggage-oar working be-
Toicaliy 70 save the unfortunate fireman. 10
soon became only too evident tlpt be had
been oyertaken by the flames when too late
20 escape and had met a horrible death. His
puuch and other articles known 10 belong 10
hin were found ne9r the body. lie was 40
unmarried man. about thiftE-hVe years OF
age, and his relatives are residents Of Rich
mond. Va. He was 3 iayorite snOag bis
companions and died heroically Ia a vain Ell
deavor to rescue his unfortunate eo1rade.
Engineer Smith claims that the switch was
undoubtedly sot for the side track. aud II
the signal bad not slso been Tempered
with II would have given tie alarm BY show.
ing n rcd light, which It did not do, tbe signai
given being a white light. The switch was
a priVste one and had not been touched by
the railroad company for nearly two weeks.
Trains going both WAYS had parsed it during
the night, the last one between l ana :
O'Clock. The Waterman states that be can
prove by five witnesses that Il was all right
shortly sfier G O'Clock. The bodies OF the
two victims were taken 10 the new depOt
ana will be sent on east~Lound trains to their
friends tonight.
a coTOneFs jury wassummoned THIS AFTER
noon sud viewed the remains, after which u
adjurued until Tomorrow, when evidence
WI be taken. Whether the switch was
changed With a feeling OF revenge to the raii-
road company or With the object OF robDlng
the tram is OF course unknown.
Each theory has q number of advocates,
while others think 8. was done in 3 spirit OF
wsnton feudishDess without any definite
object. The matter will be investigated as
thoroughly Os possible.