Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-10-03
A FOUL DEED.
A Switch Opened on No. 10
at Ripon.
PARTICULARS OF THE WRECK.
But for Two Tramps a Terrible Loss
of Life Would Probably
Have Occurred.

Francisco, was wrecked yesterday morn
ing at Ripon, eleven miles this side of
Lathrop. 1t was steaming away on its
southern journey, and as it passed out of
Ripon the locomotive suddenly left the
track and toppled onto it's side. The
mail car came next, and was Uttered
across the rails, and by this time the
cars were brought to a standstill, and
the frightened passengers, most of whom
were asleep-for it was 12:41 A. NJ
hastily struggled out to see what
had happened. The reports re-
ceived over the wire state that
no one was seriously injured, but it
seems almost impossible that the engin-
eer and fireman at least could have
escaped thus luckily. The Southern Pa
cific people issued the following state
ment yesterday afternoon regarding the
affair: The south switch at Ripon was
thrown from the main line to the side
track at some time between IL 80 last
night and 1887 this A. M. by some per-
son at present unknown. It is q shut
switch, and was found with the latch
thrown back and the latch hanging down
by the chain.
TRAMP SUSPECTED.
1t appears that q tramp was
hanging about Ripon on Monday
and Monday night, and was evidently
trying to beat his way northward on Z
train, and as he was put off a number
of times it is deemed possible that he in
revenge threw the switch. He is de-
scribed as a man with a sandy beard,
which he wore in heavy side whiskers,
with his lip clean snaven. He was at
tired in dark suit of clothes and was
evid emily German, for he spoke broken
English. From his actions it is deemed
certain that he was railroad man, and
had evidently been in service somewhere
recently.
REWARD OFFERED.
As soon as the news reached headq1ar-
ters at San Francisco the following tele-
gram was at once sent out to all stations
along the line and was promptly posted:
To Sherifs, Constables, Marshals and
Others:
The Southern Pacific Company hereby
offers a reward of $500 for the arrest and
conviction of the person or persons who
turned switch at Ripon Sta
ton, San Joaquin county, CAL, on the
of October End, at about half an
hour after midnight, causing the derail-
ment Of the engine and baggage car ON
it's train No. 10. Further particulars can
be obtained of G. w. Coddington, Di-
vision Superintendent, Tulare, Gal.
j. A. FILLMORE, Gen'l Supt.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
A HERALD man was waiting at the San
Fernando-street depot when the wrecked
train pulled in at 25 minutes to l this
five hours and forty-five min
utes behind time. The statement made
by the railroad company during the af-
ternoon to the effect that no one was Sc
riously injured proved to be correct,
the engineer and fireman were
badly shaken up. Itappears that very
serious calamity was only averted by the
fact that two tramps were stealing ride
on the locomotive. The train was run
ming about thirty five miles aa
hour, and the two "birds OF pas
sage" we're sitting on the pilot congratu-
lating themselves on the easy manner in
which they we're getting over the road.
The engineer espied them, however, and
one of the brakemen to put
them of. As the trainman went out on
the running-board, the engineer slack
ened up to about fifteen miles an hour so
that the men could get off, and Just as he
did SO the train left the rails. The loco
motive fell over a four-foot embankment
by the side of the track, where it lay
doubled up completely in two. That all
Of the men on it should have escaped
with their lives seems almost miraculous.
The tramps were thrown several feet
away and escaped with only q
few bruises; the engineer and fireman
we're both pitched out of the cab and
escaped unhurt, and the brakeman who
was standing on the running board,
alighted on his feet on the side OF the
engine, from whence he jumped as
quickly as possible. The mail agent was
bruised up little, and this concludes the
category of injuries, for although all Of
the passengers were more or less Jared,
they escaped without bodily damage.
The engine, tender and baggage car we're
smashed up, and aid was at
once telegraphed for to Lathrop, from
whence the wrecking train with force
of men came down and cleared the
track, A fresh engine was then obtain
ed, and the train proceeded on its
journ ey.
A Reception.
The Iroquois Club met last evening ct
its rooms No. II North Main street, Mr..