, 1888-06-01
AN AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT
The Sworn Statements of Three
Men.
Miraculous Escapes of Kelly, Fitz
and Heenan.
Thrilling Stories of Eye Witnesses
to the Accident.

Interest in the terrible wreck which oc-
CURED on the Cheyenne Il Northern rail-
way Decoration Day continues undated.
Additional particulars we're sought for
with avidity by the curious and were cir
culated rapidly.
Several times during the day a rumor
to the effect that Madsen had died at
Denver was current, but at a late hour
last night a telegram received at this
Office stated that both he and Brooks were
resting quietly.
Following are the citizens selected by
the ~coroner's jury to inquire into the
causes which led to the triple tragedy:
Warren Richardson, ST., H.. L. Buech-
ner, +. A. Miller, N. p. Plant, j. p.
Julien and Lem Smith, Jr. They met
at the city hall yesterday afternoon, but
adjourned until evening to allow members
of the body and witnesses to attend the
funeral services.
The jury reassembled at I o'clock in
the evening and commenced the taking of
testimony.
Conductor John Kelly, of this city,
was the first witness. Decoration Day
found him with a work train on the
Cheyenne & Northern between Bordeaux
and Wheatland, assisting in the clearing
away of a wreck caused by a washout.
This task was completed about II a, m.
There were twelve stock cars beyond the
wreck. These were attached to the work
train and a start made toward Bordeaux.
Perhaps a mile had been covered when
the fatal collision occurred. The engine
dragging Kelly train was backing at the
rate of between ten and twelve miles per
hour on a down grade. The point where
the engines struck was short curve in a
deep cut. Mr.. Kelly was seated in the
cupalo of his caboose when the crash
came. He felt the shock, observed cars
leaving the track and jumped for his life.
He a.ighted on a bank unframed.
Roadmaster Delaney and Section
Hand John Toole were among the pas
sengers. Both sustained severe injuries
and a number of laborers were somewhat
bruised.
Kelly viewed the wreck with conster-
nation, and at once ran toward the loco
motives. Engineer Brooks, bleeding
from nose and mouth, was the first per-
son encountered. A car length away was
Engineer Madsen in the arms of his fire
man. The cab of the other engine was
then visited. A party of rescuers were
removing Fireman Reel from beneath the
debris. Reel lived nearly four hours after
being crushed under the coal. Mr.. Kelly
climbed to the cab Of engine No. 572.
At the boiler head was a man almost COW
cred with coal. The air was filled with
steam. Help was secured in the person
of Brakeman Mullin. The pair then ex-
2 tricated poor Conductor Hader. He was
dead when taken from the engine. Dead,
dying and injured were conveyed to a
caboose several hundred feet distant.
AT this %iuncture Mr.. Kelly missed his
head brakeman, the unfortunate May
field. AS was stated yesterday, his re.
mains were found in the caboosc beneath
the wrecking car. Nearly an hour passed
before his bruised body was brought to
light.
Conductor Kelly then started for Bor-
deaux, believing that an engine and
coach were there. The locomotive was
gone, but in about an hour and a half one
arrived from the city. When the wreck
was again reached the dead and injured
were taken to Bordeaux, where DIR. Stew
ems was awaiting their arrival. The
movable hospital and morgue reached
Cheyenne at 9:1O p. m.
In the morning Mr.. Kelly stationed a
brakeman, @. S. Fitz, at Bordeaux with
orders to hold all trains at that point until
the return of the work train.
In Mr.. Kelly's opinion the road bed
near the scene of the wreck was in first
class condition.
Kelly's orders were to clear the wreck
away so soon as possible and return to
Bordeaux.
G, s. FItz, one of Conductor Kelly's
brakemen, told an interesting story in a
very straightforward manner. He was
left at Bordeaux with instructions to flag
and hold all northbound trains. The
danger signal, the red banner, was hoisted
by the dispatcher at that point. The
operator told witness that he had tele-
graphic orders to detain all trains there.
Train No. 1O1, John Hader in charge,
arrived about ten minutes behind time.
Fitz notified the conductor of the issu-