The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-26
CHICAGO'S RAIL CRASH.
a MOB BENT ON LYNCHING CHAsES
THE ENGINEER.

Charges That He Was Drunk Infuri-
rate the People-He and His Fire
man Charge the Passenger Train
Conductor With Failing to Put Out
Lights,
CHICAGO, IAL., Sept. 25.-Seth Twom-
bley, the engineer of the freight engine
which last evening crashed into the sub
urban train at Eighty-seventh street and
Nlncennes avenue. had a narrow escape
from being lynched. In five minutes after
the first report Of the collision had spread
the wreck was surrounded by great
crowd from the naighborinS station.
Nearly all the dead and wounded were resi-
dents OF the vicinity, and the indignation
aroused at the sight of the
scalded corpses soon reached the heat of
mob fury. A cry went up from the crowd,
Where's the engineer?' "There he goes,n
replied frightened white-faced brakeman,
who was trembling in the Gluten of half a
dozen strong hands. The figure Of a run
ming man could be sesn up the track in the
dusk; and yelling, "There he goes, lynoh
himp hundred men made chase after the
fugitive.
A RACE FOR LIFE.
Ho had start of 500 feet, and when hs
saw the rush he doubled bis exertions. His
pursueTs were feet, also, ans they might
have overtaken him, but few blocks up
he plunged from the track into sids street
and disappeared. The mob returned to the
wreck, and helped to carry of the dad.
The first body taken from the wreck was
that of Miss Keller. The steam
had SO boiled Der hands aud face
as to turn the skin horri-
BILE purple, and her features were
swollen out of all resemblance to their
former shape. The others were not SO
badly disfgured and only one person was
cut. Most of them had died from inhaliag
the hot steam that filled every corner Of the
car before the echoes of the frat terrisie
crash had died out.
TwoMBLEY ARRESTED.
The coroner this morning sent telegram
to the police Of the Englswood dis riot to
arrest Engineer Twombley of tho freight
train which telescoped the Blue Island ac-
commodation train last hight. He was
subsequently, taken into custody and lodged
in the station house al Englewood. The
police say ne has the appearance of one
just recovering from the infu-
ence of liquor. Twombley was slight
ly injured as he jumped from his engine
just as it piled into the passenger car. He
ran to the assistance of the people in the
coach when he saw what ruin he had
caused, and after the excitement he ap-
peared much prostrated. Twombley had
the reputation Of being a reckless and fast
runner, and, moreover, It is alleged by the
railroad officials that he is a steady drinker.
CONFLICTING STORIES.
Immediately after the eccident a great
number of people insisted that TwombleY
was drunk, but the reporters found people
who assured them that the engineer was
perfectly sober. Twombley gave the fol-
lowing account OF the disaster
were proceeding on orders. 1 did
not notice the train standing at South En-
glewood until it was too late for me to
avert the trouble l did not see a red light
hanging from the semapore arm. re-
versed my engine, put on the vacuum
brakes, but it was too late, aud after bid
diag my fireman jump for his life, jumped
myself
WORSE AND WORSE.
Persons who saw him before he left the
city say he had beea drinking all the after
noon, and that when his train was made up
he was so stupid from liquor that he had to
be picked up and lifted into the cab. He Is
a son of the master mechanic of the road.
Gus Mulcahey, messenger boy, who was
in the wrecked car, died of his injuries this
morning.
LaCouche, the fireman on the freight
engine, is detained as a witness. He was
somewhat injured.
BOTH BLAME TIE CONDUCTOR.
Both have made statements in regard to
the matter and agree in asserting that
the blame for the accident is due TO
the neglect Of the conductor of the
passenger train. They say that no warn
ing lights were placed at the end
Of the rear car and they did
not know of the danger until they we're
within three car lengths Of the passenger
train. They were behind time, and we're
running about afteea miles an hour when
the accident occurred. Each asserts that be
stuck to the engine and crawled out Of the
debris after the accident Twombley de-
clares that he was not drunk, and that he
had not drank anything for long time.