The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-25
A DEED OF DASTARDS,
By Which Many People Are Injured,
Spikes Drawn on tho st. Louis 81
San Francisco Road.
A Passenger Train ia Violently
Thrown Over an Embankment.
Forty.Five People More or Less
Injured In tho Wreck.
The Train Was Running at High Rate
OF Spoed and Not Soul In the
Derailed Cars Escaped
Injury.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, May 2i.-Thc West
bound train on the St. Louis q San Fran
cisco Railroad, which left 81. Louis last
night at sl5 o'clock, was wrecked at
point three miles west of Sullivan, Mo-,
which place is sixty-cight miles west Of
st. Louis. Not passenger escaped un-
hurt, and iorty-hve are known TO be soii-
ously injured though no deaths are yet
reported. Tho train was running at
high rate OF speed, when suddenly and
without warning, the track gave way and
tho locomotive, baggage car and five
coaches went over tho embankmont. Tho
train men and those only slightly injured
at once set to work 10 prevent the addi-
tional horror OF fire, in which they sue
ceeded, and then turned their attention to
the moro unfortunately injured, and in n
very short timo iorty.fve passengers, all
badly hurt, were released from the debris.
A temporary hospital was improvised at
Sullivan and the most seriously injured
were taken there, while others were
brought TO St. Louis on the relief train,
which was hurried TO the scene OF the dis
astcr. The wounded are under the care
Of Dr. Mcintyre, chief surgeon OF the
road.
1t was 1925 o'clock pm. when the &C.
cidcnt occurred. The train was travelling
at high rate Of speed, and most Of the
passengers had already gone TO sleep,
while the fcwremaning awake were about
to do 80. There isa curve in the road
about three miles west Of Sullivan. aud
when this point was reached q sudden
jolting and Jar was felt all over the train.
Everybody ielt II, and the people in the
rear cars could hear the forward coaches
ratiling and rumbling over the ties aud
the crushing noises Of cars being dcmol.
ishcd. A creek Is crossed 10y the road at
that point aud there IL steep cmbank-
mcnt thirty feet high. Most Of the pas
scngcrs thought the train was going
through bridge and feeling OF
uoHRoR cniAHD ruuR MOOD.
In an instan, all the coaches, except the
| two slecping cars, had been thrown from
thQIalG People were thrown about in
all directions, and some OF them wcrc
! thrown ifom the coaches and down the
cmbankinent. One man. Walter David.
son, who travels for the Westinghouse air.
brake, was thrown right out Of q window
on the opposite side Of the coach from
which he was sitting and sent rolling down
the ombankmunt 20 the edge OF the creek.
His feet were In the water. Another pas.
eebger la the same coach was towod from
the rear end Of iho cut to the forward end,
aud la fact men, women and children
were thrown about promscuously.
Tho train proper was made up OF mall
car, an express car, a baggage car, q
smoker. ladies' coach, reclining chair
car and two Pullman Shoppers. Back OF
thosc slccpcB we're hiichcd five empty
coaches OF the san Antonio q Amnsls inss
Road, which had been picked up at some
way station. The front truck Of the first
sleeper jumped the track. but the rest Of
the car remained on. and the rear sleeper
aud empty coaches behind IL never lett
tho track. Fortunately, there were no
fires In any Of the cars, aud the jolt oxtin.
guishod tho lights Immediately. Other.
wisc, a conilagalion would have been
caused aud there IL no telling how many
lives might have been lost. As IL was,
most Of the forward ears were
SMASHED 1910 suirnEnEEys
and the debris thrown on both sides Of the
track II was the worst wreck that has
occurred In this section for long time.
Tho explanation given ~ II by tie train
men 90 passengers was that the spikes and
fish plates had been removed from the rail
ut tie curve, thus leaving the rail loose on
| the ties Tho forward portion Of the loco.
motive passed the place all right, but the
/ tender Jumped the track aud was thrown
/ part oi tho way down an cmblnkmcnt. IL
would probably have gone the Gu
/ tire distance had not the forward
end held Il up. Who removed tho
spikes and plates Is not known, but
| the snppositi0n Is the work was done
By the tain robbers who wanted 10 hold
/ up the train. still, no robbers put IN m
/ appearance. and " the accident wis caused
| by them, they must have either weakened
Ia their purpose or have thrown
/ tho wrong train and wcfo not pre-
pared 20 DO their work at that tinc.
Tho road officials claim IL Is clear
case Of train wrccking. On the
same train was u largo body Of physician y
returning from Springfield, where tho
State Medical Convention is being held,
/ and they also rendered valuable assistance
In caring for the injured. Among the
latter was DIR. Russell, mentioned In the
official report, who received very serious
hurts. lie had both ears taken Of and
was otherwise injured 30 badly that ho
could not be- brought home aud is now at
sullivan.
FOLLOWING N List on THE INJURED:
d. :. Woikert Wcnikyilo, Mo-, both
legs broken four inches above the ankle;
may lose one OF them.
George $. simpson, Hancock County,
ILL.,. shock aud cut on lett side Of face.
Patrick O'Day, aged seven years, irac
tufo Of skull; will probably die.
Mn. Kate O'Day, bruised on tho head
neck and side and injured internally.
Martin O'Day, cut and bruised on IN,
face; also cut Ia right foot and bruised
about the chest
William Doherly, left hand cut and
bruised.
Mra. Mary Griffith. Fairfield, H., Ia
jurcd on iHco and night elbow broken.
John o. Oitloy, llolla. Mo-, right Shout
der injured and thumb dislOcalcd.
John T.. Holloway, Cuba, Mo-, lowe
portion Of right side bruised and cut IL
forehead.
Mrs. Mary Hash, Bloomington, Ind.
bruised on left side and severely shocked
&. w. Phillips. Springdalc. Ark, ifac
iurc OF urm aud cut on shoulder.
! DR.. Ia ). Russell, Tusearawas, o., 70