The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-06
TWO KILLED IN A WRECK
A TRANSFER TRAIN COLLIDEs
WITH pole" CAR.

tTSmhn OOtembn instantly hlllSQ anu
Conductor Perry Fatally soalded
and Dies in Short Time-several
Train Hands Injured Cars
Ditched and the Locomotive Turned
Nearly Bottom side Up - The
Coroner's Jury Charges the Com
pany with Employing Incompetent
Men-SuDt. Flemings statement
A transfer train on the Savannah, Flor
ida and Western railway collidei with a
"pole' car two miles north Of Southover
junction at 80 O'Clock yesterday, ditching
the locomotive and four cars, killing the
fireman instantly, and fatally scalding the
conductor, who died in few hours.
Pusher No. 10 was transferring seven
loaded vegetable cars from the Savannah,
Florida and Western yards TO the Ocean
Steamship wharves The pusher was run
ming back ward. Engineer Ellen, Conductor
J. 0. B. Perry, fireman Isaac Coleman
(colored) and Caesar Willis (colored),
switchman, were in the cab. The
train was running about twelve miles
an hour when the collision occurred
The tender reared upon the "polen car and
raised the engine from the track. 1t ran a
few feet and fell, turning nearly bottom
side up.
SAVED BY JUMPING.
Engineer Eden jumped from the cab be-
fore the collision and only the conductor and
the colored employees we're In the wreck.
Special Section Master Harrell was in charge
Of the pole" car and a moment after the
crash came.he, with his eleven track hands,
began TO delve into the wreck. Conductor
Perry was the first discovered. He
was lying at the end Of the boiler, wedged
in so that he was unable to move The
steam and hot water was pouring out on
him. Section Master Harrsll worked with
all his main to extricate the imprisoned
man, but it was nearly half an hour before
he could lie got out The wounded man
was carried to the house Of DIR. Mllen, a
short distance away, and dispatch was
sent to the master OF trnnsportation's Office
informing the officials Of the wreck The
dead body Of Isaac Coleman was found
partially under the engine. He was killed,
IL is thought, instantly.
THE INJURED TRAIN MEN.
Engineer Eden fell when he jumped from
the engine and was unconscious when he
was picked up Caesar Willis, the c0lored
swItchman, was found lying close to the
engine, but his injuries are not serious.
Both were removed to their homes En-
gineer Eden recovered from the shock in
the afternoon and was present at the in
quest at O'Clock. The switchman's foot is
mashed and his testimony was taken at his
home.
Louis johnson (coloredl, the other switch
m an, was on the last car of the train, and
when the crash came he was thrown for
ward aud fell OFF the car, but was not in
jured.
Within few minutes after the message
was received at the master Of Transports
tion's office Supt Fleming and DR.. Duncan
were on their way to the scene Of
the wreck. Conductor Perry was still
alive when they reached him, but it was
at once apparent that the scalds, which ex-
tended from his face down his body, were
fatal. He was removed To the city hospital
where he could be treated, but before the
ambulance reached there he died.
THE CoRoNER's INQUEST.
Coroner Dixon held an inquest at o'clock
at the hospital over the bodies of both the
conductor and fireman. The following Jury
was impaneled:
Henry Ernst, J. Hays,
l.. Butler, John d. Moran,
T. W. McNish, C. r. Blanche,
Henry Stibbs II. 81. Readick,
l. J. Cornell, Max j. Roos,
q. L. ART wedsOn, James Crotty.
c. b. Harrell, the section master, was
the first witness sworn He said that he was
out on special duty, He had eleven men
with him and they were going toward the
Central railroad junction 10 repair some
track. He was running on
Charleston and Savannah train
No. 27's time. He hardly thought
be would be approached by train in the
rear. lie said that he could sec the Central
railroad junction, and intended to run his
car on the track until no saw train No. 81
come up to the junction, then, as he was
accustomed to do, he would have side
tracked his car. 1t was foggy, he
fAid. but no was able to see
good distance ahead and in tho rear.
1t is customary, he said, for trains to blow
at all the curves and crossings, and be did
not hear a signal. He could have heard it,
he thought, II it had been given. He in
structed tho men to keep a watch in front
for. No. 81 He did not tell them to watch
the track behind He heard no approach Of
a train aid the Oaly initimation he had Of the
pusher coming IN the rear was when one
OF the hands who had jumped off the car TO
push it, got back on, and his face was
toward the engine. He called TO the sac
tionmasler that a train was coming, and
the pole" car was stopped before it had
gone 40 feet
TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.
1--WE endeavored to throw it of of
the track" Harrel said Il told the
men 10 get hold OF 10
and lift it off, while | would wave
the train down. The engineer blew for
brakes then. When the engine struck the
car, only one corner Of it was on the track.
We had succeeded in getting the other off,
Cesar Willis, the colored switchmans
testimony was taken at the house by Cor
oner Dixon and was read to the Jury. VIII
lis said that he was standing or t1e front
part OF tho engine as it reached
tho Ogeechee crossing. He saw the
pole car half way across the track, about
100 yards ahead. He waved the engineer
down and jumped Off. 1t was foggy and
day was just breaking He did not see
anybody on the lookout, but the section
boss was standing near the car waving his
handkerchief.
THE ENGINEER's STORY.
Engineer +. G. Eden testified as follows;
VI left Sputhover junction between and
1880 o'clock. At the first crossing between
the three and four mile post blew a signal
blew another at the second road crossing.
when ! 90. straight down thu track | saw
the pole" car ABOUT four car lengths in
front Of me. | reversed the engine and |
tried to stop, but seeing that could not. | !
hallooed TO the men to jump off. | jumped |
of Of the engine. | saw no signal uu il |
got close up on the "polsn car,
don't know whethe they
were trying 20 get the car Off |
or trying 10 get out OF the way Themselves. |
The accldeat occurred after daylight. IL |
was foggy, and could not see farther than |
four cars lengths ahead of ma yas |