Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-09-10
PLOT OF IMPS INTERNAL.
Miraculous Escape of New York Central
Passengers Whole Train Badly
Wrecked-Perfect Plans for the
Slaughter of Sixty Human Beings
The Entire Party Gets Away Without
n Scratch-Great Loss of Property.

Greenbush. Luckily only one-half Of
the attempted wrecking was success
full, and no loss of life or Sc
rious injuries resulted The second
section Of the Montreal sleeper
out of New York, due here at II 80, con-
sisting of an engine and eight sleepers
filled with men, women and children,
was derailed, but barring the shaking up
of the passengers, and the bruising of
half dozen or SO, nothing more serious
than the wrecking of the cars resulted.
The plans for placing the obstruction
Oh both tracks must have been careful
ly laid and quickly accomplished. The
first section of the Montreal sleeper had
passed over that point within the hour
before. A bystander at the scene of the
wreck said the evident intention in
placing the distractions on the tracks
was to accomplish the destruction of
the valable freight trains which pass
both ways over the Hudson River Di-
vision at that time of night, the train
wreckers evidently thinking that the
second section, which was wrecked, had
pdSS0u Oh Clm0.
The escape of a large number from
death was miraculous, and it was in
deed a kind Providence that looked aft
er the safety of the passengers ON that
jll-fated train. The train was twenty
five minutes late, and was running at
thirty miles an hour at this point
When the engine struck the obstruction
on the track it was lifted upwards in the
air, and the whole train was thrown
from the track. The forward part of
the engine was suspended in the air, and
it looked as though it would topple over
into the ditch at any moment
The engineer and firemen both stuck to
their posts. The first sleeper, contain
ing twenty-five passengers, slid down
the embankment and came to a stand
still on it's side. None of the passen-
gers in this car were injured outside of
a few bruises. The second coach Jared
worse than any Of the others, turning q
complete somersault and landing in the
ditch bottom side up. In this car was
only one passenger, Mrs. Jenkins, of
Brooklyn, the conductor and a porter.
Mrs. Jenkins at first was
thought to be seriously injured, but aft
erwards was found to be more fright
ened than hurt. The third car was
thrown directly across the ditch, at
right angles with the track. and was at
first taken for a bridge spanning the
abyss. There were about eight passen-
gers in this coach, making in all about
tunately saved from instant death. The
other five sleepers did not leave
the roadbed, but were lying obliquely
across the north-bound track, while
the fourth coach was suspended in the
air over the ditch, held in place by it's
coupling and the resistance offered by
the weight of the other three cars.
Conductor Maurice McAulife was the
first to appear out of the forward cars.
He thrust his arm through the window
of his upturned car, and jumping out
yelled to the trainman to take a
red lantern back to signal an ex-
press train due shortly, and he
then started for this city. Arrange
ments were made to signal the other
trains which were due, and the atten-
ton of the passengers in the other nve
cars was then given to the rescue of the
passengers in the ditched cars. Imme-
diately heads appeared out of the win
dows which had been shattered, and
willing hands were at work bestowing
help where needed When all the
passengers had been taken out, it was
found that Mrs. jenkins was the only
one who appeared to be in
any way in need of medical
attendance, she having received a
severe blow on the head Mrs. Akin
son, accompanied by her three chill
dren, all boys, who is said to live at
Trenton, n. Y, and who was in the
fifth car, was Frustrated by the shock
and required the attention of the physi-
clan. A number of the passengers
were cut and bruised by the shattered
car windows in their endeavor to ex-
tricate themselves from the cars.
Supt. Bissell made an investigation as
Mortified at the results. He found rail
damned into the cattle-guards and it
was Wedged with timbers and securely
held by fish-pIates. The whole arrange
ment was placed in a slanting position,
SO as to lift the train clean off the track.
The result showed that the Judgment of
the iends who placed the obstruction on
the track was unerring and their purpose
was successfully accomplished Con-
tinuing his Investigation Mr.. Bissell
found similar obstruction placed on
the south-bound track little way be-
low where the other obstruction had
Deon placed on the north track. IhlS
confirmed Mr.. Bissell's opinion that the
wrecking was the result of deliberate
plans laid by whom he knows not. He
added that immediate efforts would be
made, and no stone would be left un-
turned, to discover the perpetrators of
the dastardlv outrage
The relief train which left here at
40 then started back for the city,
reaching here at 4:10 A. NJ. All the pas
sengers were brought back on this train,
and by actual count the Associated
Press reporter ascertained that just six
ty-three passengers had occupied the
eight coaches.
The three vestibuled cars which were
ditched remain intact. They sustained
no damage beyond broken windows and
scratched paint work. Each car cost
SIT ,0G0. The monetary loss appears to
be small compared with the value of
the rolling stock which composed the
train Supt. Bissell said that these cars
were the finest in the world in point of
strength and durability, and it is I'M
doubleday owing to this fact that no
lives were lost. All trains due south
between midnight ana A. NJ were