The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-06-09
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
An n. X. & T. Head End Collis.
ion on the Emp0ria Branch
Yesterday Afternoon.
Engineer John Wicks Scalded to
Death and Three Other Train.
men lniured-Their Ar.
rival in Sedalia.

men lnjured-Their Ar.
rival in Sedalia.
Yesterday afternoon, at Hart
ford, a small station on the Emporia
division of the NJ, K. & T. railway,
a head end collision occurred. result
ing in the fatal scaldipg of Engineer
John Wicks and dreadful injuries to
;; three other trainDen.
The southbound passenger train with
Engineer Charles Hewlett at the
throttle, ran on to switch on which
q north bound freight train, the en-.
gineer being John Wicks, was stand.
ing. Both locomotives were COM
pletely demolished and several Of the
freight cars telescoped.
Wicks was frightfuily scalded by
the escaping steam, until the skin
literally peeled of his legs, arms
and back. He also inhaled
a large quantity Of the
steam and be was thoroughly roasted
within and without, but dii not die
at the scene of tn e frightful wreck.
Engineer Howlett's right arm was
dreadfully crushed at the elbow and
will likely have to be amputated.
Robert Cloughley Was a fireman
on the passenger train and had his
left arm badly broken.
VIM. Cary fired on the freight train
and also had one Of his arms badly
broken.
The injured men arrived
here this morning in special
car attached to the regular train from
the south.
Between Windsor and Green Ridge
Engineer Wicks bresthed his last.
He was surrounded by his wife and
children, who reside at Parsons, and
who accompanied the boiy to Sedalia.
Undertaken Hills, with his wagon,
aud Chief Surgeon Yancey. with the
NJ. K. & T. hospital ambulance were
in waiting at the Kentucky street
crossing, where a crowd Of men and
boys and few women had gathered,
awaiting the arrival of the train.
First the body Of Engineer Wicks
was taken out and placed in the
undertaker's wagon. Upon being
stripped at Hills rooms, it presented
horrible sight. The body had been
swatbed in cotton and when this was
removed, great fakes Of skin peeled of
hi. back, arms and legs, leaving them
absolutely raw and as red as lobster
that you see on q restaurant table.
With the exception of inhaling the
steam, which directly caused his death,
the engineer was not otherwise in.
jured. He was a handsome man of
about 81 years and ccmpactly built.
The pallor Of death had not gathered
on his features yet, and he seemed
only asleep.
After some delay, the crippled men,
looking pale and baggard, and with
their arms in bandages and slings,
were placed in the ambulance and
driven to the hospital. where Chief
Surgeon Yancey, Doctors McNeal
and Shadburne and q corps Of nurses
at once took them in charge and at
tended to their needs.
Engineer Wicks was an experienced
railroad man, was q resident of Par.
SONS and leaves a wife and FIVE chill.
dreu to mourn his tragic and untimely
taking of.
The other three men are also resi-
dents of Parsons and heads Of families.
The body of Wicks has been en-
balmed and placed in a handsome
casket. Accompanied by the widow
and her children and several railroad
friends, it will be shipped this even
ing to Parsons for interment.
The deceased was q member of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
and was fully insured in that order.
Since writing the above, it was
learned that the dead engineer was
chief of his division of locomotive en-
gineers. He was also a Knight
Templar.
This afternoon Master Mechanic S.
P. Weller received Telegram from DR..
G. W. Gabriel, mayor of Parsons
and also eminent commander of Couer
de Leon commandery Knights TEN.
plar, instructing him to lend all nee.
essary.
A meeting Of engineers was held at
their division hall, corner Ohio and
Fifth streets this afternoon, and suit |
able arrangements were made for the
funeral. They and the local COM
mardery Knights Templar will prob
ably escort the remains to the depot.