Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-16
An ENGINE CRASHES INTO A CAR.
me Unfortunate Passengers Scalded-Stx
Dead and Many Others Badly Injured
A Man Charged With RObbing
a Victim

ASPEN, Col, July ia horrible
railroad accident occurred at Aspen
Junction, eighteen miles west of here,
on the Midland road, at eleven o'clock
Saturday night by which six persons
were killed and many hurt
A special train composed OF bag
gage car and one coach was returning
to Aspen from Glenwood Springs The
passenger coach contained about thirty
passengers, mostly Aspen people. The
train was backing from the water tank
to switch to the Aspen track when
road engine was run out of the railroad
roundhouse and .collided with the
coach The rear end of the passenger
train hit the check valve on the side OF
the boiler, which exhausted the hot
steam into the broken end of the pas
senger car, scalding thirteen passen-
gers, five men, seven women and one
child The car was thrown from the
track.
The passengers arrived from Aspen
in the baggage car at1.3O a m. Every
thing possible was done to relieve the
sufferings of the unfortunate passen-
gers, but six have died. They are:
Mr.. and Mrs. A. B. Rogers, of Woodey,
Col
Miss Annie Phelan, of Cardiff, Col,
aged Il years.
Mrs. w. L Willoughby, of GlenwoOd,
Col.
Mrs.sJoh G. Baldwin, of Glenwood,
Col.
Mrs Frank Ellis Aspen, Col, and
baby.
A child of Frank Ellis, aged ? years.
The wounded who still live with
hopes Of recovery are:
Frank Ellis
Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Leonard
Mary Leonard
Ann O'Donnel
Frank Leach.
Mrs. Willoughby was the wife of the
assessor of Garfield county. Mrs. Bald
wins husband is in Chicago.
Engineer Switzer of the excursion
train had run his train up to the water
tank at the junction for water. When
backing down to get on to the main
track, a light engine shot out from be-
hind the coal chutes, which are located
in such a way as to conceal the engine
tracks from view from tracks leading
10 the water tank. The engineer on
the light engine, thinking he could get
out before the excursion train took the
mHin track, made the attempt, but
struck the rear coach of the excursion
train at the switch. The force of the
collision tore the check valve from the
engine and poured scalding steam and
water into the wrecked coach load of
people.
The passengers were at the mercy of
the roaring, screeching monster at their
side. Through the broken valve tor
rents of scalding steam and water
poured out upon the helpless victims
OF the passengers in the car three
colored men who were in the forward
compartment were the only ones un-
injured. Conductor Miller with the
train crew and uninjured passengers
Immediately began the work of rescue.
A two-year-old child of Frank Ellis,
of Aspen, was taken out dead and Miss
Annie Phelan, of Cardiff. Col, died ten
minutes after being rescued.
The victims cries were terrible and
their scalded faces and arms and bodies
presented sight to bring tears Of pity.
In spite of all efforts to save their lives
Mrs Frank Ellis, Mrs Baldwin and
Mrs. Willoughby died within two hours
from the time of the wreck and Mrs
Rogers died at 5 o'clock yesterday
morning and her husband at 10 o'clock.
Mrs, Baldwin and Mrs Willoughby
were the most frightfully burned. The
latter begged piteously to be kept alive
until her husband could reach her. OF
the others still living Mrs. Mary O'Don-
nell will die.
Coroner Hills, of this city, has gone
TO the scene of the accident and will
hold an inquest to-day on the bodies of
those who died here.
While the injured people were at AS
pen Junction the person of Mrs. A. B.
Rogers was robbed of gold watch and
chain and S12O in money. There were
also other robberies reported but not
authenticated With a warrant sworn
out by R. A. Ropham, before Judge
Prentiss, Marshal Andy Sutton went to
Aspen junction and arrested J. G.
Kuhn, a cook at the railroad eating
house, charging him with the robbery.
Marshal Sutton now has his prisoner in
the county Jail He disclaims all
knowledge of the money, but says
that he was requested by Mrs. Rogers
to take her pocket book from her dress
and hand it to someone standing near
whom she recognized but could not
reach. Kuhn claims he did this. He
turned the watch and some other trink-
cts over to the proprietor of the hotel
and disclaims all intention of robbery.
Mr.. J. G. Baldwin, husband of the
dead woman, is now in Chicago lying
at the point of death. Mr.. Baldwin
and Mrs. Ellis were sisters Mr.. and
Mrs. Rogers were from Pratt, Kan.
Mr.. Rogers was engaged in the Varney
tunnel at Woodey, Col
M'GRATH ON MACUNE