New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-28
FORTY.THREE WERE KILLED.
YrsrLT OF THE COLLISION AT ST. MANDE.
OVER ONE HUNDRED INiURED-TERRIBLE SCENES
AT THE wRECK-MANy PERSONS ROASTED
TO DEATH AND OTHERS DROWNED
BY THE FIREMEN-THE BLAME
FOR THE ACCIDENT.

BY THE FIREMEN-THE BLAME
FOR THE ACCIDENT.
paris July 27.-The details of the railway
..o;aont at ST. Mande last night show that the
-oIpsion was most terrible affair. The engine
81 one Of the excursion trains telescoped tnrce
carriages loaded with people, and at the sSiie
time the reservoir of gas on the damaged Talh
evnloded and set fire to the wreckage, whlle
scores of people were pnioncd down, WOUNDED
and helpless, beneath the ruins of the three car
r;aces. In short time the flames Spread 10
such an extent that many of the wouhoeu wele
slowly roasted TO death before the eyes OF 'hosc
who were doing their utmost to rescue them' inc
horrible shrieSs of the burning people anu ',i'
cries of desperation aud terror uuereu oy 'n'
survivors who were engaged in the WORK oil leS-
cue. continued almost without interruption lor
half an hour after the collision.
The official statement makes the numoer VI
dead forty-three, and the number OF injured Iva,
Many Of the unfortunate people imprisoned oe-
meath the wreck were drowned wiIe p"i w
roasted, BY the firemcn WHO were summoned I"
the scene. Forty minutes elapsed oeIore riie ii,
men were able 10 obtain water, but wnen 'neS Niu
go they poured torrents upon the wreck and seemed
g. ho ntterlv unaware of the fact that they were
drowning the people they were attempting 10
rescue.
To-day the Town Hall of St. Mande presented
fearful spectacle. The blackened bodies OF the
dead lay in rows upon the floor and upon taoies
In that building In some cases the bodies were
little more than heaps of cnders mtermlNed WiVh
portions of limbs fragments OF other partS OF
what were but a short time ago human beings
The majority of the victims were women ana
children The wrecked carriages consisted of ono
first class, two second class and a guards van.
The first was completely shattered
The work of rescue proceeded slowly during
tbe night until dawn. People then began to iiock
% the scene by thousands, many seeking irlends
who had not returned from the festival by day
break There were 10000 persons around the
station. and the schooroom and Town Hall, where
the bodies of the dead were lying, were besle9ed
by distracted people. INSIDE there was con-
slant succession of heartrending scenes, as, in the
dim light afforded by the lamps, the identification
Of the charred and mangled bodies proceeded.
man searching for missing relatives suddenly came
mon the bodies of his wife and daughter. Ills
cries attracted his brother-in-law, who in turn
recognized grandchild lying dead, and learned
that his wife and his mother were in q hospital
diving. 4 man who, for a long time, had been
rushing about halfdemcnted, seeking his family,
stopped a litter entering the schoolroom, and
found that il bore the charred bodies of his wife
and baby, the latter being only few months old
Five Of this mans children were on the train, ana
pnly one was rescued living The bodies OF the
Others were taken from the wreck.
Most of the bodies in the Town Hall were
soorched beyond recognition. Their Identified
ton was due TO some special mark. The fire that
broke out after the accident was tercest In the
frst-cass carriage, from which twelve bodies have
been recovered, so badly charred that identlica-
tl.x. ant L
the hospital number died Immediately after
admission. and many are expected to succumb.
The earliest workers to go to the rescue were the
fire brigade of Vincennes and the soldiers III the
barracks in the vicinity. These worked without
cessation until 8 o'clock, when the line was
cleared.
An inquiry into the causes of TIE accident
Shows that the second train left Nincennes at
the regular interval Of five minutes after the nrst
train The latter train was delayed at 81. Mahde'
owing to an enormous crowd oi people on an eX-
cursion The station master at Nincennes blanes
the driver Of the second train for the accident
When this train was starting the station master
advised the driver to 20 slowly, as there was
train in front of him, but tic man PAID no heed
TO the advice, and went ahcaI at full speed. ms
driver at first alleged that ali the signals mdl-
Gated that the line We clear, but an inquiry con
firms the report of the officials at st. Mande and
Nincennes that danger Signals were shown
The driver now asserts that lie has been the victim
nf an act of revenge on the part Of some one, who
severcd communication with the Westinghouse air
brake thus preventing it from bringing the train
to standstill the instant he perceived the lights
in the rear of the stationary train. The stokcr
Of tie second train declares that when the tram
left Vncennes the signal discs indicated that there
was no danger ahead. On reaching Pont Tour
nee, close TO the station of ST. Mande where the
line curves he caught sight Of the red lamps on
the rear of the front train He then tried TO put
On the brakes, but they failed TO act properly
leading official of the railway blames the pub
Ec for cIowding into the rear van, which, he says,
was intended TO remain empty. The greatest
humber Of dead was found Oeneath lne runs vi
this van. From the force Of the collision the en-
gEe mounted 10 the top Of the rear van, CRUSHING
u 10 fragments.
Paris this evening states that an investiga-
u0n which has hcen made into tine 81. Mande Rall-
rva0 accident has disclosed the Startling TACT tat
the disaster was Intentionally caused by some I'M
Known miscreant who deliberately altered the sig
lsk 50 TO bring the two trains into COLLISION
lbs announcement has caused the most Intense
Indignation among tie relatives and friends Ot te
Iic'lNs aud las aroused popular feeling generally
70 state Of great excitement. There seems 10 nc
ulle doubt as 10 the fate that awaits the wretch
who caused the terrible loss Of life should lie fall
Et9 the hands of the mourners now gathered at
Among the victims are the Marquis and Mar
1 luse MOntferate
=, An artillery lieutenant climbed TO the top Of
l Ie burning carriage 10 rescue girl, but fell
WIN WIN her into the burning mass, and neither was
seen again
AZ Is reported that warrants have been issued
ioI uie arrest Of the driver Of the second train,
sn1 the uanie-mana9ef at the VincenDeS station.
II Ohe OF the numerous accounts of the accident
usss uiat The station master detained the first
yam ON account Of a squabblc with a passenger
&v.1o &v.1o insisted upon riding frs class because the
WI eafiiages were fun, and forgot to sig
'AhEs McHENRf's A NATURAL DEATH.
LondOn, July 27.-The Right Hon Henry Matthews
'fctary OF State for Home Affairs, in the House of
o"noi' today replying to question addressed TO-
ue government said that the Public pyosecntor ,cbo
- ordered the cXhumaton Of The body Of Ja,nes Nc
Xssshfy known as tie Erie Railroad lugapt had do |
UNo1 uat hr Mcllcnry died a natural death
A"lT SENTENCE FOR THE "GOLDMAKFp ~ |