The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-07-13
RAILROAD ACCIDENT
a Locomotive Plu nges Into an
Excursion Train.
SEVEN KILLED, M ANY INJURED

Tho Collision Occurred mt. Aspen
Junction, on the Colorado Mid
land acknowledgements of Scaid-
ing Steam and Water Poured Oue
Upon the Helpless Victims.
ASPEN, COL, July 1S4 "A horrible ca
tAstrophe occurred at Aspen Junction, on
the Colorado Midland road early yester-
day morning thab hos filed many once
happy homes in this beautiful valley
with desolation and death. The colli-
SION occurred between o Midland loco
motive and the hind coach Of the Satur-
day night excursion train running be-
tween Aspen and Giehnwood Springs.
The coach load OF people returning from
The springs, where few pleasant hours
had been spent, were suddenly plunged
into mass OF frightfhl railroad acct
dent which resulted in killing seven per-
sons outright, inflictihg fatal injuries
upon five more and severely scalding
and burning six others.
Engineer Switzer, DE- the excursion
train, had run his train up to the water
tank at the junction for water. When
backing down to get OH the main track
line a light engine shot out from the
coal chutes, which are located in such a
way as to conceal the engine tracks
from view Of tracks leading to the
water tank. The engineer Of the light
engine, thinking be could get out before
the excursion train took the main track,
made the attempt, but struck the rear
coach of the excursion train at the
switch.
Steam Adds to the Horror.
The force Of the collision tore the
check valve from the engine and poured
scalding steam and water into the
wrecked coach load pf PEOPLE. Then
eiisued a scene Of terror impossible to
describe. The passengers were at the
mercy Of the roaring, screeching mon
ster at their side. Through the broken
valve tore torrents OF scalding steam
and water poured out upon the helpless
victims. OF the twenty five passengers
In the car three colored men, who were
In the forward compartments, were the
only ones uniajured.
The following is the revised list Of the
dead and injured, all the injuries being
from scalds and burns:
Killed Frank Ellis and 2-year-
old child, Of Aspen, Colo; Mrs. J. G.
Baldwin, OF GlenwOod, Colo; Mrs. L.
Willoughby, Mr.. and Mrs. A. B. Rogers,
Of Woody, Colo; a4iss Annie Phelan, of
Cardiff, Colo.
The injured are: Thomas 0'Donnel1,
Mary O'Donnell, Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph
Leonard, james Leach, of Aspen, Colo,
and ten others, whose names could not
be learned.
Wanted to See Her Husband.
In spite of all efforts to save their
lives, Mrs. Frank Ellis, Mrs. Baldwin
eud Mrs. Willoughby died within two
hours from tao time on the wreck. Mrs.
Rogers died at o'clock in the morning
and her husband at 10 o'clock. Mrs.
Baldwin and Mrs. Wiltoughby were the
most frightfully burned. The latter
begged piteously to he kept alive until
her husband could reach her. OF those
still living, Miss Mary ODonnell will
die
Coroner Hill, Of this city has gone to
the scene of the accident and will hold
an inquest today on the bodies of those
who died here, While the injured peo-
pie were at Aspen Junction, the person
Of Mrs. A. B. Rogers was robbed of a
gold watch and chain and also Si20 in
money There were also other robberies
reported, but not authenticated. With
warrant swsrn ont by R. A Ropham,
before Judge prentiss, Marshal Sutton
went to Aspen Junction and arrested J.
G. Kuhn, cook at the railroad eating
house, charging him with robbing the
body. Marshal Sutton now has his pris-
oner 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 il to some one standing near whom
she recognized but could not reach.
Kuhn claims he did this. He turned the
watch and some other trinlsets over to
the proprietor OF the hotels and dis
claims all intention of robbery.
An Important Opium Capture.