Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-30
DARK SUSPICION.
The Terrible Railway Collision in
France Due to Malice.
STARTLING STATEMENT OF LE PARIS.
Half Roasted UnfOrtunates Drowned BY
the POmpiers Engaged In distinguishing
the Flames-Searching For the Dead
Sad Sights.

the tlames-Searcnlng 4 or the Deau
Sad Sights.
PARIS, July 2S.-Le Paris states that
an investigation into the St Mande
railroad accident disclosed the start
ling fact that the disaster was inten-
tionally caused by some unknown mis-
creant who deliberately altered the
signals so as to bring the two trains
into collision. This announcement has
caused the most intense Indignation
among the relatives and friends of the
victims and has aroused popular feel
ing generally to a state of great excite
ment. There seems to be little doubt
as to the fate that awaits the cowardly
wretch who caused the terrible loss of
life should he fall into the hands of the
mourners now gathered at St Mande.
Details of the collision show that it
was a most terrible affair. The engine
of one of the excursion trains telescoped
three carriages loaded with excursion
lists and at the same time the reservoir
of gas on the damaged train exploded
and set fire to the wreckage while
scores of people were pinioned down,
wounded and helpless, beneath the
ruins of the three carriages.
In a very short time the flames spread
to such an extent that numbers of the
wounded were slowly roasted to death
before the eyes of those who were do
ing their utmost to rescue them. The
shrieks of the people and the cries of
desperation and terror uttered by the
survivors who were engaged in the
work of rescue continued almost with
out interruption for half an hour after
the collision.
1t is now repor ted that 200 people
were either killed or injured as a re-
suit of the collision. Many unfortu-
nate people imprisoned beneath the
wreck of the railroad cars were
drowned while partly roasted by the
fremen who were summoned to the
scene. Forty minutes elapsed before
the firemen were able to obtain water,
but when they did so they poured tor
rents upon the wreck and seemed to be
utterly unaware that they were drown
ing the people they were attempting to
rescue.
The majority of the victims were
women and children. The wrecked
carriages consisted of one first class,
two second class and a guards van.
The first was completely shattered.
The work of rescue proceeded slowly
during the night until dawn. People
then began to flock to the scene, many
seeking friends who had not returned
from the fete by daybCeak. There are
20, 900 persons around the station and
the school room and the town hall
where the bodies of the dead were
lying were besieged by distracted peo-
PIE.
A man searching for missing relatives
suddenly came upon the bodies of his
wife and daughter His cries attracted
his brother-in-law, who in turn recog-
nized a grandchild lying dead and
learned that his wife and mother were
in a hospital dying.
A man who for a long time had been
rushing about half demented seeking
his family stopped a litter entering the
school room and found that it bore the
charred bodies of his wife and baby,
the latter being only a few months old
Five of this mans children were on the
train and only one was rescued alive.
The bodies of the others were picked
from the debris.
Most of the bodies in the town hall
were scorched beyond recognition and
owe their Identification to some special
mark
The fire that broke out after the ac-
cident was fiercest in the first-class car
riage, from which twelve bodies were
recovered so badly charred that identi-
fication was impossible.
Among the injured sent to hospital
a number died Immediately after adj
mission and many are expected to sue
cumb.
An investigation shows that the Sec
ond train left Vincennes at the regula-
ton interval of fifteen minutes after
the first. The latter was delayed at St
Mande owing to the enormous crowd
of excursionists. The stationmaster
at Vincennes blames the driver of the
second train for the accident When
this train was starting he advised the
driver to go slowly, as there was a
train in front of him, but the man paid
no heed to the advice and went ahead
at full speed.
This driver at first alleged that all
signals indicated the line was clear,
but an inquiry confirmed the report of
officials at st. Mande and Vincennes
that danger signals were shown.
He now asserts that he has been the
victim of an act of revenge on the part
of some one who severed communica-
ton with the air brake, thus prevent
ing him from bringing the train to
standstill the instant he perceived the
lights in the rear of the stationary
train.
The stoher of the second train de-
clares that when the train left Vim
cennes the signal disc indicated that
there was no danger ahead On reach
ing Port Tournell, 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.
stanfey's Injury Not So Serious.
GENEVA, July 2s.-Late information
from Muerron indicates that the acci-
dent which befell Henry NJ. Stanley