Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-28
news BY TELEGRAPH.
From All Quarters.
THE EXCURSION HORROR.
Numbers of People Roasted
to Death.
MANY BODIES UNRECOGNlzABLE.
Movements of the Squadron
of Evolution.
Mr.. STURGEON STILL IMPROVING.
Particulars of the Wreck
of the Gree.
BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION.

BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION.
Frightful Results of the French
Railroad Accident FOrty-three
Persons Killed and One Hundred
and Four Injured-Many Victims
Burned in the Wreck and Others
Drowned by the Firemen-Identifi-
cation in Many of the Cases Almo st
Impossible-What an Inquiry Into
the Cause of the Accident shows.
PARIS, July 27.-An official statement
received from Saint Mande, near Vim
cennes, the scene of the collision last
night between two excursion trains loaded
with passengers returning from a musical
festival at Fontenoy, show that forty-three
people were killed and that 1O4 were in
jured. Six people died after being extri-
Gated from the wreck.
The details of the accident show that
the engine Of one of the excursion trains
telescoped three carriages loaded with ex-
cursionists, and at the same time the
reservoir of gas on the damaged train ex-
ploded and set fire to the wreckage, while
scores of people were pinioned down,
wounded and helpless, beneath the ruins.
Numbers of the wounded were slowly
roasted to death before the eyes of those
who were doing their utmost to rescue
them. The shrieks of the burning people
continued for half an hour after the col
lision.
Many of the unfortunate people impris-
oned beneath the wreck were drowned,
while partly roasted, by the fremen who
were summoned to the scene. Forty min
utes elapsed before the fremen were able
to obtain water, but when they did so they
poured torrents upon the wreck, and
seemed to be utterly unaware of the fact
that they were drowning the people they
were attempting to rescue.
The majority of the victims were women
and children. The wrecked carriages con-
sisted of one frst-class, two second class
pletely shattered. People then began to
flock to the scene by thousands, many
seeking friends who had not returned from
the fete by daybreak. There were 20, 600
persons around the station and the school
room and town hall, where the
bodies of the dead were lying,
were besieged by distracted
people. Inside there was succession of
heartrending scenes as in the dim light af
forded by the lamps the Identification of
the charred and mangled bodies proceeded.
"a udu StdICuluS I'LL lulSSIllS IOldulFcS SUI
denly came upon the bodies of his wife
and daughter. His cries attracted his
brother-in-low, who in turn recognized
grandchild lying dead land learned that his
wife and his mother were in hospital
dying. A man who for a long time had
been rushing about. half demented, seeking
his family, stopped litter entering the
school room, and found that it 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
and only one was rescued living. The
bodies of the others were picked from the
debris Most of the bodies in the town
hall were scorched beyond recognition.
cial mark The fire that broke out after
the accident was fiercest in the frst-class
carriage, from which twelve bodies have
been recovered SO badly charred that iden-
LITIGATION is impossible. The fire brigade
and soldiers in thesbarracks acted nobly in
the work of rescue. They worked without
cessation until O'clock when the line was
cleared.
An inquiry into the causes of the acct
dent shows that the second train left Vim
cennes at the regulation interval of five
minutes after the first train. The latter
train was delayed at ST. Mande, owing to
du ouOrmOuS CIOWu VI eACuIslOulSlS. Inc
station master at Vincennes blamed the
driver of the second train for the accident
When this train was starting the station
master advised the driver to go slowly as
there was 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 that the
line was clear, but an inquiry confirms the
report of the officials at St. Mande and
Vincennes that danger signals were shown
The driver now asserts that he has been the
victim of an act of revenge on the part of
some one who severed communication with
the Westinghouse air brakes, thus prevent
ing him from bringing the train to a
standstill, the instant he perceived the
lights in the rear of the stationary train
The stoker of the second train declares that
when the train left Vincennes the signal
discs indicated that there was no danger
ahead. On reaching Pont Tourneile, 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. A leading official of the rail
way blames the public for crowding into
the rear van which, he says, was intended
to remain empty. The greatest number of
dead were found beneath the ruins of
this. From the force of the collision the
engine mounted to the top of the rear
van, crushing it to fragments.
Among the victims were the Marquis and
Marquise Montferate. An artillery lieu
tenant climbed to the top of the burning
carriage to rescue girl, but fell with her
into the burning mass and both persisted.
1t is reported that warrants have been is
sued for the arrest of the driver of the Sec
ond train and the traffic manager at the
Vincennes station.
One of the numerous accounts of the &C
dent says that the stationmaster detained
the first train on account of a squabble
with passenger, who insisted upon riding
irst-class, because the third class carriages
were full, and forgot to signal the second
train.
Mrs. Hopkins-Searles Dead.
I.AunrNc,1 Masr Iul1r 81 The funaral