The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1891-01-08
A COLLISION.
The Work of a Fiend at Fres-
no City Last Night.


ion superintendent Office in this city
that freight ira in No. 81, southbound,
had collided with an engine three
miles north Of Fresno and that engin-
Ger Moore and fireman Steininger
were badly injured and brakeman
Laffcrty was missing. The wrccking
train was Immediately ordered out
and in a short time pulled out for the
scene.
A crowd gathered at the depot,
%anxiously seeking further informa-
ton and q thousand wild rumors
were aiIoat. But little satisfactory in
formation could he obtained as rail-
road employees are not given to being
%garrulous on such occasions, yet the
crowd fingered until n late hour.
This morning the news arrived
that the fireman had expired and that
the brakeman had been taken out
dead. This report intensified the en-
element, and the friends Of the I'M
fortunate men and in fact almost the
entire community awaited with fever
ish impotence the arrival of the
south'bound passenger train which
had been delayed by the wreck and
did not arrive until a quarter past
twelve at which time there was a
great crowd at the depot. As near as
can be learned the particulars are as
follows:
Train No. 2l in charge of Conduc-
tor Harbaugh, was behind time and
was running at the rate of perhaps
% miles an hour. Engineer John
Moore and fireman w. &. St%eininger
were on the engine. Mr.. Moore
states that suddenly through the fog
there loomed up before him q mon
ster object which he recognized as an
engine, and not more than three car
lengths ahead. He threw on the air
and jumped just a the crash came
and Immediately after reaching the
ground something struck him and he
remembered no more.
Steininger also jumped for his life
and almost succeeded in clearing the
train, but his right leg was caught
and crushed in a fearful manner
from just above the knee down.
Conductor H%arbaugh ran forward
and found the engineer and the fire.
man lying on opposite sides Of the
track and making them as comfort
able as possible ran to Fresno for as.
sistance. A special train, carrying
two physicians, was Immediately dis
patched to the scene
Brakeman Lafferty was missing,
but was finally discovered between
the tender and tie second car, dead,
crushed and mangled in a terrible
manner.
From DR.. Shannon, who went up
on the wrecking train, we learn that
VIII Steininger's leg was broken in
several places below tue knee, his
knee was crushed and his foot man
gled out Of all shape. With his own
hands he bound a handkerchief above
the bleeding wound and by means of
a stick inserted in the knot twisted it
in order to stop the flow Of
blood. 1t was impossible to obtain a
reaction and this morning he quietly
sank into the sleep of death. He was
cheerful TO the last and when told q
half hour before the end that he
could not live he merely said "Thcn
let it come quickly that | may be
free from pain" His brother, +. A.
Steininger, chief train dispatcher on
this division, was with him IN his last
moments. His aged father resides in
Jefferson City, Mo, and this morn
.ng a message was received from
asking for information of his
condition. IL was a sad answer
which the brother had to send home.
The remains will arrive on this even
train and the funeral will take
place at 80 p. m. tomorrow from
Library Hall. Deceased was but
% years Of age.
The aus of the terrible accident
IS still enveloped In mystery. 1t is
known that two engines standing on
The side track at Fresno were started
up by some M wac then jumped off
md allowed them to run out upon
he main track, but who that villain
s has not yet been ascertained. 1t is
supposed that the rear engine was
partially steamed up and pushed the
other one out. The deed was done
the Waterman was at the other
end of the yard.