The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-04-23
CRUSHED LIKE RATS.
HORRIBLE FATE OF SIX RAIL-
WAY MAIL CLERKS.

relescoptns Cars Give Them No Chance OF
stantIy-The Wreck Resulted from Gross
Carelessncss.
Edward Brown, engineer, Toledo. Ohio.
Charles Topliff, engineer, Toledo. Ohio
+. j. Nugent postal clerk, Toledo,
Ohio.
Charles Hammill, POSTAL clerk, Elyria,
Ohio.
+. +. Clemens, postal clerk, Cleveland,
Ohio.
John J. Bowcrfinc, postal clerk, Elyr-
ia, Ohio.
James Mckinley, postal clerk, Con-
neaut. ohio.
c. II, Mcdowell, lotal clerk, Elyria,
Ohio.
- Stalry. fireman.
These men were instantly sent to
eternity by the frightful carclessncss of
some one of whom it is not known.
At kipton station, a little place on the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern road,
forty miles west of Cleveland, Ohio, the
fast mail bound cast collidcd with the
Toledo express Just as the latter train
was about to pull on the siding to let the
fast mail pass. The latter was running
at full speed, and the force Of the coils
ion was SO great that both engines.
three mail cars and one baggage car
were completely wrecked. None of the
passenger cars left the track. and mono
of the passengers received serious in
jurieS.
1t was the custom for these two trains
to pass at kiptpn. the Toledo express
! taking the side track for the fast mall
| which usually went through Kipto.
pvit 81 "a
| ledo express was a few minutes late, and
| had just come to a stop at the switch
when the fast mail came in sight. There
| is scarcely any curve at the station. but
| on one side of The track was line of
| freight cars and on the other the station.
These might have ubStructcd the vision
| of the engineer of the fast mail.
| He applied the air-brar "s when he
| saw that a coll on was able, but
| the speed Of the train was not che kod
| materially. The engine of the Toledo
| express was knocked squareIy ross
| the ira X, and that of the last mail
| reared in the air. resting on top of the
| other. The fast mail cons sted Of three
| mail cars and two parlor cars, and tho
| Toledo express Of five coaches and two
| baggage ears Tho first and second
| mail cars were tclescopcd and smashed
| to knding wood, and the third crashed
| into the first two and rolled over on the
station platform, breaking the windows
| Of the building. The two baggage ears
Of the Toledo express were knocked
| from the track, but did not turn over.
| The force of the collision was so great
| that of the sixty-four revolving chairs in
the two parlor-cars only four remained
/ attached to the floors. all the others be-
/ in hrnf;cD and tprlpI oEo in fin.
| sion. The passengers were thrown &c
| the floors and badly shaken.
The passengers of the two trains at
! once began the work Of rescue, and with
a corps of physicians from the town
| miniStcred to the few who were njurad.
| All tut one Of tie dead We're beyond
| human assistance As soon as the collision
| occurred. TIL" bodies were all horribly
| crushed and m tilatcd, arms and leg:
| being torn of a the corpSes were al
| most beyond recognition.
Charles Toplif. the engineer of the
fast mail. remained brarelv at his post
and was found dcaa with his hand on the
| throttle, His hands and face were so ably
| sca!ded that the bIacilencd flesh dropped
| from the bones when his body was taken
| ont. The poor postal clerks had not q
chance to escape. They We're Gagged liks
rats, and the telcscoping Of the cal
| crushed the life out of them without
| moments warming
When the passengers who were on til,
fast mail arrived at Cleveland they
| brought the first authentic account o
the wreck. there being no cores pondant'
or other facilities for getting the new:
| from kipton. which is a mere hamlet
These passengers say that the cars ant
| n ba1