Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-07-05
THE INQUElT.
Over the Dead In tho Railway Accident
at RaVenna, Ohio.

Over the Dead In tho Railway Accident
at Ravenna, Ohio.
RAvENNA, o., July AT the Coroner's
inquest over the persons killed in the acci-
dent on the New York, Lake Erie and
Western road at this place Yesterday, q
number Of witnesses were examined.
HI. Woodwork, of Mcadville, testi-
fed: 81 am employed by the N. Y, L. f.
a. w. r. II. Co., running from Meadville
to Kent, and was engaged as fagman on
train 50: took train at Kent about 2 o'clock
on morning of July 3; 1t was 2:l5 when we
started for the east: after left we followed
and were running aoout 20 mues an
hour; the train consisted OF "A loaded cars,
the engine and caboose; George Holman
was the engineer, and a. Il. Papenfuss fire
man: was in the caboose all the way from
Kent until we struck; heard call for
brakes and set caboose brake, and on look
ing ahead saw that we were so close that
we were going TO strike; we were about a
train and a half length from train 5 when
whistle blew for down brakes; saw flag
man of train S step TO the side OF the track;
felt the engine reverse when the
engineer whistled for brakes; could not
sec or hear train ahead after leaving
Kent; we left Kent on authority OF
train dispatcher, and had right to the
road, as we had no orders TO mold US oacK
for ANYTHING. Five minutes Is allowed be-
tween trains going in the same direction:
Brakes worked, but the rails were wet and
they wouldnot hold. If they had been T
brakes we would not have struck train 5.
Soon as We struck went out with signals
about n mile and stayed there. About : :S3
the collision occurred looked at my watch
before we struck train S and 1t was $3.50;
III about three minutes afterwards we
struck train s.; it was railroad time; In
ABOUT one hour and half L visited the
wreck With hand brakes in good order it
would take three or four minutes TO stop
tle train at the rate it was going.
Tho next witness was an important one
and was one Of the persons injured in the
wreck: My name Is II. Z. DeGraff; my
parents reside at Corning, n. Y, and
consider that my home; the accident oc-
Cured between 3 and o'clock, to the best
of my judgement; l was in the rear coach
in the furthest seat from tho end; about ~
persons were in the COACH we had been
standing between three and five minutes
before the train was struck; was asleep
between Kent and Ravenna; when the
shock occurred was thrown through
window, all but my legs l climbed
through the window and lowered
myself to the ground and started 10
procure help; saw men coming: l then
found was bleeding profusely and went
TO the depot and got a towel and tied 1t
around nv neck. ! then came back, got
two buckets and tried TO put out the fire
called bystanders TO help him, but they
did not aid as they were terrified. The
fire got too much Roadway and began to
feel weak and returned TO the depot and
-a1 I fhnr fl
the hotel. The car split so as 70 throw the
passengers toward the windows. The top of
car was over the engine; car did not fall
over at that time / could hear Kissing Of
escaping steam. When / came back from
the depot found that hind end was burning
more than the rest; could not say the
fire started from the engine; the engine
won't clean through; about two or three
minutes after the collision the fire broke
out; had just been seated when the col
hsion occurred; l am 81 yaars old and un-
married.
The following names Of the killed were
read to him and he was acquainted with
them all:
John Coyle, Dave Rallhan. Fred Burns,
John Grifen. Fred Huff, Owen Hardi-
man, Dennis Ryan. Patrick Ryan, Dennis
Cassidy, Albert Gunthrup. John Deneen,
Henry Gilday, Thomas Nolan. Thomas
keeyille and William Newcomo, OF Corn
ing. N Y; William Kane. OF Brooklyn,
n. Y, and man named William Kimball,
Of Findlay, o.
John KatinS, another one Of the injured,
was called. He was badly cut about the
head. He said he was asleep when he ar
rived in Rayenna. / was in the rear car
[ did not awake between Kent and
Ravenna When / came to after the COLI
sion I-saw q light and crawled cut under
he left hanc side. / was asleep when the
train was struck Don't know how my