The Oskaloosa herald., 1892-11-17
THE NurRED

Mrs. Clyde Millisack, who resides. on
Benton st., Ottumwa, was quite badly
burned, but not seriously. 49,.
Miss Ida Coyey, of Slgourney, slight
ly burned ...s.
Mrs. Mary Hickey, who resides at
1924 West Second ST., was quite serious
ly burned.
James Peck, fireman, of No. SO, was
quite seriously hurt about the head.
Immediately after the accident tele-
graph was sent to Sheriff McIntire, who
chartered special train and with Un-
dertakers Sullivan and PashOng and
Drs. Baker and Spillman, starte1 for
the scene. of the awful C taStTophe.
The bodies were put aboard the train
and with the wounded brought to the
city. Miss BottOrff's remains were pre-
pared for burial and after the inquest
sent to Hedrick for burial.
THE STATION AGENTS STORY.
From information gained from n. c.
Brown, the station agent at Hig land
Center, the wreck occurred about this
way:
Local No. 19 was standing on the
main track, and the employees of the
road were tending to the unloading of
the freight. There were about six ladies
and three gentlemen in the cabOoSe.
Justas Mr.. Brown stepped out from the
depot onto the platform he heard the
noise of train No. 63 and looking
around, saw it coming at terrible rate
ofspeed about one hundred yards away.
Mr.. Brown had barely time to assist
two or three children off the platform
who were standing there when the en-
gine of No. 63 struck the caboOse of No.
10 and telescOping, piled them up in
confusion. Then i'll three minutes, says
Mr.. Brown, the whole wreck was in
flames. Everything in human power
was done to save all, but the lives of
two women and one man were saved
by pulling them through the window.
Two cars were entirely consumed and
one partially and the depot badly burn
ed. Thus says Mr.. Brown, and his story
is subStantiated by G. S. Stevens, +. 4.
Summers J E. Corey and WI. Rickett,
who added that the light was ut on
No. 10.
A MYSTERY.
The accident was not without its
mystery. A man who got out of the
cabOose before the train struck was
talked to and seemed very reluctant
about disclosing his name, where he
lived or any information concerning
himself. One man who seemed to know
him said so and was told by Mr.. MyS-
terry that he had better not disclose his
name or "he knew what he'd get" Mr..
Mystery came to Ottumwa on the
special and then disappeared, no one
knows where he is nor who he was, but
an impression seems to be with the
train men and the men who talked to
him that he is an escaped criminal who
is avoiding recognition for fear Of
arrest.
THE INQUEST.
Justice O. G. Truitt, acting as cor
Oner, impanelled as a jury MeSsrS. John
Gray, j. L. Moore, and J. +. Lewis, who
took testimony all this morning and
afternoon. The most important wit
nesses were Conductor James Hurley,
of No. 19, his three brakemen, Yaeger,
Eastman and Berdine, Station Agent
w. c. Brown, and C.S. Stevens, of high
land Center, Engineer G. F. Richardson,
his fireman, B. +. Peck, whose testimo-
ny cOrrObOrates the above facts. Con-
ductOr Hurley testimony was valuable
concerning the fact whether the red
lights b,ore out at the rear of the train.
He said that the track was straight and
you could see for four miles either way,
that the red lights, two on the side and
one in the cupola, were in place. Both
trains were behind time, and his train,
No. 10, had the right of track. No. 63
had no orders to pass. They did not
know No. 10 was behind hand although
So is supposed to be under control when
nearing that point. c. w. Eastman also
testified that the lights wer4 all placed
andswere put in place at Haysville. He
saw the train coming and started ahead
to throw. the switch, so that the coming
train would go in there. 1t would have
ditched No. 63, but saved No. 10. He
could not reach it in time.