The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-05-18

turned from the wreck and says the scene
is one OF the worst be eyer saw. He
thinks there are from five to ten more
dead in the ruins, but the exact number
cannot be told tonight.
'Boney" Keef, a freight brakeman, had
just reached the top of car when the
collision occurred. The crash was so ter
wire forty feet into a stream of water,
which alone saved his life He thinks
there are at least three tramps under the
wreck OF the freight Several pas
sengers on the express are posi-
tive that several of their number
were also killed. 1t is certain
they are missing. but may be among the
wounded scattered about Owing to the
distance from the city and the prostration
of the telegraph wires by the accident, and
the telephone wires by the storm, details
have been very slow in coming in, and no
complete list of the wounded can be
given. The property loss is very severe
and will be 100000 Both engines are
completely wrecked and the coaches of
the express train are ruined. Ii Is claimed
that much valuable mail and express
matter is lost A dozen freight cars
loaded with costly goods are total loss.
The Miss ng.
Five to eight passengers were supposed
to be in the smoker which is buried in the
wreck. Nothing is known at this hour as
to who they are. 1t is a matter of rumor
that there were five to eight in that car
No one is able to conceive how anv of
them can have escaped death under that
mass of wreckage.
The freight train was going west and
the passenger train was the accommoda-
ton coming to Cincinnati from Lawrence
burg with about thirty passengers. These
were gathered from Harrison, Aurora,
Lawrenceburg and Elizabethtown.
The collision occurred at bend in the
road west OF Cleves. about eighteen miles
from here with both trains at full speed.
At the scene OF the wreck the road was
lined with cottages. A binding
rain was falling at the time. The
schedule was new. Somebody had
blundered. Who that was is a question
in dispute at this writing. The stories are
numerous and conflicting. The members
of the crew who should know most about
it are numbered with the silent majority
and their testimony will never be heard.
n NOlDhn Ouc VI bllC Dy
the roadside, says that she saw the trains,
but heard no warning whistle. Another
witness says one short, wild shrek OF the
whistle OF the train preceded the crash.
Then the locomotives plunged into each
other like demons and tumbled down to-
gether by the side of the track and the
passenger and freight cars smashed upon
them In a ruinous confusion of wTeckage.
A fire started. A messenger rushed to
Cloves. The fire bell rang. People
rushed to the scene and
prevented the wreck from burning
up. The -EeRndsa vera, removed 70
Cleves under the care OF DR.. Hughes of
that place. Dr. Muscroft OF Cincinnati
with two aids soon came to the scene and
the best care possible was given the in
jured. There were few of the usual ac-
compartments of a wreck at the scene as
there were but few LETT on these fated
trains to utter cries of distress. and those
who escaped injury were too much dazed
to make an outcry. The relief was very
prompt and everything possible for the
relief OF the wounded was done quickly,
Dying scene.
One OF the never to be forgotten scenes
was the death of Brakeman Gribbens. He
fingered till afternoon conscious all the
time. He had young wife that he had
kissed good-by but an hour before. All
his grief and all his talk was about that
wife. In the agonies of death, till his
tongue was stilled forever. he spoke only
OF her. Again and again he begged some
one to pray. At last in response to
his pleadings an old colcred minister
stepped timidly to his bedside. The dying
man beckoned the sable man OF God to 90
on. Then and there as the fervid petition
arose from the trembling lips OF that col
oIed divine there was a scene OF solemnity
that none present will soon forget and
none ever experienced before. His words
seemed to the deeply moved listeners as
ii they were inspired and silent tears wet
every eye.
Frank Keefe. the head brakeman of the
freight, escaped unhurt, though he was
thrown through the telegraph wires into
an orchard. He says the freight stopped
this side of North Bend and side tracked
and waited till two sections OF east-bound
freight No. II passed and then went on,
thinking that all had passed.
A witness Of tho Wreck.
Philip Sander, who lives in a cottage at
the roadside where the wreck occurred SAYS
the freight was going at fnll speed, bur the
Lawrenceburg accommodation was slow
ing up TO stop at tho station. He saw q
collision imminent end fearing the cars
would be thrown on the house, ran with
his wife into the back yard and then re-
turned to see two locomotives, eight
freight cars and five cars of the aecommo-
dation piled in one smoking mass. Halton
Terrell, the nephew of DIR. Terrell of Del
hi a was lying near his house. Sander
took him in and cared for him.
Conductor Schroeder was found wedged
between the buffers OF two cars head
downward and mortally crushed in the
middle. He was only able to speak once
after being extricated. Then it was that
he gave the information that when the
train left Valley Junction there were
from FIVE to eight men in the smoker.
Valley Junction Is less than two miles
from the scene OF the wreck. This Is the
only basis for fear that these people are
buried in death under the wreck.
Two OF the men were serving as sub
stitutes for the regular men for this
run. These two men were Conductor
Newberry Edwards and Baggagemaster
Philip Gribben.
A Marvellous Escape.