The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-03-10
CRUSHED BY THE CARS.
SEVEN KILLED IN A RAILWAY
COLLISION.
A Passenger Engine Crashes Into . Train
Containing Hundreds Of Milwaukee
Workmen and Many Arc Manglcd-
Reform school Burned.


Met Sudden Death.
The absent mindedness of a switch
man, or the physical impossibility Ct his
being in two places at one time, re-
suited in the accident on the Chicago,
Milwaukee and st. Paul Railway at
Milwaukee, which caused the instant
death of seven men.
According to dispatch giving particu-
lars, the accident occurred at the foot OF
18th street few minutes before 4
O'Clock Tuesday afternoon. The fact
that the trains were moving at a COM
paratively slow rate OF speed aione pre-
vented a railway horror which would
have counted it's dead by the scores.
All the killed and injured were en-
ploy of the railroad company AID re-
tuInir & from their work at the West
Milwaukee shops On the shop train,
which consists Of seven old-fashioned
coaches. The train had Just passed 18th
street who the Watertown special came
laundering along on a parallel tack.
just before it overlook the shop train n
whitefaccd switchman lus h d out,
waving his arms, and the next instant
the Watertown special took the switch
and plunged into the rear coaches Of tho
shOo train.
Three of the shop train coaches were
topplCd over and ground into the cin-
dcrs of the roadbed. Several cars on
the passenger train left the rails, tut
were not overturn. d. The men in tho
overturned cars struggled to free them
selves. The frightened passengers OF
the Wateitown special recovered their
senses and rushed from the cars and in-
| side of two minutes 200 men W re at
work rescuing the men from the wrc ked
cars. Many were cut ard bleeding, ! ut
by the time the police patrol wagon ar.
rived most of them had recovered s,ffi-
tiently TO walk or be carried away b.
friends.
Those who were killed suff, ID almost
instant death. They were men who at
tempted to jump from the side d urs II
the old coaches and were crushed 10
death when The cars tcppled over cn
them. The bodies were all quickly
taken from the wrcckaSc ana ccnycycd
to the morgue.
The picture at the wreck was ono
which few people could lcok upon with
out a shudder. Beneath the overturned
cars, which had been raised. with levers
sufficiently to release the bodies of the
| dead, were strcwn pieces of flesh. while
the tracks were stained with the blood
Of the unfortunatcs. Here was a crush
cd hat, and tht re- battered dinncr-rail.
| The workmen who escaped hu r.cd,y
went to their homes or their friends.
and the ground was scon abandoned
to the employees of the company n: cd
in clearing the tracks and tying 10 as.
certain the exact cause of the accident.
| The latter proved an easy task.
Will Bartels, the switohman in charge,
went 10 Superintendent NJ. kenna, asked
his advice and then gave himself up to
the police, to whom he admitted that ho
had left three switches open in the per-
formance of his duty. his only excuse
being that he forgot to close them. He
was locked up pending investigation.
| There was great Indignation among the
neighhors of the dc ad. who talked about
hanging the switchman responsible for
the disaster. Few of the friends of tho
victims heard of the accident until III :
remains were brought to the city, :r
the most affecting scenes were enacted
at the morgue when the work Of idcnii
fication was going on. A singular
feature of the accident was that nobody
upon the express train was injured.
The railway officials maintained their
usual policy of refusing to give out any
information concerning the wreck, and
the agents Of the claim department, who
have charge of the work of settling
damage claims against III, company for
injuries. were upon the ground almost
as soon. .as the local police officers.
Bartels, the switchman who is held re-
sponsible for the cause of the wreck.
was seen at the Central Police Station.
! Hc has fwo mon ,pslar hin, as ecSiSf
ants, and the three, according TO tho
statements of Bartels, are kept 20 busy
that it frequently becomes necessary for
him to rely upon his subordinates TO see
that the switches are in the proper po-
sition. He admits he turned two Of tho
switches, and may have left them open.
He is twenty-nine years old. He says
| that he is anxious to make all tho
amends whi h are i'm his power, or which
the law may require CT him in a criminal
way.