The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-03-09
SEVEN WERE KILLED.
WORKMEN MEET DEATH IN A
RAILWAY WRECK.
A Misplaced Switch on the st. Paul Road
Causes . Bad'smash-Up in Milwaukee,
Tho switchman Arrested - Indiana
Woman's Prison Burned.
Cars Crashed Together.

The absent mindedness of switch
man, or the physical impossibility of 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 A
o'clock Tuesday afternoon. The fact
that the. trains were moving at a COM
paratively slow rate OF speed alone pre-
vented railway horror which would
have counted its dead by the scores.
All the killed and injured were en-
ploy of the railroad company and re-
turning from their work at the West
Milwaukee shops On the shop train,
which consists of seven old-fashionei
coaches. The train had just passed 1. tn
street when the Watertown special came
laundering along on a parallel track.
just before it overlook the shop train II
white-faced switchman rush, d out,
waving his arms, and the next instant
the WATERFOWL special took the switch
and plunged into the rear COACHES of the
shop train.
Three of the shop train coaches were
toppled over and ground into the Gin
ders Of the Ioadbed. Several cars on
the passenger train left the rails, but
were not overturned. The men in the
overturned cars struggled 20 free them
selves. The frightened Iasscngt RS of
the WateItown special recovered their
senses and rushed from the cars and in
side OF two inmates 200 u en- W re at
work rescuing the mel from the we ked
cars. Many were cut and bleeding, Tut
by the time the police pa'rol wagon ar
rived most Of them had recovered suffi-
GENTLY TO walk or be carried away By
friends.
Those who were killed sufft d1lmost
instant death. They " re zen who at
tempted to jump from the SIDE d ,ors Of
the old coaches and were crushed 10
death when the cars toppled over on
them. The bodies were all quickly
taken from the wreckage and conveyed
TO the morgue.
The picture at the wreck was one
which few people could look upon with
out shudder. Beneath the overturned
cars, which had been raised with levers
sufficiently to release the bodies of the
dead, were sire WIN pieces Of flesh, wkile
the tracks were stained with the blood
Of the unfortunates. Here was a crush
ed hat, and there a battered dinner-pail.
The workmen who escaped hun riedly
went TO their homes or their friends,
and tho ground was soon abandoned
to the mfloyes of the company NJ cd
In clearing the tracks and tIy ng TO as
dortain the exact cause OF the accident.
The latter proved an easy task.
Will Bartels, the Switohman in charge,
10 en- inta eli oil
his advice and then gave himself up to
the police, to whom he admitted that he
had left three switches open in the per-
Torrance 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
neighbors of the dead, who talked about
hanging the switchmaH responsible for
the disaster. Few of the friends Of the
victims heard Of the accident until the
remains were brought to the city, and
the most affecting scenes were enacted
at the morgue when the work Of identi-
fication was going on. singular
f Azure Of the accident was that nobody
upon the express train was injur, d.
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 the 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.
He has two men under him as assist
ants, and the three, according to the
statements OF Bartels, are kept so busy
that it frequently becomes necessary for
him to rely upon his subordinates to see
that the switches are in the proper po-
eition. He admits he turned two OF the
switches, and may have left them open.
He is twenty snine years old. He says
that he is anxious to make all the
amends which are in his power, or which
the law may require Of linn in a criminal
way.