The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-12-29
WRECK ON THE a. &N. W,
CONDUCTOR JAMES CUNNINGHAM IN
sTANTLY CRUSHED TO DEATH.
A Broken Wheel on Passenger Coach the
Cause Of the Accident-The smashup
Described by Passengers
on the Train.

Yesterday afternoon between | and
2 o'clock it began to be rumored on
the streets that wreck had occurred
on the Austin and Northwestern rail-
road, and that at least one man had
been killed and q number injured.
The officials of the railroad were re.
ticent and no particulars could be
learned. At 2 o'clock Superintendent
Leitnaker accompanied by DR.. Swear
ingen lett on special engine for the
scene, which was said to be between
Liberty Hill and Bertram. A little
later, about 3 o'clock, 1t was ascer-
tanned that the dead man was James
Cunningham, the conductor, but the
names of those injured could
not be learned. When the news
was received. Mr.. Cunningham's
wife was at the opera house attending
the matinee performance of the "Old
Homestead" and those who were
present will remember that at the end
of the third act she was called to the
door by an announcement from the
stage. She was placed in hack and
driven to her home, 1410 East Sixth,
where the sad news was told her.
All during the afternoon various
rumors were afiOat, and it was not I'M
til $50 o'clock when the regular mail
train, to which the injured and dead
had been transferred, pulled into the
Union depot that the true facts were
learned by STATESMAN reporters who
were waiting for the train.
superintendent Leitnaker who re-
turned on the train was seen and
questioned.
He said that the wrecked train was
the local mixed No. 81, composed of
pas senger coaches and freight made
up of merchandise and granite. The
point at which the accident occurred
was the torty-tive mile post be-
tween Liberty Hill and Ber-
tram, and 1t was caused
by the breaking of wheel on the
passenger coach. AS to the events
Immediately connected with the
break he had no personal knowledge
but from what he could learn from the
train men 1t seems that at the time
Mr.. Cunningham was in the baggage
car. When the first jar came he
Jumped to the flat car loaded with
granite attached to the baggag and
began applying the brake. AT that
instant another jar came and he was
thrown from the car to the ground be-
ing followed in his fall by one of the
big granite blocks weighing several
tons. The block struck him at the
knee joints and then rolled over
crushing his stomach and chest. In
the mean time the passenger coach
had left the track and turned over re-
sulting in the passengers getting
bruised and otherwise injured.
The following additional facts were
gathered from the passengers:
MR.. JAMES HOWE.
Jas. HOWE, ira Yelling salesman 70,
John Orr, who received very painful
injuries, was seen at his room at the
Hotel Salge, and gave the reporter o
thrilling account of the accident. He
said:
81 had been talking to the conductor
for several minutes. He had just left
me and gone out the front door OF the
coach, when the accident happened
l had gotten up and was going tC
take seat in the next coach, which
was q new one and more comfOrta BILE
when most terrific jar knocked me
off my feet and over several seats.
did not have time to realize what had
happened when another jar more ter
rifle than tho first sent me flying
through the door, which the con
ductor had but second before passed
through. The coach left the rails and
went tumbling down an embankment
of twenty feet and it seemed to me II
turned over a dozen times before II
stopped"
II was knocked senseless and Il
must have been fully fifteen minutes
before 1 knew anything. When
came to saw a most terrible sight
Apparently there were two 'deac
men close by me, the conductor
and colored brakeman. 1 felt mysel
: like every bone in my body wal
broken. The brakeman was not killed
but was quite badly hurt, sat up ant
looked at the conductors maimet
body and assured me he wa- dead.
seemed passenger in the coach wa
stunned by the terrible shock and TO
some moments they lay upon tn,
ground motionless. One by one the.
came to, and those who could crawlet
out of the wreck and assisted other
to do so. The coach was completed!
smashed and it is something none o
us can understand how we escaped
death. The conductor, poor fellow
who was the only one killed, whel
talking to me few minutes before tn
accident seemed to be In such goot
spirits. 1t all happened so quick W
| didn't have time to do anything"
DIR. Swearingen came up to dres
| Mr.. Howie's wounds while the re
| porter was there and he pronounced
, them very severe and said he woul'
} probably be laid up for a couple O
weeks. His head was cut on on
side and bruised and badl.
, swollen on top. Fingers badly burne'
, on right hand, also severely burne'
!. on back and shoulders.
A. r. Hicks, who was also in tn
wreck and slightly injured, was ais
seen at the Hotel Salge. He said
. was miracle that there were no
more killed. He said he was in tn
coach and just across the aisle fron
8 the stove, which was red hot; that a
= the car tumbled the fire from the stow
a fell all around him and that he locke,
FIR the f.Oaph fO catch on fire. hui