The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-13

quickly as possible the levers of both
engines were reversed and the air brakes
applied. The efforts OF the men did not
seem for an instant to check the terrible
flight OF speed and the crew of each en-
CINE jumped to save themselves when
about one hundred yards separated the
two trains, and an instant later the loco
motives struck with crash. The en-
CINE of the accommodation being OF
lighter construction than the other,
crumbled away like paper and fell into
the ditch alongside the track. The tender
was forced back and under the first bag
gage car. The heavy express engine
stood on the track, but the baggage car
was forced up and through the smoking
car to a point eight feet from its end.
Then as the propelling force ceased, the
heavy baggage car crashed through the
roof of the smoker.
Scene of the Wreck.
The scene of the accident is in a dis
trict sparsely inhabited and 1t was fully
an hour before aid arrived from South
Chicago. In the meantime the scenes
around the wreck were agonizing. The
dead and wounded were pinned in the
wreck in such manner that before the
wrecking train arrived with lifting jacks
II was almost impossible to extricate any
OF the bodies In the meantime the cries
Of the dying were terrible to hear. Some
of the wounded prayed that an end be
put TO their misery, while others moaned
and Shrek ed in their agony. Blood from
the mangled soaked it's way downward
and emerging from the bottom and
sides of the smoking car made
puddles Of red in the sand.
Through the cracks made by the
descent of the baggage car could be
seen an arm, a crushed and mangled
head. face and an already discolored
badly. 1t was long after the collision,
an age to the imprisoned, that the wreck
ing train made its appearance and with
levers and jacks proceeded to work.
The wrecking party forced up the end
of the car furthest from the engine, and
leaving II there. as quickly as possible
removed the dead and injured. Arson
Temple. manager OF the Schiller theater.
was the first taken out. He had occu-
pied n seat I'm the forward part OF the
car. with young Emil Godenrath by his
side Death for both was instantaneous,
their heads being crushed. The next
man was Il. NJ. Rigner, on whose head
the heavy weight had descended. crush
ing II. BY o'clock all the dead and In
1ured were removed.
Some Opinions.
Edward II. Wall. assistant TO the first
vice-president OF the Pennsylvania road,
said of the accident:
1T Is n clear open and shut case OF
negligence on some ones part and there
VIII not be much trouble I'm fixing the
responsibility and an investigation will
be made at once. a. II. Kennedy, the
train dispatcher at ColChour. was az first
blamed for the accident. lie received a
dispatch from G. ID. Law at TT. Wayne
the train dispatcher telling him 10 hold
train 100 against 40. which was ahead OF
time. No mention was made OF train II
at all Train Il went by and later train
100 pulled up and was held according to
instructions and when the news OF the
accident reached Kennedy. he wired Law
az TT Wayne, repeating the message he
had received early In the day and ask
ing them II IL was correct The answer
was yes"
In speaking Of the matter tonight Ken
nedy said:
II thought at first I was 20 blame:
that perhaps / did not get the message
right / called up FIT Wayne and re-
peated the message and was told Il was
correct. / held 1G0 according TO my or
ders. but train u was ahead, and having
no instructions regarding her L was
compelled TO let her go"
AT a late hour tonight the crews OF
both trains and Operator Kennedy were
arrested and viii be detained until after
the coroner's inquest.