Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-10-26
IT BEATS ALL.
Another Awful Accident to Worlds
Fair Trains.
This Time 1t Is On the Grand Trunk Road
-Twenty-Six Persons Killed and
Burned Beyond Recognition
Criminal Carelessness.
An Awful Collision.


than twenty-four hours ago were men,
women and children in the enjoyment
of life, health and happiness, rest upon
the floor of an improvised morgue in
the basement of a furniture store in
this city.
A mile away in the city hospital are
a score or more of human beings with
gashed bodies and broken limbs. Add
to this an engineer in jail and con-
ductor a fugitive from the law, and the
story is told of railroad horror-one
of the most appalling in its character
of this or recent years. This is is the
list of the dead and unidentified bodies:
E. T. Magoon, Providence, L; identified
by papers in pocketbook.
Woman burnt to crisp, no clothing rema in
ing
Boy apparently about IL years old Face and
upper portion of head, as well as feet, burnt to
crisp few red hairs remaining on back of neck;
pocket in coat handkerchief with red bor-
der: chatelaine watch.
w. w. Henry. of Woonsocket R L lumber
dealer; identified by business cards
Male-Paper in vest pocket with statement
from John Monroe. banker, New York. to
Charles z. Wenzle also a note written in Ger.
man from Charles e Wenzle to DR.. Howard E
Vance.
Male-Apparenuy about 35 years old; heavy
build; in pocket of trousers several English
gold sovereigns; jackknife with horn handle In
vest; silver watch; gold spectacles; handlxer-
chief with the initials "H. G.' in old English
letters.
Male-Apparently weighed about 1870 pounds;
clothing destroyed; burnt beyond possibility
of identiffcat tion.
Woman-Burnt; hands clinched and horrible
expression of anguish face; had in pocket Of
shirt letters addressed to Mrs F. r Kenze and
signed by Mrs. M. Parker: envelope post
marked Stamford, Conn, together with S25 in
money In another pocket was handkerchief
with name of F R. Mckenzie.
Woman-Burnt beyond identified tion; no
clothing remaining
= Man-Supposed to be T. A. McGarvey, of On
tario.
Mrs Charles Van Dusen, of Sprout Brook,
n. Y, burnt to crisp
Charles Van Dusen, husband of above, died
of injuries yesterday afternoon.
Baby-Burnt beyond recognition
Male-Too badly burned for Identification.
Male-Weight about 1So pounds silk hand
kerchief in hand clothing destroyed; no identi
hcation-
Woman-Burnt to crisp; no Identification.
Man-About 1i5 pounds; no papers; silver
watch, with engraved initials "W. j."
Woman-14o pounds chain bracelet with key
lock on right wrist burnt to crisp.
Woman-Weight about 100: no Identification.
Woman-Burnt beyond Identification: Dor.
ton black silk dress and blue striped under
skirt remaining; also chain bracelet on right
wrist
Woman-Burnt to crisp
Male-SuppoSed from papers to be j. W.
Beardsley, of Watkins N Y.
Charred trunk; limbs and head missing:
medical examination necessary to de terrnine
sex.
Male-Apparently about $50 pounds: open
face watch of Illinois make; no means of
Identification
One of the female bodies is believed to be
that of Mrs. w. w Henry, of Woonsocket R
]. One of the mule victims is believed to be
William Lewis Wilson. of S32 Sheridan Road
Evanston Ill valise with his visiting cards
and other papers found in wreck.
Direct disobedience of orders on the
part of Chicago e Grand Trunk en-
gineer and conductor, both of whom
had seen long service with the COM
pany and were regarded as model em-
ployes, was the cause of the tragedy.
The engineers and firemen, when
they saw that collision was newt
able, shut off steam, reversed engines,
put on brakes and all jumped and es-
capped without serious injury
The first three day coaches of the
train going west were completely tel
escoped, the second coach cutting
through the third coach like knife
and the roof passing over the heads of
the sleeping passengers.
Fire broke out from the lamps in the
cars and soon four were in flames
of the citizens, who were early on the
ground, forget the scenes that they
were compelled to witness and helpless
to relieve. No pen can describe the
last moments of Mrs. Charles Van Du-
sen. She had succeeded in getting half
way out of the window, but her limbs
were pinioned by the heavy framework
of the seat she had been occupying
with her husband and this had taken
fire. Thus held, roasting, burning from
the feet up, she pleaded and begged for
the help that those outside were help
less to give.
Despite her terrible agony she re-
tanned consciousness to the last and as
the flames crept up and surrounded her
she called out her name and address
and that of friends to be notified. ST
am teacher in the Methodist Sunday
school at Sproutbroolz, n. " she
cried. Say 1 died like Christian"
Then the side of the car gave way and
she fell back into the flames.
Her husband had meanwhile been
rescued. Both limbs were fractured
and he had also received internal in
juries. He retained consciousness un-
til his death, but was kept in ignor-
ance of the fate of his wife. In his
last breath he asked Rev. DIR. George
B. Kul to send his love to the two chill
dren that he had left at home and
also to give them his watch. He was
~ years old and deacon in the Meth
odist church of his native village.
Henry Woolley, the engineer, and
Burton n. Scott, the conductor of the
eastbound train, were arrested and
taken to Jail at Marshall. To the JUS
tice Woolley declared that Scott had
told him twice that the train wrecked
a few minutes later had gone through.
After he had entered the yards he saw
the headlight, reversed, applied the.
brakes and stopped the train. He
was hurled from the engine. He de-
cIared that his fireman had also heard
Scott say that the expected train had
passed. .
Conductor Scott denies the statement
of Engineer Woolley.
= EfUed