The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-21
THRILLING EXPERIENCES.
Stories of Passengers Who Escaped
from the Wreck and Fire.

Nearly all of those who escaped tell
thrilling stories of their experience. Frank
Rogers, Of Woodstock, Canada, was in the
second coach, the one next to the smoker
He escaped through the window and helped
woman out. Every seat In the car was
occupied by two persons, except two, with
one occupant each. Only seven escaped
alive from this
Mr.. Monroe, of Auburn, n. Y, was in the
west-bound train and had a narrow escape
He was near the center of the second coach
and was awakened from his sleep by the
rumble and jar of the wreck. Without ap-
parent thought he bent forward and
stopped down, sheltering himself behind the
seat. What happened then Mr.. Monroe
could not tell. Dazed and bewildered he
leaped from the car window and found
himself safe and well. His son-in-law
George Shackelton was slightly injured
They left this evening for home. Two
children named Brown, travelling alone
bound from New York to Chicago, were
among the passengers on this train. They
were a boy and girl. the former eleven,
and the latter nine years of age. They
were assisted from the wreck by fellow
passenger, and were uninjured.
Miss NJ. E. CASTOR, of Webster, Monroe
county. New York, who was injured, was
in the second car. She was with her cousin,
Mr.. Davidson, of Fairport n. Y. When the
crash came the roof of the car seemed to
smash to pieces and the splinters rained
down upon them. She started to go to the
north end of the car and saw that fire had
broken out near the stove. Some one ex-
claimed: Throw a coat upon that fire."
She then turned around and ran out of the
door. Her cousin also made his escape.
John Burke, conductor of No. g. had just
stepped out on the platform of the second
car when the crash came. His back was
badly injured and he suffered terribly. He
was taken to his home in Port Huron on a
special train.
c. H Ward and B. S. Ward, brothers,
of Moretown, VT, were among the number
who escaped uninjured. After their coach
was struck they jumped out on the left
side through a window. A lady sat in
front of them with a baby. She was hauled
out through window, when she cried out
to save her baby, but the little one was
fastened beneath the seat and persisted,
while the mother was taken away by force.
Mr. Ward says that in front of the woman
was young lady, and just behind her
young man. Back of him were two young
men. None escaped.
b. F. Ward came out OF the roof in some
manner, he knows not how. He jumped
off the roof and assisted out Harvey j.
Smith, Mrs. Smith,, their son Frank and
daughter Nellie. All the rest in his vi
cinity were killed
c. T. Bradley. of Springfield, Mass, one
of the passengers on the wrecked cars:
says DR.. Carter II. Osborne and wife, &c
Southport Conn, and Chester Rice, of
Brookside. VT, were in the car with i.:ni.
He has searched for them unavailingIv
since TIE wreck. They are supposed to be
among the dead Bradley. who Is man.
ager of the Bank of Commerce at Toronto,
L.
as Well as lucid moments: Have Hor
found my wife?' The watchers turn away
in silent sympathy. for the wife he calls for
lies a mass of mangle1 and burned flesh in
the morgue. Mr.. Clarke, the father OF tho
unfortunate woman, identified the remains
by means of some shreds of clothing as
the body was burned beyond positive reco ?.
milton. Mr.. Clarke said that Mr.. and Mrs.
Bradley were on their way TO visit the
worlds fair, and that they had left their
two children with him while they were
away.
fifth coach of the express at the. time OF the
accident. He had just left his brother W.
III. Crowley, in the second coach, they hav-
ing been in the smoker. He could not find
him after the wreck, and spent all day in
futile search for him.
A majority of the passengers on the train
were from Vermont, New Hampshire Mas
sachusetts and Connecticut. All who were
not too seriously bruised shocked were
given the option of returning to their homes
or going on TO the worlds fair. Many
went on To Chicago.
Superstitious citizens are commenting on
the fact that there were thirteen coaches
on the fated train. and that the car in
which the fire started was numbered thir-
teen. 1t had been in previous wrecks
Stories Told at Chicago.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
CHICAGO. Oct. 20.-Some OF the victims
of the Battle Creek wreck reached the city
this afternoon. With torn and bedraggled
clothes and smoking caps for hats, feet
incased in slippers and miserably battered
and worn appearance. r. e. Dean. OF
Tacoma, Wash, Daniel Holmes and a Mr.,
Harris. OF Providence. r. l.. whom Dean
had been visiting. walked into the general
offices OF the Grand Trunk In ths Rlalto