The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-10-27

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. Oct 21.-Twen-
tv-six heaps of charred, blackened
flesh, all that remains of what less
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 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 a con-
ductor a fugitive from the law, and the
story is told of a 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:
Z. t Magoon Providence, X L; identified
by papers in pocketbooN
Woman burnt TO a crisp no clothing reml in
ing
Boy apparently about 10 years old. Face and
upper portion of head, as well as feet. burnt TO
crisp: few red hairs remaining on back OF neck;
no pocket in coat handkerchief with red Dor
der: chatalaine watch
W. W. Henry of WOonsocllet r L; lumber
dealer: identified by business cards.
Male-Paper in vest pocket with statement
from John Monroe banker, New York 70
Charles E WenAe also a note written in Ger.
man from Charles Z. Wenzle 10 DR. Howard +
Vance.
Male-Apparentl7 about 81 years old: heavy
build; in pocket of trousers several English
gold sovereigns; jackknife with horn handle III
vest. silver watch: gold spectaclcs: handker-
chief with the initials I'll. q" in old English
letters.
Male-Apparently weighed about ls) pounds
Clothing destroyed; burnt beyond possibility
OF iden LITIGATION.
Woman Barnt: hands clinched and horrible
expression OF anguish on face; had in pocket of
shirt letters addressed to Mrs F. K henZie anG
signed b. Mrs. NJ. Parker envelope post
marked Stamford, Conn. together with IS in
Izonev In another pocket WAS handkerchief
with name of f r Mckenzie
Woman-Burnt beyond identification; nc
clothing remaining.
Man-Supposed TO be T A McGarvey, of On
.,ar;o.
Mrs Charles Van Dussn of SpTout Brook,
n Y, burnt TO n crisp
Charles Van Dusen, husband of above, died
of injuries yesterday afternoon
Baby Burnt beyond recognition
Male-TOo badly burned for Identification.
Maie-WeigEt about ISJ pounds: silk hand
berchief in hand, clothing destroyed no idenu
Hcation.
Woman Burnt to crisp: no Identification.
Man-About lI5 pounds: no papers: silver
watch. with engraved initials Wv J.
Woman IA pounds. chain bracelet with key
lock on right wrist: burnt TO crisp
WomaE-We;ght about l01 no Identification
Woman-Burnt bevond Identification por
tion 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 y Y.
Charred trunk; limbs and head missing:
medical examination necessary to determine
sex.
Male-Apparcntlv about l5d pounds; Oper
face watch Of Illinois make; no means o
Identification
One Of the female bodies is believed TO bC
that Of Mrs ". W. Henry. of WOonsOclSet r
l. One Of the m lie victims is believed TO b'
William Lewis Wilson, Of So Sheridan Road
Evanston. III valise with his visiting card:
and other papers found IN wreck
Direct disobedience of orders on tn,
part of Chicago * Grand Trunk en
gineer and conductor, both of whom
had seen long service with the com
pany and were regarded as model EN-
ployes, was the cause of the tragedy.
The engineers and firemen. wher
they saw that a 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 o.
the sleeping passengers.
Fire broke ont from the lamps in the
cars and soon four were in flames.
Not until their dying day will some
of the citizens, who were early on the
ground, forget the scenes that they
were compelled to witness and helples:
to relieve. No pen can describe The
last moments of Mrs. Charles Van Du
sen. She had succeeded in getting hal
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 taker
fire. Thus held. roasting. burning from
the feet up, she pleaded and begged fol
the help that those outside were help
less to give.
Despite her terrible agony she re
1alneu CONSCIOUSNESS 70 the ldSI ana a
the flames crept up and surrounded he
she called out her name and address
and that Of friends TO be notified. -
am teacher in the Methodist Sunda!
school at Sproutbrool. y. Y" sh'
cried. Say | died like a Christian.
Then the side of the car gave way anC
she FELL back into the flames.
Her husband had meanwhile beer
rescued Both limbs were fractured
and he had also received internal III
iuries. He retained consciousness IN
til his death. bat was kept in ignor-
ance of tbs fate OF his wife. in hi:
last breath he asked Rev. DIR. Georg
Il. Kul to send his love TO the two chill
dren that he had left at home anC
also to give them his watch. He wa
- wears old and a deacon in the Meth
odist church of his native village.
Engineer Wooller and Conductor
Scat. of the special train were ARRESTED
and held to answer the charge of man
slaughter.