The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-27

Cincinnati Express on the Van
dalia Derailed Near Staunt0n.
1t Was the Work of Vandals, and Not
of WOuld-Be-RObbers-A Former
Attempt Near There.

An attempt to wreck q Vandalia train
about2 O'Clock yesterday morning came
very near causing q horror. Train No. IL.
the Cincinnati express on that road, was
the one that narrowly escaped the wreck.
1t is a through train. going east from this
city over the Pennsylvania line. IL is one
of the fastest trains on the road and usual
ly carries q large number of passengers and
hGd o large amount of valuables in the ex-
press cars. The train pulled into Terre
Haute u little behind time and after leav-
ing that station the engineer, Austermiller,
endeavored to make up lost time. He had
passed Stanton. twelve miles from Terre
Haute. and was going at a high rate OF speed
when be noticed ahead that q rail had been
removed. He Immediately applied the air
brakes. but not in time to prevent most of
the train from leaving the track when they
struck the place where the rail had been
removed. Had il not been for the factthat
the engine was equipped with an electric
headlight. invented by George c. Pyle. OF
this city, it Is highly probable that the en-
gineer would have been unable to have
slackened the speed OF the train to such an
extent as to have proven ted q disastrous
wreck. The engine vas broken In leaving
the rails. but the bagga &c car was not in
Jured. The engine was taken back TO
1erre Haute and another sent out to bring
the train to this city, where il arrived at 3
o'clock. four hours late.
The attempt to wreck the train was
probably the work of q vandal or van.
dals and not mmItt for purposes OF
robbery, according to reports received by
General Manager Williams at Ierre H8ute.
Engineer Austermiller reports that he was
running about thirty-tive miles an hour
when he saw the lOOsened anu partly TO-
moved rail when two rail lengths away.
The fireman reports that he saw y man run
ming away from the side of the track about
the same time. The locomotive returned
to the rails after passing over the loosened
one, but the tender diG not. The Adams
express car. one postal car. a com bination
coach and the two sleeping cars lett
the track. but none turned over nor was
badly displaced. The wrecking crews sent
frcm Terre Haute had them In place IN q
couple of hours. and the train went on its
way. A crOwbar aud wrench. such as used
by section men, were found near the place,
and IL was later learned that they had been
taken from the section house, although 1t
was found TO be locked.
The reports express the belief that the
attempt TO wreck the train was the work
of some one who had o grudge against
the company. While nothing Is said
at headquarters or in the reports
| about these incidents, they are given 0s in
terestIng facts. 1t was only a few miles
from Stanton that O passenger train was
tagged a few years ago by a young man
| living in the vicinity. He pointed ont AN
obstruction on the track, which he said he
had discovered. 1t was o tiimsy story. He
was never rewarded.
Monday morning. not far from the same
| place. a man jumped from the east bound
passenger train. although he had q ticket
o Indianapolis. He had become nervous
under the gaze of two passengers who saw
in his dIsheveled appearance something
that made them think of him in connection
with young Carpenter. who was supposed
to be in this part of Indiana, and who was
wanted at Casey. ILL.,. for q murder Satur-
day night. and who ran TO the car platform
and jumped Of. He was not injured and
was seen going away.