davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
HURLED INTO A RAvlNE.
Train Lifted from the Track by Texas Cy.
clone and Several Killed.

GAINESVILLE. Tex. May IA cyclone
yesterday in the city unroofed several
business houses causing losses from $4,000
20 $40. 900 in four cases. Three miles south
of this city Mr.. and Mrs. Blackburn were
probably fatally injured by their residence
collapsing. Near FaiIplains. on the Santa
Fe. train was completely lifted from the
track, with the exception of the engine.
The train was in charge of Conductor Tom
Terrell. and in tho caboose were
Trainmaster J. T. Byrne, Roadmaster
L. s. Maple, Conductor +. A. Tsyt
lor. of the Galveston Houston branch.
and brakeman &. A. Gum. The train had
come to stop and was hurled into ravine
thirty feet away, the cars being turned
completely over twice In their journey.
Brakeman Gum was killed outright. Con-
ductor Terrell received q scalp wound.
Roadmaster Naples was cut on the
head aud injured internally. Train
master Byrne received q scalp wound and
his wrist was broken badly. Conductor
F. A. Taylor has q bad cut over the eye and
will probably die.
AT Howe several frame houses were de-
stroyed. At the town of Bean, o. T..
Lyonss lumber yard was wrecked and
three business houses were unroofed and
the stocks ruined. At Luella, the school
building was completely destroyed.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

tance away. The two passengers in the
smoking apartment instinctively felt
that something was wrong and inquired
as to the trouble. but were treasured by
the trainmen. The brakeman on the rear
end was straining every effort to relieve
the head end of the train from the terrible
momentum brought to bear from the sleep
ing-cars. but his labor was futile. As the
cara left the bridge and shot on TO the
curve. conductor Tyner was In the act of
calling the station In the door of the
ladies' coach. Baggageman Hoey was
about to perform a similar duty In the
smoker. but their words were destined to
remain unuttered.
THE FATAL PLUNGE.
A moment before the engine plunged
from the track. engineer Weloh was seen
to step from the cab and stand
for an instant on the iron step
of the tender. He glanced ahead
and then disappeared inside his box.
presumably persuading himself that his en-
Rine would round the curve all right. AS
the great masso of iron left the rails it seemed
to leap forward several feet. and then
struck the corner of the depot, tearing off
several feet of the structure and in q second
was f1oundering in the sheds. After knock
ing down the iron posts of the north end of
the building the engine overturned on its
side. carrying away all the support Of tho
heavy shed and dragging timbers and iron
Cor several yards.
The first postal car, in which three clerks
were working. followed the engine in the
mad flight. and. striking the obstruction.
was totally demolished. The second mail
car struck the heap. and fell over on its
side. but the ten postal clerks in this Sec
tion escaped serious injury and received but
few scratches.
The express car in which express agent
McMahan lost his life found its way to the
pale OF demolished property and was fol-
lowed by the smoker and baggage car.
which completely reversed ends and
landed on it's side. The front trucks of
the ladies' coach were torn loose. allowing
the car to drop. thus was stopped in its
progress toward destruction and injury to
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
FROM ONE ON TIE SCENE.

"nIy God:' Exclaimed n Waiting Passenger,
He Saw the Awful Speed.
A gentleman who was in Lafayette yes
terday said that during the day thousands
of persons had visited the South-streef
depot, TO gaze in wonder and awe upon the
wreck. 1T Is a sight" he coatinued. such
as the residents of Lafayette never before
witnessed; and such as they hope they may
never see again. 1t is impossible TO glve @
good pen picture of the scene. nor can one
describe the occurrence itself. for 10 was so
sudden and so quickly over with. There
was TO be seen rushing locomotive. wildly
shrieking for brakes, the sparks from the
wheels. a crash. and then followed the cries
of the injured. But these latter were few,
for many of the poor fellows were killed
outright or stunned into insensibility aud
never made n noise. "A number of persons
were congregsted aboIt the depot-the
usual gathering of officers. reporters.
hackmen ana q few persons who
were going away. The whistle
sounded on the west side OF the river and
every body looked acrcss the Wabash,
watching tho train come in. It was no.
ticed by all that the train was coming at q
tremendous rate of speed. 80 much so as 90
attract the attention OF those present. aud
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

Details from Authority of the Incidents and
Scenes Of the Wreck.
The Big Four wreck at Lafayette yester-
day morning was one Of the most disastrous
and unexpleinable in the railroad history
of the State. Ten persons were killed and
eleven were wounded. AS the facts and in
cidents connected with the appalling dis
aster become more clearly defined they do
not grow less startling. So complete has
been the destruction of property and loss
of life that railway officials one aud all
agree that in no previous case has there
been so great casualty surrounded with
so much mystery as to the real cause of the
trouble. SuDerintendent Bender and
staff of officers went to the
scene yesterday morning and viewed
the huge mass of debris In
ell it's reality. They returned last night
with the statement that In no case has the
report of the accident been exaggerated.
From an official who was early on the
scene the statement is made that there is q
well-dehncd theory of q criminal act having
been committed by some one. inasmuch as
the engine was one Of the heaviest and
finest Oh the road. and was supplied with q
new set of air brakes and automatic equip
menta. There has yet been no explanation
Of to why the brakes refused to work un-
less, perchance. they were disconnected by
tramps OF some person on the front end of
the smoking car. From one important off,
cial the story of tho wreck was obtained
briefly but clearly.
TIE DANGER SIGNAL.
The train was No. l2. made up Of two
postal cars. On express car. combination
baggage and smoker ladies' coach. chair
car and two sleepers Engineer Welch was
at the throttle, and Conductor William
Tyner. of this city. in charge The train
left Chicago at $50 P. NJ. and was due here
at $40 A. NJ, scheduled to arrive at Lafay-
cite at lila. BY singular coincidence the
train was on time to the minute on Satur-
day night and left the track precisely at
fourteen minutes after O'Clock. Many of
the passengers on board were aware, even
before the Wabash bridge had been
reached. that something was wrong with
the train. Perhaps milo from the bridge
the keen ear of the brakeman who was in
the ladies' coach caught the significance
of the two sharp blasts from the
locomotive. The signal meant down
brakes" and he started for the rear of the
train to set the brake. They were ap-
preaching the foot of the grade. which
has q fall of fifty-ive feet to the
mile. and as the faithful employe
reached the rear sleeper he felt the speed of
the train increase. At the same moment con-
duotor Tyner arose from his seat in tho
smoking car and gras ped the automatic air
brake as two more shrill screams Of DIS
tress fioated back from the engine. With
the assistance of bsgsagemaster Al Hoey.
condu ctor Tyner sprung the sutomatic
contrivance. Itrefused to respond TO the
touch. and the men INSTANTLY realized that
the brake was helplessly out of ORDER. The
speed had become terrific. and the bridge.
with the curve ahead. was but Q short dis
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

self. The cause OF the wreck has not yet,
and, probably, never will be- ascertaIned
with any degree of certitude. Different
theories have been advanced by railroad
men as to how It was possible for it to
have happened, all of which are plausible.
and any one of which may have been re-
sponsibie for the disaster. 1t is con-
sidered beyond dispute that the primary
cause was the failure of the air brake to
work. but why it did not work can only be
conjectured. as the engineer and fireman,
the only two men who could give any ex-
planatlen. were instantly killed. One
theory is that the valve of the air brake
had been cut off by tramps; another theory
which associates tramps with the cause is
that they we're sitting on the forward plat
form of the first car, and with their feet
threw the switch at the reer OF the loco
motive. cutting Oft the power from the dir
brake. IL this was the case, an old engineer
says that the engineer would have no way
of knowing that the switch had been
turned; his gauge would show that there
was air In the brake. bat would not show
that it did not reach further than the
wheels of the locomotive. Another theory
advanced is that the alr-brake hose had
boen cut by tramps.
1t is also stated as O possible explanati
that the air had been cut OF by an obstacle
lying between the rails. wreck on the
Chesapeake * Ohio about two years ago,
which very much resem bled the one at La
fayeste yesterday, was found Upon investi-
CATION to have been caused In this way.
There are circumstances about the wreck
which make either of the theories ad-
vanced possible explanations. The idea
that tramps were in some way responsible
for the catastrophe is gwen some color Sy
the fact that there were some tramps upon
the train and they were put off ct Tenn pie
ton. the last stop made before the disaster.
There is rule upon all roads, however.
requiring the engineer TO test his air brake
Immediately after starting forward, and it
is presumed that this test was made by
Welsh and the brake found all right. else
be would not have depended upon IL. IS it
is evident he did from the speed at which
the train was going.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
WHAT WAS ESCAPED.
Horrible 90 Think of Results Had the Train
Jumped the First Curve.

Horrible 90 Think of Results Had the Train
Jumped the Firss Curve.
Templeton is about eighteen miles from
Lafay cite, and about three miles before
reaching the bridge over the Wabash q
hsavy down grade of fifty-five feet to the
mile commences. After starting down this
grade very little steam ie required. the
train acquiring momentum from the de-
cline Just west of the Wabash bridge is q
curve. about fifty feet east of the bridge is
the canal bridge. and about 80 feet from
this bridge is another very sharp curve,
and it was at this last curve that the train
left the track. The generally accepted
hypothesis Is that the train. which is a
heavy one. coming down the long grade
acquired high rate OF speed; the engineer.
as he neared the bottom of the grade. tried
his air brake. and. finding il Intellectual.
signaled for the hand brake. which couid
not be applied in time TO pre-
vent the terrible catastrophe. Persons
who were at the Lafayette sta
tion heard him signal twice for brakes. but
before il was possible for any response 20
have been made 10 the signal the train
came dash:ng into the station and the
crash followed so quickly that those watch
ing the approseh of the train had not timo
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
sUDDENNEsS OF THE CRASH.

Passengers In the Smoker MiracuIously Es-
cape Fatal Injury
The crash was so sudden that no one was
awa are that danger was imminent till il was
ell over and the dead and dying were at the
bottom of the huge pile of debris caught
and pinned among the iron and timbers of
the shattered locomotive and demolished
cars. OF those killed. Otto Jerselson.
Charles Myers the hackman, and John
Lennon, driver of the mail wagon. who
were standing upon the platform at the
station. had not time to get out of the way
of the locomotive before 1t buried them be.
meath the wreck. There were q number
of passengers in the smoker and all
of these were moro or less
seriously injured. Jefferson Reece. of
and Lewis Lefier, of Fowler, who were IN
the smoker. were not greatly injured, and
were able to proceed on their way during
the day. Sophas Bergenhouse and Will
liam Place. also passengers in the smoker,
were more seriously injured. BeFgenhouse
wars cut about the head and arms and had
several fingers broken. and IL being cared
for at the hospital at Lafayette. Place
Was cut number of places by glass, but
IL is not thought that his injuries are seri.
Gus at all. OF the mail clerks injured,
Vickery is the only one thought TO be seri-
ously hurt He sustained injuries about
the spine, the extent of which it is impos-
sible yet to ascertain. Charles Roush, of
Lafayette. had his leg broken. and the
others were merely bruised about the body
or slightly cut
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
CAPITAL VS.. LABOR.
Police Station Furnishes q Story of Tricks
Played Upon Each Other.

Recently J. w. Crews an Irvington team.
ster, took into his home Spencer Lawrence,
of Bowling Green, KY. whom he employed
as q driver of one Of HE teams. Last FRI
day night it seems that the boss and his
hired man were having o social glass TO-
gether. and, after they had gone home.
Crews missed his pooketbook. containin q
S17. He inquired about it and was in
formed that his pnrse had been taken
from his pocket by Lawrence. The latter
was accused of the theft. and, laughingly.
returned the missing article 70 the owner.
However. there was but SET in the book.
and Crews concluded no would lay low
and watch his man. Yesterday Lawrence
proposed to his employer that they come to
the city aud get drunk. Crews accepted
the invitation. and the two started to town
in q buggy. Arriving at the city. Crews.
instead of driving TO the first saloon. drew
up at the station house. and requested that
Lawrence be locked up on the charge Of
grand larceny. The request was granted.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
ASK YOUR GROCER BoR
FLOUR.
WORLDS FAIR CLOSED.
However Thousands on Free Passes Could
Enter and See the Sights Yesterday.

CHICAGO, May THE rule to close the
gates of the worlds fair Sunday was rigidly
enforced to-day. at least so far as the
ticket-purchasing public was concerned.
The fortunate hundreds who hold passes
were admitted. however. and allowed to
wander about the grounds at will. It was
q beautiful day and thousands of working
men, some of them with families, went to
the fair grounds under the apprehension
that the gates were to be open. And when
these toilers were turned away they left
in anything bus good humor. 1t
was highly sggra yst,ng to them
thousands. enter the grounds on passes
while they who worked all week wero
excluded. The validity of the law Of Con-
gress closing the gates is TO be tested IN
the courts this week. Charles w. Cling
man. who ie o stockholder in the fair. has
served notice on Secretary Edmonds that
he Will appeal to tho courts to open the
fair on Sunday. In his letter he. in the In
terest of the working people and as repre-
sentative of other stockholders. demanded
that the people be admitted Sunday the
same as every other day in the week.
Il demand this" continued he. mot only
for nv interest financially, as q stOok-
who could not see the exposition on any
other day except Sunday. Having made
this demand on you In writing l have
placed the matter In the hands of my at
torney who will commence legal proceed.
ings at once against the exposition If my
demands be not complied with" President
Higlnbotham had not learned of Mr.. Cling
mans letter when reporter asked him
what he intended to do about ,t. He read
the letter carefully and then said
I'VE shall be compelled to defend the suit
If one IS brought"
''Will yen resist Sundry openingf"
'Yes. that Is the position in which we
would be placed. although nearly all the
members are in favorsof q seven-day fair.
However. / do not think anything will
come of this notice. l believe Mr.. Cling
man can be convinced that his plan Is not
the proper one, and shat ir Is better to let
matters rest as they are at present"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

to escape from it's path. Considering the
high rate Of speed at w hich the train was
fyiDgit is thought by experienced train
men TO be miraculous that it did not iiy
the track at the fret curve west of the
rlver bridge, In which case the whole train
would probably have plum xed intc the
river and the loss of life been much greater
than il was. As soon as the engine struck
and into the station, carrying before it the
corner of the building and the entire
length of the train sheds. After striking
the building it careened TO one side and
it ordinarily came TO a stop, the mail cara.
express car and combination baggage car
piled IN q heap on top of it and the whole
was converted into a mass of splintered
tim bers. interviewer with bent and tangled
iron.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
PASSENGERS IN THE ACCIDENT.

An Old Gent.smsn who Escapes Describes
His Experience.
Many Of the belated passengers arrived
here at o'clock yesterday afternoon. and
were sent on 10 Cincinnati. One old gen.
tieman, IN company with bis little son.
related to the depot employees yesterday
bit of his experience. He was in the ladies'
coach. be said, and discovered that the
speed of the train. as it neared the bridge
was awful To him it seemed that they
were running at the rate of q hundred
miles an hour. He detected the speed by
the fearful swaying of the cars. He said
that every passenger on the train realized
the trou BILE long before the accident hap
pened by the several signals of distress
from the engine. but were not able to brace
themselves successfully against the ter
rifle shock. 1t seemed 20 him tnat his last
hour had come. and when. after the shook.
he found himself alive. the sensation was
as much one of surprise as of Joy.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
THE CHICAGO REGATTA.
Delegates Going to England and Australia to
Get Foreign Crews 10 Compete.
Special to the Indianapo is Journal.

Special TO the Indianapo is Journal.
CHICAGO. May AT q meeting Of the
executive committee of the Chicago navy
last night important steps were taken in
preparation for the regatta TO be held at
Lake Geneva. Wisconsin, Aug IA TO "a It
was decided to send Frank +. Pratt abroad
to confer with the crews at Oxford, Cam
bridge. Berlin. Dublin and other points
relative to their participation. Another
delegate will be sent TO Australia within
two weeks. Yale and Harvard have ac-
that foreign crews attend, and in unoffi-
cial correspondence. Oxford and Cam
bridge crews have agreed to come If Ameri-
can crews participate. A supreme college
awarded. TO be rowed for by college crews
only.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
Usual Chicago sunday Murder.

Special 10 The IndianaD0Ils Jonrnal.
CHICAGO, May THE quiet suburb of
haywood was aroused to q high pitch of
excitement this morning over the shooting
of Frederick Heller. q wellknown citizen,
which occurred at 1880 o'clock. at his
homo. Heller and Oliver Atkins. q man
in his employ. and who boarded with hirn,
qnarreied. and Heller attacked Atkins
with an AK. In self-defense Atkins shot
his assailant, the bullet passing through
the abdomen. infiicting fatal wound. An
excited mob OF neighbors gave chase TO
Atkins, but he gave himself up 10 the
police In time 70 save himself from the
hands of his pursuera
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
TIE TURKS ARE CLEAN.
Chicago Medical Inspector Makes Special Ex.
emiaation of the Oriental Visitors.
Special to the Ind,snapoli. Journal.

Special 20 tho Indfanapois Journal
CHICAGO. May 7.-Dr. ii. B. Wyhong.
medical inspector of the Department of
Health. with an assistant. paid an early
morning visit to-day to the worlds fair
grounds. where they inspected the Turks
who had just arrived from the East. One
of the party. Abraham Gahoudi had died
in New York. near Hornellsville early Sat
urday morning. lt was reported ut the
time that the dead man showed strong
symptoms of cholera. On arrival here the
car containing the Turks was stopped until
thorough examination could be made. lt
was learned beyond question that Ca
houdi had died of perltonitis. the result of
kick In the groin. The entire party WAS
then permitted 60 disembark without
further delay.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
A DESPERATE PRISONER
Tried to Burn Himself and Companion to
Death in Decatur's Calaboose.
sprcinl 10 the InaianapoIi. Journal.

Special 70 the Indianapolis Journal
DECATUR. ILL.,. May Last night Frank
Brinkman and William Etheridge were
locked mp IN the depot calaboose for dis
ORDERLY conduct Brinkman had thrown a
beer keg through q saloon window. He
was desperate. At an early hour this morn
ing the police found the calaboose on tire
and both prisoners nearly suffocated.
Brinkman had placed blankets and other
inhammable material against the wooden
wall and was bent on destruction of life and
property. Etheridge was wild with fear
aud Brinkman tried to keep the officers
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

It Might Have Been Accident, and It Mighs
Have Been Malicious Tramps.
The wreck at Lafayette yesterday morn
ing was the most disastrous ever known in
the history of the Big Four company. with
the Exception of the wreck and explosion
near Alton. Ill. during last winter In this
instance the heavy loss of life was due to the
ex plosion and fire which followed quickly
alter the wreck and not to the wreck il.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

Mystery Wells the Failure of the Brakes-En-
gineer and Fireman, Who Alone. Perhaps,
Could Tell the Cause, Among the Dead
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

Wonder Aroused that the Train Safely Passed
the First Curve, but Imagination Pals at
the Horror if 1t Had Done So.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
President Ingalls, Will Order a Search
ing Investigation as to Causes.

Trsmps Elected at Templeton May Have Dis
mantled the Heavy Loss Of Property to
the eCompany-Ssttling with Passengers
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

Sharp Calls for Brakes Startled the
Trainmen, but Only One Was Set.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

Sic Transit Gloria Pantaloni

The WHEN resumes it's $2.99 'spants sale" to-
day. and will continue as long as they last.
They are going rapidly, as at $2.99 our GUS
toners in this special sale have choice of goods
that have been selling at $3.50, So, $3.50, So
and Sc.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

Horrors of Fire Happily Averted in
Time and Lives Miracnlously Saved.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

Right CUBANOLA is the best Scent Cigar sold
in Indiana. In fact it's tencent cigar in disguise-a
masquerade that you nickel Ask your dealer
for Cubanola-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
DEATHS WILD REVELS
Air Brakes Failed at Lafay cite, Causing
Ten Deaths and Many Injuries.

A Monster Big Four Ten Wheeled Locomotive,
at Frightful Speed Crashes Into the
Station with Awful Results.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08
At the Cigar Counter

Cubanolai Same fer me;
Best cigar ever see.
While the blue wreaths upward roll
Pleasure wraps around yer soul;
Misery with you can't abide.
But jes' oozes through yer hide.
So you smoke, all free from care,
Happier'n a millionaire.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-08

Ten Men Killed Outright IN the Wreck and
Eleven Injured in Various Ways.