Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-02-24
GUILFORD MEN KILLED
IN A RAILROAD WRECK
The sad Fate OF Leslie {. Adams
and Donnie =. Taylor

Near AthoI Mnss.---the Trninmen Are
RInmed---T1vo Other Men were In
jured.
An accident which came home to the
people of Guilford with a frightful shock,
as well as to those in other towns of the
county who were acquainted with the vic
tins, occurred near Pequoig station, be
tween Royalston and Athol. Mass. early
last Sunday morning, resulting in the death
of Leslie c. Adams. and his brOther-in-law,
Donnie f. Taylor Mr.. and Mrs. Adams
left their home in Gulford last week Thurs
day and drove to Orange, Mass. where Mr..
TAYLOR. brother of Mrs. Adams, lived with
his family. Friday Mr.. Adams and Mr..
TAYLOR went to Boston, where they bought
two horses. They were returning TO Or
ange with the horses when the accident
took place. Their horses were in one of
the freight cars, but the young men were in
the caboOse, having followed the advice OF
the trainmen and lain down to sleep.
Their train was a regular freight from
Boston, running at the rate Of 10 miles an
hour. After it left Boston a special freight
was sent out. to run at the rate of % miles
an hour 1t is understood that the two
trains left ROyalston only few minutes
apart. The forward train was probably in
motion, running at a slow rate, when the
other freight crashed into it. The caboose
and five cars of the forward train were
wrecked. Taylor was killed instantly, his
skull and shoulder being crushed. Adams
had one arm torn of, his shoulder crushed,
and both legs broken. He lived few min
utes, and told his own and Taylor's name.
1t was the sad task of Fred L. GTout and
o. W. Wright of Orange to tell Mrs. Adams
and Mrs. Taylor of the fate of their hus-
bands.
F. G. Taylor of Gulford, the father of
d. F. Taylor, and Mrs. w. w. Barney of
Guilford, the mother of Mr.. Adams, and
other relatives, received news of the acct
dent Sunday. Monday morning Mr.. and
Mrs. j. \. Taylor and W. H. Minor went
to Orange and brought the bodies to Brat
tleboro. The funeral was held at Mr.
Adams's home. the Taylor homestead in
Guilford, Tuesday, Rev. Mr.. Sprague Off
ciating. The bodies were placed in the
tomb at the cemetery at Weatherhead hol-
low. a large company of friends from
Guilford. Brattleboro and other towns at
tended the funeral. The Valley tair asso-
citation, OF which Mr.. Adams was a director,
sent one of the many beautiful floral
pieces.
Mr.. Adams. in ability and promise was
the equal of any young man in this county.
His age was about 30 years. He had
achieved marked success as a farmer, he
was active in all the affairs of Gulford,
and no young man of that town was more
highly esteemed or had brighter prospects.
His wife, who was Miss Minnie TAYLOR. has
shared with him the high regard of all, and
the sympathy OF a wide circle of friends
will 60 out to her in her double bereave-
ment-the loss of her husband and only
brother-as well as to Mrs. Taylor. +. q.
Taylor and Mrs. Barney.
Mr.. Taylor was about 2S years old. He
grew TO manhood in Guilford. and for
few years he was the proprietor of the no.
tel at Jamaica. While at that place he
married Miss Minerva Farnum of Peru,
who is left with two small children. Since
going to Orange Mr. Taylor has had
charge Of the stables of w. L. Grout of
the New Home sewing machine company.
de was possessed of manly qualities, and
was very popular among the people of
Guilford, Jamaica and Orange. He was
an Odd Fellow, and a delegation of that
order attended the funeral.
Neil Mckenna and c. ID. Seelev, two
trainmen, were seriously injured in the ac-
cident.
Great Indignation is felt that these two
young men should have been killed in such
needless and inexcusable way. Since
the Waltham disaster there has been
succession of accidents similar to this, and
travelling men are very severe in their crit
icism OF the Fitchburg management, be-
lieving this state of things to be due TO the
employment of incompetent and ineXperi-
enced help.