The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1894-02-23
DOWN AN INCLINE.
Fearful Flight of an Aerial Car at
Knoxville.
One Passenger Killed and Others Fright
ened Nearly to Death - Bandits
Wreck and Rob an Express
Train in California.
A Wild Car.


.ral months past there has been an
aerial car line across the Tennessee
river near the city. and hundreds have
continually flocked there to ride q dis
lance of 9. 600 feet above the river, be-
ing a particularly exhilarating one, COM
pairing favorably with a trip on the
famous Ferris wheel at the worlds fair.
But yesterday afternoon the gaiety
which had heretofore reigned supreme
in the vicinity was suddenly turned
into gloom Without moments warn
ing, while the car with eight occupants
was near the bluff on the opposite side
Of the river. the ca BILE broke and the
car dashed down the incline at fright
full speed.
The violent motion of the car caused
the cable to wrap around it and when
within about 200 feet from the ground
crushed it as though it were an egg
she'll One end of the cable struck Oh
liver Ledgerwood, prominent young
attorney of this city. killing him in
stantly. The other occupants of the
car were SO badly frightened that they
attempted to jump out of the car into
the river, but were restrained by the
brakeman.
Finally a tug was secured and an
chored beneath the dangling car, and
the survivors rescued by means of a
rope. each descending hand over hand.
They were Miss Alice Wad dler, Ledger
woods sweetheart: William Kibby,
Fred McBee, Frank McBee. G. NJ. Phil
lips, c. F. Lewis and Henry Hatcher all
prominent people.
At the coroner's inquest it was dis
covered that the cable had been par
TALLY severed by an unknown mis-
creant
Bandits at Work.
Los ANGELES, Cal, Feb. :7.-Three
train robbers, two of them believed to
have been Evans and Morrell, the
notorious deperadoes, partly wrecked
a Southern Pacific express train at
Roscoe station at o'clock this morn
ing, injuring the engineer and fireman,
blew open the express car and wounded
the messenger and then carried off a
large amount of money.
As the train, which carried many
passengers and an unusually heavy
Wells-Fargo express shipment, neared
the Rosco switch, Engineer Thomas
saw too late that the switch was mis-
placed and vainly tried to stop the
train, but he could not do it and the
engine and two fruit cars of oranges
went into the ditch. the engine turn
ing over and burying the engineer and
fireman. The two fruit cars were a
total wreck.
Three masked men sprung up out of
the bushes and began a fusilade. A few
moments later a couple of dynamite
bombs were placed under the express
car. the messenger refusing to open the
door, and the whole side was blown off.
Brakeman Foster, as soon as he heard
the shots. ran to neighboring ranch
house, where he saw a light, got team
and drove back to Burbank and gave
the alarm. He cannot tell how much
the robbers got, but it is probable that
they cleaned out the express car as they
had their own way when he left.
Engineer Thomas was badly hurt, as
well as the fireman, and Drainsworth,
the company's surgeon here, left on
light engine for the scene. Foster
could not tell whether any passengers
were hurt, but thought they were only
badly shaken up.
Two posses of deputy sheriffs have
Just left for the scene.
The wrecked engine went down the
bank ten feet. Engineer Thomas
jumped but Fireman Masters was pin
toned between the cab and tender and
died as he was taken out.