Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-02-01
TRIPLE FATALITY.
Sleighing Party at Fall River
Struck by Train.
Two Boys Instantly Killed and Third
Died in Few Minutes.
Others Unif iured-Gats Tender Could Not
Give Warning in Time.

Idt6ilty OccuIIeO ~ f.f0 knlS hItefuOOu Oh
he Brown nell street grade crossing OF the
New York, New Haven & Hartford Rsil-
road. A sleighing party of 2s members of
the sophomore clats of The II. NJ. McDur-
f-e high school and driver was retur"ir g
from a two hours Tide and were within
1alf mile of home.
When the pole horses reached the track
Conductor Russelrs Boston train hove in
light around the bend, running % miles an
hour and was within a quarter of mile "t
he Fall River station. Timothy Connolly,
the crossing tender, saw the train stimuli
areously wi h the driver. The latter
jerked the r. ins and succeeded in getting
si,hin two feet of being out Of danger
The sleigh was old.fashioned. the seats
unnipg lepgthwise, the rear end havirg .
lumber cart taibOard.
Everett B. Durfee, a teacher in tbe
'cbool, 10 charge of the party, was sinint
IN a camp stool at the end, snd on either
.iie of him we're Brooks Borden. lG years
on Of CLl. Spencer Borden, Ray Thornton,
II yesr,, son Of Charles ID. Thornton. an'
Drson Swift, I years, son of M. G..
wifi. f g., sitting in the lap of Henry
aaw kins.
When the party saw the train the men,
'ers became terror-stri, ken. Borden and
Thornton jumped over the tailboard AM
we're struck by the locomotive. Swift wss
preparing to jump WHEN he was struck
,orden was hurled 40 feet. His skull and
ody were crushed in and he was instantly
silled.
Ray Thornton was dragged along in tn
eheels for 100 yards. His head and rigL'
and were severed from his body.
Swift was hurled 20 feet and was breath
ng, bnt unconscious, when picked up. Ht
was taken home in an ambulance and died
hortly after he arrived.
Mr.. Durfee jumped with Clark Chase,
r., when he saw the train and escaped will
light bruises, the train passing between
hem and the sleigh. Immediately after
We accident the terror stricken pupil
jumped from the conveyance and the young
.uies became frantic. The scene of th.
ccident is only block from the northern
,lice station aud alt assistance was rer-
1ered as quickl2 as possible. ,s.;
The poiice learned that no blame is at.
ached to John Fitzpatrick, the driver, nor
dr. Durfee. Timothy Connolly, middle
ged man, the crossing tender was on tn
lookout for the train when it hove in sight
Che arrangement by which he is notified Of
N approaching train was not working dur
ug the day. He remained outside to SET
veil up the track. When he saw the trai'
he horses were on the track and he could
not put down the gates without imperillins
.very one in the sleigh. Had another
,econd intervened there would have beer
lothing more than narrow escape.
Tho only injury done the sleigh was th.
mashing of the piece of the end about
'oot square. The horses were going at
Moderate gait and did not attempt to run.
The me nbers of the party who were unir-
ured were so terribly shocked that they
could not again 60 into the conveyance,
M after sll the excitement was over they
walked to their homes.
The az cident created a profound sensa-
loa in the city. The boys were universa'
'svorites in the school, and connected with
he best families in the city. Brooks Bor-
len was known all over the country as the
~ ner of finely bred and trsined carrier
,;geons. After the medical examine
,iewed the remains they were removed t.
he homes Of the boys parents. Two large
.eivhing parties had been arranged for thi'
vo'''ne, but both we're postponed.
limo by Connolly, the crossing tender
fa,e tn. following statement to Police Cap
ain Doherty tonight: When the special pay
rain came along this morning the bell in
he crossing tenders house, connected tn
the tracks about mile above the scene OF
the accident did not ring as usual. On all
the other trains during the dav it did ring,
except on the train Il at struck the sleigh.
He did not hear the engine whistle but
would not say it was not blown as usual.
The horses attached to the sleigh were
xalkipg very slowly when the train hove in
light. He ran to the gates, but did rot put
hem down. because he was certain that the
horses and sleigh would be caught on the
tracks between them. Immediately after
the en- rine struck he tainted. Later he
was taken home and is complet-ly ly pros
,rated. He bears an exceptionally good
charac ,er, is temperate and has family.
AT the time the engine struck the party,
four employees of the road we're in the
crossing tenders house, where they had ar
rived on handcsr, three or four minutes
before. They dill not hear the whistle OF
the engine or the gong in the house.
Young Borden's thigh and one rib were
broken. Swift's frontal Zone was crushed
ia. Two of the party are under physicians
care, suffering from the shock. Eighteen
years ago. at the same crossing, five men,
II