The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-11
A NO7ORNAN KILLED.
Fatal Electric Railway Acct
dent at St. Nicholas.
THROWN OFF THE TRACK
A Stone Placed on the Rails Deralls Car
and Causes the Death of John welsh-A
Passenger and Trial Man Injured, But
Not Very Seriously.

At about six o'clock last evening car
No. l3 on the Mahanoy City and Locust
Dale line of the Schuylkill Traction Com
pany's electric railway was thrown from
the track at St Nicholas and John Welsh
the mOtormau, was instantly killed. Miss
Lucy Kelly, of ST. Nicholas, who was a
passenger on the car, had q wrist spraiued
Welsh, the mOtOrman, resided at Ellen
gowan. The manner in which he met his
death has not been determined The in
jury was crushing of the chest. 1t is
o5 'ible that he was caught and squeezed
between a telegraph pole and the car
when 1T was thrown from the track, and
it is also possible that he received n vio-
lent blow on the chest from the controller
handle, or the brake shaft, when the
collision with the telegraph pole occurred.
The officials of the company lean towards
the latter theory.
When interviewed to day General Man
ager Ash of the Schuylkill Traction Com
pany, said the report that the car was
running at a high rate of speed when the
accident occurred was not true. On the
contrary, the car had stopped about 80
feet west of where the car was derailed
and after starting again was going at the
rate of from twoto three miles an hour.
The company disclaims all responsible
ity for the accident and asserts that the
car was thrown from the track by a stone
which had been maliciOusly placed on the
rail.
Mr. Ash said to-day, 1--WE are con
stantly annoyed by distractions being
placed on our tracks, not only at St Mich
o'as, but in all places along our lines.
We recognize the fact that where the
lines run over, or at the side of team
roads, it is easy enough for stones to be
dragged upon the rails, but we are posi-
tive that in most cases these stones are
placed maliciOusly. In this particular st.
Nicholas case all circumstances point to
a malicious act, as there is no team road
near the track. furthermore, immedi.
ately after the accident occurred, we had
the car examined and the track gauged
and both were found in perfect condition
When we gauged the track, Charles
Smith, who has been employed as track
repairsman for the p. q X. r.. h. Com,
pany for 30 years, was present and said
the track was in first-class condition
The report that the track was torn NJ
by the derailing of the car is also incOr
rect. The track is the same now as it was
before and Immediately after the acci-
dent, and we were not obliged to put even
a spike in it,"
Later particulars show that Martin
Corrigan, of Ellengowan, was also a
victim of the accident. He was making
| trial trips on the road preparatory tC
| taking n position on the Lakeside line
but was not running the car. He was
beside Welsh and had his chest and left
arm badly confused He is not dangerously
| injured.
Welsh, the dead motorman, was sol
of Supervisor Patrick Welsh, of Mahanoy
township, 1t is now said that when the
motorman was thrown forward after the
| car left the track the platform of the cal
so pinned him against telegraph pole
| that the handle of the controller lever
penetrated his body just below the breast
| bone and killed him instantly.