The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-08-16
TWENTY FOUR KILLED.
CLEARING AWAY THE TERRIBLE
WRECK NEAR LINCOLN, NEB.
Not Body Was Taken Out That Bore Sem
blance to Human Form-0nly Charred
Skulls and Bones Found in
the Bed Of Ashes.

LINCOLN. Neb., Aug. 10.-It was
nearly dark this evening before the
frightful mass of debris occupying the
ravine where the Rock Island express
was wrecked few miles south of this
city last night had cooled off suffi-
GENTLY to enable the large crowd
gathered to learn the fate of friends
or relatives and to inspect
the charred mass in detail, but any
hope they may have entertained OF
securing from the great ash pile in
formation as to the identity of those
who lost their lives in the holocaust
was soon blasted. The tons OF water
thrown on the twisted relics OF the
train and red emoers had been insult
icient to prevent every vestlge OF COM
bustible matter from being destroyed.
Occasionally charred skull, or par.
TALLY burned human bone was raked
from the red furnace, but nothing re-
manned to tell the tale of those who
went down with the Inflated train,
ana time will be required to determine
Just how many persons were lost in the
wreck. The list of killed and injured,
as furnished by the coroner, tonight
swells the fatalities to "a, as follows:
From the confused tangle OF con-
fiictipg stories told by excited eye
witnesses, it has been definitely ascer-
ia ned that only one man met his
death in the flames. The low moan
ing which had been heard in the
RUNS Of the smoking cars had ceased
befol tn cars reached it, and the
presumption is all its unfortunate &C.
cupants were dead.
One victim, who SO name will never
be known, lay under the tender,
the upper edge of which lay across
his thighs, crushing them into the
hard gravel. AS Colonel Bills APP
preached lie begged iteously to be
relieved and saved from the
fam s. Colonel Bills is a man
of nerve and decision, but
he was confronted by terrible
alternative. 70 move this tender was
an utter impossibility and the long
tongues of the hungry flames reached
out greediIy for their victim. For an
instant he thought the only one chance
was TO amputale the mans leg. Then
he saw both legs were fast and while
he hesjtated helplessly tor a moment,
gust of wind drove the flames and
smoke upon him, blistering his face
and scorching his clothes. Before he
could recover himself the long fiery
tongues had wrapped themselves
about the body and the terrified VIC
tim was still.
The Rock Island offers reward of
$1,000 for the apprehension of the
wreckers. The county and state will
be asked to add to the reward. There
are two theories as to the Wreckipg,
it being conceded that the train was
derailed by the removal of the rails
for a part of the way across the trestle.
There ia plenty of evidence to prove
this as a fact. A tishplate and the
bar with which it had been wrenched
loose were found near the trestle
after the wreck occurred. One the
DRY ls that the strikers from
South Omaha did the work, believin (
that a company of state troops who
were to have boarded the train at
Fairbury were on board. This is not
as generally credited as the other
that the element that has been caus.
ing so much trouble in Oklahoma,
who were bitter against the Rock
Island did the job though why they
should come this distance TO wreck a
train that might have besn wrecked
nearer home is not explained.
Three well-dreased men LETT north
bound freight train near the bridge,
the last train to pass safely over the
structure, being the one they
boarded. Detectives are look
ing for them. Harry Foote
the Injured brakeman, is the one who
advances the theory that the train
was mAlciously wrecked. According
to his Story rail WAS removed on the
bridge The evidences were plainly
there and unmis akanie. too. Marks
made ty n wrench on Il loOsened rail
were p'aiuIy visible and the marks OF
the Gro y bar on the crusstles were
there 81 piHiu that no lantern was
needed tu vXoluiue them The wood
of the tier waA 90 deeply dented where
the crow bar hat en- iuser'ed and
the raie iiried c-ar Of lbs ties aud the
spike, which had been pui!ef out,
" Ing loose on me briGge.
-, ISo1l, ict I'D