New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-17
FATAL WRECK ON THE GRAND TRUNK.


FATAL WRECK ON THE GRAND TRUNK
KILLED AND SEVERAL PERSONS BADLY HURT
Battle Creek. Mich. July ia bad wreck oc-
Cured on the Chicago and Grand Trunk road at
this city at 3 o'clock this morning. 1t was the
work OF some person or persons who had a
grudge against the road and who wanted to get
even" Some time after midnight last night the
bolts were removed from the fshplates which
held the rails together and the plates taken from
the rails, at the top Of Austin Hill, just west OF
the city Train No 6. due here at 2:30 a. m.
was twenty minutes late at this station and was
running fast TO make up time. The train had
just passed the top Of the hill and was coming
down the grade when the engine and train left
the track and jumped into the ditch. The train
was the same one that in the wreck here
last fall Ii consisted of the express car, bag
gage car one day coach and four Pullmans.
When the rails spread. the engine ran about
100 hundred feet and then went over on It's side
into the ditch. The tender followed and the day
coach and Of the Pullmans turned
across the tracks. The trucks of the were
forced of and The cars were badly damaged.
The end OF the baggage was crushed in and
the coaches which had left the track were stove
In. There We're twenty-five passengers on the
train and all more or less shaken up, cut
ana bruised, Dut none were Dadi injured. Inc
day coach, which went over on It's side, was
lighted with gas, and the lights went out the
instant 1t left the rails.
The engineer and fireman Of the train were
making their first this section 0f the
road. The fireman. Thomas Crow. was thrown
several feet from the engine and his neck was
broken. He died almost instantly. Engineer
Miller badly cut about the head and face.
Brakeman Mitchell. Conductor Bishop and Bag
gageman Adams were also badly cut and bruised
but their injuries not fata!. The most
seriously injured of the passengers is woman
named Roberts. Of Chicago, who was badly cut
about the head and face and Is also injured in
ternaly. Others who were seriously injured are:
Robert W. Luyiel. bruised hips; Carl b. Benson,
Annapolis, No. back injured and face cut. Memo
las Kuehn. Chicago. cash on head; II = NIasKll'
mail agent on car. bruised: james Kce'e, chicago,
right knee hurt; Grimes. cut on knee
There is doubt hat the disaster was the
result Of a deliberate plot TO wreck the train
and take the lives of a number OF passengers
a similar attempt Was made at Vicksburg last
week but one OF the trackmen fortunately dis-
covered that the plates had been removed from
the rails in time TO prevent an accident lheI"
IS no clew as yet 10 the perpetrators or this
mornings crime. but several men are u"ue'
suspicion.
Assistant Freight Agent Dalrymple said to-day
that General Manager w. J. Splcer. who. with
Superintendent Atwater, il now at Battle creek
investigating the wreck. has offered reward or
$500 for the arrest and conviction OF the guilty
persons whom the railroad officials suspect 70 be
strikers Most Of the switchmen AT Batte creek
were discharged. and much apprehension was
felt that attempts would be made TO werck trains
Sank Rapids. Mimi. July l6.-An attempt was
made on Saturday nigh, wreck a Northern
Pacific passenger train here by placing dyna-
mite on the track. The engine was Hfted GEAR
off the tracks and the passengers were Ddu'H
shaken up but no serious damage resulted. Sus-
Dicion rests upon four men who ! ave beer hans-
ing around for the last week. but VINO are no"
missing.