The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-02-03
killed At A CROSSING
A Sleighing Party Run Into
BY a Train.
Prominent high school Boys Of
Fall River, Brooks Borden, Orson
Swift and Ray Thornton, II VIC
Tins -The Crossing Signal Ont OF
Order at the Time Of IA Accident.

FALL RIVER, Mass. Feb. IA shocking
triple fatality occurred last evening on
the Brownell street grade crossing of the
New York. New Haven and Hartford
railroad. A sleighing party, made up of
% bers of the sophomore class of the
Durfee high school was returning from
a two hours ride and was within half a
mile of home. When the pole horses
reached the track, Conductor Russells
Boston train move in sight round a bend,
running at a speed of p miles an hour.
The driver jerked the reins n succeeded
in getting within two feet Of being out Of
danger.
The sleigh was an old fashioned af air,
the seats running lengthwise.
Everett Durfee, n teacher i'm the school,
in charge of the party, was sitting on a
camp stool at the rear end, and on either
side Of him were Brooke Borden, rs yea-i
old, son of Col. Spencer Borden, and Ray
Thornton, II year old son OF Charles ID.
Thornton, while Orson Swift, the II year
old son of NJ. NJ. b. Swift, Esq, was sit.
ting in the lap OF Henry Hawkins.
When the party saw the rushing train,
the members became terror stricken. Bor-
den and Thornton jumped over the tail
board only TO be struck by the locomotive.
Swift was preparing to jump when he was
struck. Borden was hurled 20 feet, his
skull and body being crushed, and he
was killed instantly. Ray Thornton was
dragged along in the wheels for 100 yards,
his head and right arm being severed
from his body. Swift was hurled 20 feet
and was breathing, but unconscious,
when picked up. He was taken home in
an ambulance. but died shortly after ar
irving there. Mr.. Durfee jumped with
Clark Chase. jr., when they saw the train
and they escaped with slight bruises, the
train passing between them and the
sleigh.
Immediately after the accident the ter
ror-stricken pupils jumped from their
conveyance and the young ladies became
frantic. The scene of the accident is only
a block away from the Northern police
station and all assistance was endered
as quickly as possible. The police learned
that no blame is attached To John FtZ-
patrick, the driver. Timothy Con-
nelly, the crossing tender, was on duty.
The arrangement by which he is notified
of an approaching train was not work
ing. When he saw the train the horses
were on the track and he could not then
put down the gates without emperilling
everyone in the sleigh. Had another
second interviewed there would ave been
nothing more han a narrow escape. The
injury done to the sleigh was the smashing
out Of the end about n foot square. The
horses were going at a moderate gate and
did not attempt to run. The members Of
the party who were uninjured were so ter
rlbly shocked that they would not again
enter the conveyance, but walked along,
crying. to their homes. The accident
created a profound sensation in the city.
The three bows were the brightest in their
class and wen favorites in the school.
They were connected with the best fami-
lies in the city. Brooks Borden is known
all over the country IA owner of finely
bred and trained carrier pigeons.