The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-20
Engineer and Tramp Killed and
Eight Men, Including Five Railway
Mail Service Clerks, BADLY Injured.
TWO BOYS SOON ARRESTED
CONFESSION THAT THEY WRECKED
THE TRAIN TO ROB PASSENGERS.
Fish Plates Removed from the Rails
with stolen TOOIs-Testimony of "a
Girl at the COroner's Inquest.
special to the indianapolis Journal.


ROME, N. Y, Nov. 19.-Four boys early
New York Central train, causing the death
Of two men and the serious injury of eight
others. The victims of the wreck are:
NATHAN HAGER, of Albany, engineer
of train. crushed to death under his loco
motive.
WILLIAM BOND. of Syracuse, killed be-
TWEEN the cars; was stealing a ride.
CHRIS WAGNER, of Albany fireman,
injured internally and badly hurt about the
H. r. PECK. of Syracuse, railway mail
service clerk, head cut and bruised
E. REARDON, of Herkimer railway
mail-service clerk, head and body cut and
bruised.
F. n. PADDOCK, of Syracuse, railway
mail-service clerk. arm cut and bruised
j. T.. I4AVINE, of New York. railway
mail-service clerk. badly cut and bruised.
c.. w. SACKETT, of Herkiner. railway
mail-service clerk, arm cut and bruised.
M. J. MCCARTHY, of Buffalo, car porter,
badly cut and bruised.
JOHN MACY, of Syracuse, tramp. left
foot cut off.
The wrecked train was No. 6; the scene
of the crime. one mile west of this place;
the hour. o'clock a. m. and 1t was the
second attempt within three weeks to
wreck the same train near the same spot,
which is an ideal one for the commission
of such a crime 1t was on heavy down
grade, and trains usually run down it at
the rate of sixty-ive miles an hour. This
train. not stopping at Rome, generally
goes down the grade at a greater rate of
speed. and it is believed that to-day it must
have been running close to seventy-five
miles an hour in order to make up few
minutes lost time. There is not a house
within half a mile of the place. The wreck
~~l~~ -
stole some tools with which they removed
the fish platesswhich fasten the rails to the
ties and pulled out the spikes.
The train left Syracuse at $3.50 O'clock.
1t consisted of four mail cars and three
sleepers. There were eleven postal clerks
and fourteen passengers aboard, besides
the members of the crew. When the train
struck the loose rails the engine was
thrown from the track into the ditch and
completely submerged in the mire, only the
driving wheels on the left side being above
the earth. The forward mail car was
thrown two car lengths ahead of the en-
gine and rolled down the bank so that il
lay lengthwise toward the rails. The Sec
ond car. in which the mail clerks were
working, was thrown on the tender OF the
engine and badly demolished. The third
and fourth cars were also ditched. the ends
Of each being broken. The frs; one of the
sleepers was thrown from the rails. com
pletely rolling over so that the trucks were
some distance from the rails. The second
car was simply turned on it's side. while
the rear sleeper did not leave the tracks al
all.
Engineer Hager went down with his en-.
gine and must have been instantly killed
The fireman, Chris Wagner, was badly in
jured about the head and 1t Is feared he
is internally hurt. One tramp was found
dead and another badly hurt. They are
supposed to have been stealing q ride or
the forward end of the first mail car di-
rectly in the rear of the engine. The postal
clerks will recover.
Immediately after the wreck the New
York Central railway detectives went tC
work on the case and soon arrested John
Hildreth and Frederick Bristol, two boys
After the arrest young Hildreth broke down
and confessed that he and Bristol, in com
pany with two other boys named Herbert
Plato and Theodore Hibbard. had broker
open the tool house and, with the aid OF
tools thus secured, had removed the fish
plates from the rails. No cause is giver
for the deed
The City Hall, in which the police station
is located, is surrounded by a large crowd
tonight who express freely the opinior
that the train wreckers should be lynched
The night and day police force is on duty
to prevent trouble. Several witnesses have
been taken into custody for examination
including young woman with whom Hib.
bard kept company. and to whom he told
the story of how he and his chums had
wrecked the train.
The inquest over the bodies of Hagal
and Bond was commenced tonight. The
principal witness was Miss Celia Perryn
She testified that Hildreth came to hel
home on Cottage street. this morning anC
ate breakfast. He told her all, acknowl
edging that he took part in wfecking the
train. When they parted he told her she
would probably not see him again, for hi
expected to be arrested. as ne had los
his hat. containing his name. He asked
her to telegraph to his father, j. Homer
Hildreth. New York. and tell him he was
In trouble and to come Immediately anc
she said she did as directed. When Hill
dreth left her he said he was going te
see the wreck and he told r n she ough
TO CO. for II was sight. He told hel
| also that they did it to rob the passen
| gers. He said all he did was TO lead tn,
| boys to the place.
rxrr <.r ruEI,ANn MS cTTcR